Comments on: A tangle with gravity http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/ bubbling enthusiasm for $arbitrary_topic Mon, 31 May 2010 15:39:44 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: gavin http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-5208 gavin Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:25:21 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-5208 It's a continuing shame that the relationship between science, and the "public understanding of science" is never treated with the respect that it deserves. I think it boils down to the fact that people prefer magic. This is no excuse, of course, because if everyone made the effort they'd realiase there are whole other levels of magic to impart, which comes from genuine understanding. UK science representation also has much to answer for in its outreach, but then you have to compare the PR budgets of somewhere like Jodrell Bank with that of the HST/NASA... It’s a continuing shame that the relationship between science, and the “public understanding of science” is never treated with the respect that it deserves.

I think it boils down to the fact that people prefer magic.

This is no excuse, of course, because if everyone made the effort they’d realiase there are whole other levels of magic to impart, which comes from genuine understanding.

UK science representation also has much to answer for in its outreach, but then you have to compare the PR budgets of somewhere like Jodrell Bank with that of the HST/NASA…

]]> By: Owen Blacker http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4609 Owen Blacker Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:04:28 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4609 Well, if you will watch BBC Breakfast "News" ;) Yeah, you're right, though. There is precious little *real* science coverage in the media, Dr Goldacre notwithstanding. Of course it doesn't help that over half the articles in the British press on the subject of anthropogenic climate change are denying that which no respected scientist disputes these days. What irritates me most is that a lot of people who *think* they're "cultured" seem to forget that culture is the sciences, as well as the arts. Well, if you will watch BBC Breakfast “News” ;)

Yeah, you’re right, though. There is precious little *real* science coverage in the media, Dr Goldacre notwithstanding. Of course it doesn’t help that over half the articles in the British press on the subject of anthropogenic climate change are denying that which no respected scientist disputes these days.

What irritates me most is that a lot of people who *think* they’re “cultured” seem to forget that culture is the sciences, as well as the arts.

]]> By: James Heaver http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4608 James Heaver Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:44:04 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4608 The other thing that people say with real pride is "Oh, I could never do numbers" The other thing that people say with real pride is “Oh, I could never do numbers”

]]> By: Suw http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4602 Suw Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:16:08 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4602 Gia, that's a really common attitude, not just in TV, but in the majority of the mainstream media and, indeed, in large swathes of the population. I don't really understand where it comes from, but when people start crowing about how technologically inept they are, it makes me want to spit feathers. I think it's at least in part a class thing - using computers and technology is seen as a very lower-middle class thing to do, and everyone looks down on the lower-middle class. It's also tied into the massive anti-intellectual bent that the media and much of the UK population has. "Thinkers" are looked down upon, and if you're smart you're obviously a pinko liberal commie hippy bastard. But hey, who needs tolerance and understanding when you can have a bitchy snipe-fest instead? Gia, that’s a really common attitude, not just in TV, but in the majority of the mainstream media and, indeed, in large swathes of the population. I don’t really understand where it comes from, but when people start crowing about how technologically inept they are, it makes me want to spit feathers. I think it’s at least in part a class thing – using computers and technology is seen as a very lower-middle class thing to do, and everyone looks down on the lower-middle class.

It’s also tied into the massive anti-intellectual bent that the media and much of the UK population has. “Thinkers” are looked down upon, and if you’re smart you’re obviously a pinko liberal commie hippy bastard.

But hey, who needs tolerance and understanding when you can have a bitchy snipe-fest instead?

]]> By: peter http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4594 peter Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:18:38 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4594 thx suw thx suw

]]> By: James Heaver http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4592 James Heaver Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:28:12 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4592 BBC Breakfast have a tendancy to be like that with /all/ their guests. BBC Breakfast have a tendancy to be like that with /all/ their guests.

]]> By: Ewan Spence http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4591 Ewan Spence Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:51:45 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4591 Hear, hear! Hear, hear!

]]> By: gia http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/comment-page-1/#comment-4590 gia Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:36:06 +0000 http://chocolateandvodka.com/2008/01/30/a-tangle-with-gravity/#comment-4590 Suw, what a brilliant article. Obviously, I feel the same exact way about the BBC Breakfast presenters. I find it deeply saddening that people think it's acceptable, amusing and take *pride* in the fact that they don't understand or even attempt to understand science. Can you ever imagine a BBC Breakfast presenter saying, 'Shakespeare?! Whoa I'm just too dumb to understand what he's on about! It's all just waaaaay over my head! Haha!' Of course not. Within our society generally the intellectual focus is on the arts, and science is seen as something the socially inept rejects are into - so, it *mustn't* be important like art, music, literature, right? The day that a BBC Breakfast presenter is ashamed of themselves for not attempting to understand science will be a day for great rejoicing. :) Suw, what a brilliant article. Obviously, I feel the same exact way about the BBC Breakfast presenters. I find it deeply saddening that people think it’s acceptable, amusing and take *pride* in the fact that they don’t understand or even attempt to understand science. Can you ever imagine a BBC Breakfast presenter saying, ‘Shakespeare?! Whoa I’m just too dumb to understand what he’s on about! It’s all just waaaaay over my head! Haha!’ Of course not.

Within our society generally the intellectual focus is on the arts, and science is seen as something the socially inept rejects are into – so, it *mustn’t* be important like art, music, literature, right?

The day that a BBC Breakfast presenter is ashamed of themselves for not attempting to understand science will be a day for great rejoicing. :)

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