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Most western countries are "flunking" science because it's hard work, lacks prestige, pays poorly, and you're unlikely to discover anything new even if you put
by gizmo 17y ago
Most western countries are "flunking" science because it's hard work, lacks prestige, pays poorly, and you're unlikely to discover anything new even if you put in the necessary hours.
As we discover more and more about the world the more dedication it will take to make progress in a field. So it makes sense that you want fewer and more dedicated people.
Does Hollywood caricature scientists? Of course. But Hollywood isn't exactly know for its nuance. Business men are always evil (unless the business is failing, in which case the owner is the sympathetic underdog). Politicians are corrupt or incompetent. Is Hollywood to blame for the general indifference to science, I doubt that.
To summarize:
1. fewer people devote their life to science. I don't think this is a bad thing.
2. (young) people are indifferent about politics, the world, science, and most "stuff that matters". This probably is bad, but it certainly does not have a simple identifiable cause.
- lallysingh 17y ago1. Few other topics (specifically, art, literature, dance) really contribute to the sum of humanity as well as science does. When we're young, we want to be firemen, ballerinas and astronauts. Only later do we get talked into fields with higher personal ROI. 2. Really, indifferent? I spent quite a few years at protests and rallys with quite a few other students the last few years. Hardly indifferent.
- eru 17y ago> As we discover more and more about the world the more dedication it will take to make progress in a field. Not necessarily. Remember the quote about shoulders and giants?