Letters to the Editor
Tobbar
Published Letters: 159 Editor's Choice: 9
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So many tie-ins
[Read the article: Manimal magnetism]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Man, this is the kind of article that crosses so many of the areas that I like, I just don't know where to start on the comments.
First, I guess, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the freaky disconnect during the SOTU speech re: more scientist and forbidding scientific research. Ditto the fundy code talk. Double ditto the fact he's misrepresenting both the type of research and the end products of that research.
As to the article's assertion that sci-fi tends to highlight the fearful technology of the time, I agree. But, it also disarms that fear at the same time. Godzilla is a frightful creature, but later he is a benevolant one. The terminator is a terrifying machine, but in T2 and T3, it's a good thing it is on our side. And, of course, the android Bishop from 'Aliens', who wouldn't want him on your team? And, really, is there any role that Lance Henrikssen can't bring to life?
Moving on to some of the existing comments, let's jump right to Lovecraft. One of the things about Lovecraft that made him so riveting back in the day was that he was a total athiest. In his writings all religions are just a big waste of time, and more ancient and sinister forces are at work. He exploited much of the scientific knowlege of the day- the extrodinary age of the earth, the comparatively young age of humans, the ancient roots of humanity. Shocking stuff, to be sure!
And genetic engineering/stem cell research is shocking stuff. Tinkering with the very templates of life! Oh, and all that religion stuff? Still a big waste of time. Each and every 'mystery' of religion is being systematically illuminated by the sciences. The recent struggles and humiliations of the religious right show the despeartion with which they cling to the rapidly shrinking turf upon which they still hold sway: Abortion- when does life begin. Evolution- how did we get here. Biogenisis- how did anything living get here. Terri Shiavo- when do we stop being 'human'.
The MRI will be the final chapter in this long battle. Eventually we'll get someone in there who has a near-death experience, or a religious experience, and be able to pin-point which parts of the brain are firing that cause the experience. Give that ten years and we'll even be able to tell why those regions of the brian are firing. Give it another ten and we'll probably figure out some evolutionary/biological reason for that kind of experience.
And genetic engineering/stem cell research is a shifting sand of moral questions. I am reminded of an article I read about the catholic chruch's initial reaction to the growing slave trade. They debated, hotly, the moraility of it, the humaness of black Africans, many many things. Of course, the slave trade grew into an industry during all this, and spawned what could easily be called some of the first lobbyiests to argue and obstruct. I think we all know how it worked out, in the end.
We live in exciting times.
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The many fronts of the war on boys
[Read the article: The campus crusade for guys]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is an article that brings up a lot of interesting points, and makes it hard to make any general over-arching observations.
I think that there is a strong peer-pressure to not excell at school. I suspect that my friends and I barely missed the anti-intellecutal/studious trend of our peers in high school and college. I think it was starting, I'm sure others suffered more from it more, others less. It followed us into college- where study groups all took place off campus (odd, considering how much money and effort we spent to get to the campus to begin with).
Mostly, my study groups were mostly with friends and not with people in the same major or even the same classes. To people outside the 'group' I played the same tune I did in college 'yeah, I studied a little... no big deal...'
Salon had an article a few months ago about a college professor who went back to school (at a different school) to find out why her students seemed to be so bored all of the sudden (over the last 10 years or something), and she found that the desire to be 'cool' trumped almost everything else among the students. She found that most students studied alone (if at all) and always downplayed both how much studying they had done, as well as how much they cared about the class in general.
'Yeah, I studied a little... no big deal...' as a way of life. I think she found it to be worse among male students than female.
Some random thoughts and observations:
I think, though I cannot prove, that genders define themselves against each other. 50 years ago boys were supposed to be good at math and girls were not and they acted accordingly. Transitional period. Now girls are supposed to be good at 'school' and so boys are not.
I think, though I cannot prove, that people are very very lazy and are constantly trying to find a strategy that will let them get away with shit. Everything from I'm too smart to I'm too stupid to I don't care. Studying, practicing, whatever, is hard and you may still not make good grades or win the game... but if you quite (or threaten to) you can maintian your control over the situation.
I think, though I cannot prove, that these strategies work really really well, too. At least in school, on parents and teachers and peers. But it falls apart in no-nonsense environments (witness the letters from high school screw up to scholar via the marines).