Comments on: Celebrity scientists – it takes more than stardust

By: mao_junior

mao_junior — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 03:17:02 +0000

Media outlets are hungry for any new spin on things. At least this one had some actual merit to it. Even if done improperly it is an overall positive… nice article btw.

By: Blog de Astronomia do astroPT » Estrelas de Rock na Ciência

Blog de Astronomia do astroPT » Estrelas de Rock na Ciência — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:43:38 +0000

[...] cool.No entanto, esta ideia também tem sofrido bastantes críticas, como podem ler aqui, aqui, aqui, e aqui.É que a ciência é cool por si só, além de ser intemporal, sem serem precisas as [...]

By: GNTIS » Blog Archive » Scientists see (Rock) stars

GNTIS » Blog Archive » Scientists see (Rock) stars — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:24:09 +0000

[...] 2020 science: Other blog links here also [...]

By: Maryse de la Giroday

Maryse de la Giroday — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:32:39 +0000

Hi All! I haven’t seen that campaign but I’m eager to now. Points on who should be front and centre, the staging, etc. are well taken and I’m chagrined that I missed that stuff because all I noticed was the incredible awkwardness of the image with Sheryl Crow. If that’s their best picture, I wonder what was left on the roll (or these days, on the chip). As for your rather trenchant comments on Cargo Cults, sadly I can see your point. Although, I did read somewhere a few years ago that scientists (in the 19th century) had shows in theatres that were packed which suggested that the show business/science connection was older than I had realized previously.

By: Andrew Maynard

Andrew Maynard — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:34:13 +0000

Notwithstanding angry letters from the Mathematicians’ Appreciation Society appearing through your door, good point

The irony of course is that it’s those qualities that set us apart that attract adoration – different is good (as most stars and celebs know).

By: Ed Gerstner

Ed Gerstner — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:34:33 +0000

Reminds me of something that Einstein is reputed to have noted, that in order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must first and foremost be a sheep.

But then I guess everyone (with a few exceptions, mostly mathematicians) wants to be adored.

By: Andrew Maynard

Andrew Maynard — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:59:40 +0000

I think sometimes we just try too hard as scientists, and loose sight of what’s important and how society works.

But at least there’s the opportunity to learn and adapt – as long as we take it!

By: SpikeTheLobster

SpikeTheLobster — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:04:53 +0000

Reminds me of the truly awful “I’m a geek” thing recently, which also completely missed the point. Scientists and geeks are sexy because smart is sexy – NOT because they aspire to be like jocks. In fact, they’re sexy precisely because they don’t aspire to be like jocks and musicians.

That’s what you get when you let marketing people into a world with which they have absolutely no familiarity, about which they have no understanding and – more importantly – at which they look down their noses (because they’re the ‘cool’ folks… not). What a waste of a great opportunity.