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Comment by pnathan | Hacker News Reader

I suggest working to deprecate the glorification of sports stars, actors, rock musicians, and other careers that don't contribute to the advancement of humanity.

Demonstrate the wonders of STEM fields, and do so in a non-hokey manner (I've seen the government ads and the ACM ads, they are terrible).

Instead of bubble-heads on the evening news, work to have thoughtful people providing the voice of the country. Work to have authorities in those fields providing discussion and commentary.

Work to raise the national mind past football, movies and booze and towards deeper understanding and discussion of real issues.

I believe that with an increase in the average thought level, we will suddenly find more geeks in our midst.

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"I suggest working to deprecate the glorification of sports stars, actors, rock musicians, and other careers that don't contribute to the advancement of humanity."

Programming and computer science are important, but there's no need to belittle other professions. All the careers you listed require skill and dedication and contribute to the advancement of humanity in their own ways. I agree it's always good to raise the general level of thought and knowledge, but there are plenty of intelligent people who enjoy football, movies, music, and even gasp booze.

The point being that kids are growing up in a culture that puts more importance on becoming a celebrity in the entertainment business than on the task of increasing the breadth and depth of human knowledge.

I enjoy listing to music, as do plenty of other people but I enjoy the fact that I am alive more than that.

I am alive because of a few really good doctors, but even the best doctors don't have groupies, etc.

I'm with you on the athletes, but actors and musicians don't contribute to the advancement of humanity? I'm sorry, but you're quite mistaken.

The notion that only technical fields are valuable is a very, very short-sighted mentality. Both technical and non-technical people provide value, and the proper way to get more of both isn't to attack those that are unlike you.

this is starting to get off-topic, but one could argue that athletics played at the highest level is an art form, with its own rich culture, history, and passion just like great music, film, or literature.

Yes, you are right, and I thought that as soon as I posted it. Maybe a better answer is that the whole media frenzy around professional sports is the problem, not the sport itself.

Engineers and scientists provide better water and better food. Actors and musicians do neither. I consider that pretty valuable.

That said, it's a question of balance. And it's also a question of not accepting all things as of equal value, which is required for progress.

I am reminded of an old Billy Joel interview:

"It's kind of weird--the values. Jonas Salk invented the polio vaccine. I'm probably worth a lot more than Jonas Salk. That's pretty weird. I didn't cure polio; this guy did. I walk into a bar and a whole bunch of people know who I am. Jonas Salk probably can't even get laid. Now, figure that out."

http://www.piano-man.de/archiv/detail.asp?ID=93&Artikel_...

I agree with the general idea, but the only reason Salk isn't rich is that he refused to patent the vaccine.

And for years the captain of the airplanes he was on would announce this to the passengers. He was offered (but turned down) a ticker tape parade, his name has been added to shop windows, when the announcement was made the entire country pretty much stopped just so they could listen to the radio broadcast.

And yes, he could get laid pretty much anytime he wished (though he seems to have preferred to stay with his wife).

These days the media pushes sports and actors more and more. They show being a TV or Movie star you can make a lot of money. What they do not show is that there are 1,000's and 1,000's of people trying to do that same thing that never make it anywhere.

This is the same thing for sports and even less make it to the big leagues and make the money that you see the stars make these days.

I have to agree that there needs to be a push to make computers and science more appealing to the younger generation. The more we can show that engineers and scientist are not labeled geeks the more we will get the younger generation test out the different fields.

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