This morning I had to stop and meditate in front of a regional government add showing what great stuff they have been doing (in a desperate attempt to restart the economy - nothing to do with the current crisis, but a long lasting effort to end a lingering post-mining and steal industry gloom).
A big picture shows two scientists looking smilingly and in awe at various lab containers, filled with suspicious bright blue smoking liquids. Speak of an irritating stereotype to start with.
But then these two apparently real scientists have their name put on the picture with under it 3 words describing them.
One of them is "Researcher who finds".
Huh? As opposed to all those slackers who don't?
Don't get me wrong, I'm perferctly happy to believe that this person has made significant discoveries and progress in some field but I can't help but feel perplexed in front of such wording.
Is there something really bizarre that actually implies that some researchers don't find and that it makes them *bad* researchers? And I mean by that, reinforcing potentially negative images of researcher who don't spend their time mixing bright blue smoking stuff in a lab? (I spend most of my time in front of a computer). Researcher who finds?
The French general De Gaulle is supposed to have said "We don't need researchers, we need finders" (or something like that)... this is in the same vein I suppose.
Or maybe I just need to get a life.
A big picture shows two scientists looking smilingly and in awe at various lab containers, filled with suspicious bright blue smoking liquids. Speak of an irritating stereotype to start with.
But then these two apparently real scientists have their name put on the picture with under it 3 words describing them.
One of them is "Researcher who finds".
Huh? As opposed to all those slackers who don't?
Don't get me wrong, I'm perferctly happy to believe that this person has made significant discoveries and progress in some field but I can't help but feel perplexed in front of such wording.
Is there something really bizarre that actually implies that some researchers don't find and that it makes them *bad* researchers? And I mean by that, reinforcing potentially negative images of researcher who don't spend their time mixing bright blue smoking stuff in a lab? (I spend most of my time in front of a computer). Researcher who finds?
The French general De Gaulle is supposed to have said "We don't need researchers, we need finders" (or something like that)... this is in the same vein I suppose.
Or maybe I just need to get a life.
EDIT - with the picture, tiny and somewhat blurred (to hide language!)
5 comments:
eh, there are different paths to scientific findings/truths.
Ours are not working with cool smoking liquids but with nerdy models. We don't even have to wear unflattering lab coats...[still true for me, but I might have to wear one when I start experimenting again]
Ah sure, but the picture looks silly, really. (see addition)
And the "who finds" is the bit that really perplexed me.
Do you find? I haven't (yet)...
I've found nothing.
On the upside, we're all still a fair bit younger than this fellow. There's still hope.
argh! reesearchers who find? I agree.
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