For some reason, we live in a culture where it is seen as "desirable" to 
not be cleaver. People who are good at football are regarded as gods, 
but anybody who claims to be good at (say) trigonometry is regarded as a 
pathetic failure of a human being.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7435023.stm

The article focuses specifically on maths, but it seems generally 
"fashionable" to be bad at anything that looks "technical". Maths, 
science, computing, etc.

Some of the comments submitted are interesting too. My particular favourite:

"I have always liked maths, but I remember that at school, being good at 
maths was a sever issue. Those who made any effort towards being good at 
maths and science were ostracized by the rest of the year group."

Yes... this is my life...

Everybody hated me for being the "teacher's pet". Just because *they* 
were a bunch of thick idiots... :-P

"I am certain that this was because of the portrayal of 'nerds' in 
mainstream children s TV and film. When every day, kids are watching 
hours of nerds being beaten up, hated and generally victimized- you can 
only expect the same to happen in schools, and hence many children will 
make a conscious effort NOT to be good at it."

Seems pretty solid logic to me.

So the question arrises... why does the media always portray technically 
talented people as freaks and weirdos? And why does it constantly 
reinforce the idea that mathematics is "hard", and that only "geniuses" 
can comprehend it? Where did all this come from?

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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