Why do most people find science boring?

yazata,
i was referring to science in general, not "institutionalized" science.
a gifted person in a well equipped lab will make discoveries just like post grad would but most of those "discoveries" would have probably already be made.

BTW, as odd as it sounds, i do not consider an "obsessive" tinkerer to be a scientist.
this brings up the observation of what is the difference between research and science.
could the unethical research by the NAZI's be called science?
in my opinion a pure scientist wouldn't have a problem with ethics, only in the application.
 
I didnt know most people did find science boring. I think most girls probably do, but not the resulting mobile phone etc. I think most people find philosophy boring, and that is my favorite subject.

Perhaps science seems "boring" because it takes time. Things happen slowly. I would say THIS is because it requires teamwork. One persons theory or discovery must be logged (written down), so the results are verifiable. The work can then be built or improved upon by another scientist at some later time. Perhaps!
 
I'll be frank here. I don't think it's normal to be interested alot in science. I mean think about it. Why would anyone spend so much time gaining knowledge about irrelevant abstract facts and theories and equations who already has plenty to occupy themselves with such as girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, family, their career, recreation, travel, movies, music, fiction, money, possessions, pets, etc. You know..all the NORMAL things humans are into. Why devote yourself so much to physical inhuman processes unless there was something already in you that was a little inhuman also? Perhaps somewhere on the autism spectrum, or a little OCD, or a schizoid personality type who is emotionally awkward and stuck inside their own heads.

So it will always be this minority of dysfunctionals called "nerds" who you will hear pushing science as some sort of supremely valuable knowledge. Why know the mating habits of the african dung beetle? Why put so much effort in understanding the functioning of neurons or genes or electrons? Because it's the TRUTH, and god knows the truth is noble and enlightening and liberating in itself. But liberating from what? Science becomes the way these misfits in society compensate for being on the outside growing up--it's suddenly a sacred calling to have all this specialist information that no one else gets or finds interesting in the least. No longer under the shadow of a jock brother, or a prom queen sister, they can escape into this fantasy universe where everything is in order and they can find undisturbed the peace and exhilaration of just being their overanalytical and monomaniacal little selves.
 
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Reported for insulting.

But yes, we're well aware of what you think of science/scientists. Did a scientist beat you up when you were a kid or something?

Here's an obvious question: given that you hate science/scientists so much, why are you posting on a science site?
 
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Here's an obvious question: given that you hate science/scientists so much, why are you posting on a science site?
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I don't hate people who use science as a means of self-empowerment. I just feel sorry for them. Hence my helping them to get over it. To go out and discover the amazing and unpredictable reality they habitually shut out.
 
Some people find that their greatest years were in high school and become bitter when later in life those "skills" are no longer valued by society. When you work at the movie theatre when you are 16 it's cool. When you're still doing it at 40 it's not :)

When they are 40 and are still interested in ghosts, UFO's, it can be pathetic so we should let them vent I suppose.
 
Some people find that their greatest years were in high school and become bitter when later in life those "skills" are no longer valued by society. When you work at the movie theatre when you are 16 it's cool. When you're still doing it at 40 it's not
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Well, if you don't like working at a theater I heard KMart's hiring door greeters. I bet you could handle that couldn't ya?
 
Magical Realist said:
I don't hate people who use science as a means of self-empowerment. I just feel sorry for them. Hence my helping them to get over it. To go out and discover the amazing and unpredictable reality they habitually shut out.
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What, exactly, have you done here to "help people get over" science?
 
Magical Realist said:
Well, if you don't like working at a theater I heard KMart's hiring door greeters. I bet you could handle that couldn't ya?
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You missed his point: Scientists have skilles valued by society, so they don't have to work in such jobs. Much more on average than non-science learners. You are far more likely to find an English or Philosophy graduate as a door greeter at KMart than a STEM graduate. That can cause bitterness/jealousy amongst such people.

In any case, Seattle, I disagree that they should be allowed to vent here.
 
Magical Realist said:
So it will always be this minority of dysfunctionals called "nerds" who you will hear pushing science as some sort of supremely valuable knowledge. Why know the mating habits of the african dung beetle? Why put so much effort in understanding the functioning of neurons or genes or electrons? Because it's the TRUTH, and god knows the truth is noble and enlightening and liberating in itself. But liberating from what? Science becomes the way these misfits in society compensate for being on the outside growing up--it's suddenly a sacred calling to have all this specialist information that no one else gets or finds interesting in the least. No longer under the shadow of a jock brother, or a prom queen sister, they can escape into this fantasy universe where everything is in order and they can find undisturbed the peace and exhilaration of just being their overanalytical and monomaniacal little selves.
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Sorry to hear you have so much anger over science and the people who practice it. I hope you can get past it, because otherwise you'll be increasingly left behind in a world that has less and less room for people who prefer to remain ignorant.

Why would anyone spend so much time gaining knowledge about irrelevant abstract facts and theories and equations who already has plenty to occupy themselves with such as girlfriends, boyfriends, friends, family, their career, recreation, travel, movies, music, fiction, money, possessions, pets, etc.
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Actually some people make science their career - thus your question doesn't make all that much sense.
 
billvon said:
Sorry to hear you have so much anger over science and the people who practice it. I hope you can get past it, because otherwise you'll be increasingly left behind in a world that has less and less room for people who prefer to remain ignorant.
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That's good. Let it out. All that anger and resentiment. Use me as your punching bag. I'm the ignorant joe on the street who drives a porche and has a model for a girlfriend. I'm all those people out there who yawn and roll their eyes when you go off on some science tangent. Let me have it. I can take it.

Actually some people make science their career - thus your question doesn't make all that much sense.
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Society had to come up with some place science nerds could be useful. That's why they built labs and gave them jobs there. Then they could catalogue data by themselves until the day they die. "Good job Mr. Scientist. Here's your paycheck."
 
Magical Realist said:
Well, if you don't like working at a theater I heard KMart's hiring door greeters. I bet you could handle that couldn't ya?
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I see you don't value reading comprehension skills either. Eventually, you really should branch out from reading comics. It will improve your life (unlike astronomy apparently).
 
Seattle said:
I see you don't value reading comprehension skills either. Eventually, you really should branch out from reading comics. It will improve your life (unlike astronomy apparently).
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I'm gonna check the astronomy news for any breaking news tonight before I go to bed. I live for that shit. I don't know how'd I'd live without it! Go stars! lol!
 
danshawen said:
Most folks find physics Bohring, but it's not Fermi.

Mythbusters is still fun to watch, and they occasionally do some serious science, whenever they can pry themselves away from the pyrotechnics. One of those "dangerous jobs" programs featured replacing a number of 30+ ton dipole magnet beam sections for the LHC. That was fun to watch, even if it was presented from the technical level of a master crane operator.

Why sports activities have so much interest (as opposed to science) has always puzzled me. Don't ever bother me about whatever team has carried a ball down a field to make a goal, and projectile motion involved in such sports is the most boring part of physics. I might watch sports if there were more serious injuries and we could follow the injured players into the operating rooms. Otherwise, I'd be more entertained watching paint dry, ducks swimming in a pond, listening to good music, read a good book, feed pigeons, or just watch a sunset.
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That was an interesting post and I agree with the broad brush you stroked , but all "sports" are science in action and all people can actively or passively participate for a favorite cause.
Theoretical science is "contemplation", Applied science is "participation". These are different dynamics.

But IMO, it is undeniable that the more one understands how we relate to our environment, the more we are able to enjoy and appreciate the applied science and the team or dividual who has mastered the science of their chosen field. A casual observer may not know the science, but they recognize it when the science is executed to perfection, resulting in an advantage.
I believe it is connected to the "mirror neural network" where the greater the experience (not knowledge) the greater the empathic response. That's why "world class athletes" get paid millios of dollars. We empathize physically with the athlete or the action.

But if we added all the active participants in theoretical excercises on fora such as this, you'd find a sizable number of laymen such as myself. I am fascinated with theoretical science and I am fascinated with applied science, including sports, and just about everything we touch today. How popular are sci-fi movies and internet games?

But unfortunately there are few theoretical scientists who are also great storytellers. Asimov, Clarke, Sagan, Tyson, and a few others have fostered much more interest in science than ever before, except perhaps some of the other Golden Ages. Socrates, Plato, Galileo where theoretical science was encouraged and flourished and became the foundation of knowledge today.
 
Russ_Watters said:
Reported for insulting.

But yes, we're well aware of what you think of science/scientists. Did a scientist beat you up when you were a kid or something?

Here's an obvious question: given that you hate science/scientists so much, why are you posting on a science site?
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I already asked him that. Typically he ignored it.
 
Magical Realist said:
When Discovery Channel first started, one could look forward to interesting documentaries on astronomy, physics, biology, technology, and paleontology. Remember "Walking With Dinosaurs"? It was the one place one could go to learn about science. Nowadays, the Discovery Channel is a wasteland of hillbilly reality shows and dangerous occupational docudramas. You'd be lucky if you see even one science show there in a month. Why is this? Why is science so boring to the general public? Is it not being presented in an exciting enough way? Or do most people find it too abstract and irrelevant to their everyday lives?

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Complacency, the whole world knows that in the science discovery department, mostly it has been discovered leaving bits and pieces left to find, there is no fame like the good old days, people find it boring because often opinions end up in the bin, and the rewards in science offer very little. Presentation is important to build an audience, but in saying that the presentation has to be aimed at the right age group and presented to them in a way that will keep interest.
Example - My Tumble explaining science to children would keep an interest by the presentation, a beautiful lady explaining science would keep most guys interested , so on and so on.
 
I must say, well done Magical Realist. Putting those social skills that you have from being a non-nerd and all that to good use. Dissing scientists on a science forum. Sure to go down well with the readers.
 
James R said:
I must say, well done Magical Realist. Putting those social skills that you have from being a non-nerd and all that to good use. Dissing scientists on a science forum. Sure to go down well with the readers.
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A pity actually. I thought MR and I had a fairly civilised discussion on the other thread about the value and/or values associated with science.
 
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