Posted by Proud Blade on March 23, 2000 at 10:11:13:
In Reply to: To Kama, Deiussum and Proud Blade posted by Joshu on March 23, 2000 at 09:02:20:
> I just saw Proud Blade's reply to my sarchastic postings regarding the whole bat discussion on the log board.
From your post, it looked like the usual "Why do you do research in a field that isn't computers or medicine?" Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who think the way you are posting- look at the state of science funding in any industrialized nation- very few countries make it a high priority. In the U.S., if it's not medically relevant, it is getting much harder to receive public funding.
If you were kidding, it wasn't clear. So I got in my usual jab. I'm not a zoologist, but I read an awful lot, and that was one application that occurred to me that sounded neat.
And don't lump me in with the other two- read the whole thread. They attack people for not knowing details about bat physiology. I had a problem with your "Who would want to study that?"-type posts. Ask anyone who has had to defend a Ph.D. thesis, who then gets that question from someone on an airplane or what have you. It's irritating. Most people, when pressed to answer, think basic research seems like an awful big waste of money, and it's an opinion that impacts society as a whole, for the worse. I always try to take the time to go through my usual "Basic research leads to applied research later" spiel, because I have a sincere desire for other people to see the value of more fundamental work. (The US media certainly doesn't.)
As far as my sense of humor.... if you regularly have to explain that your posts were humorous....
> First of all, I was trying to be funny I don't really hate science, I just have a really ingrained hate of people who think they're better than others because they're better educated. I have the highest regard for all men and women of science, especially those whose findings serve to create a higher quality of life for others (re: Mechanical echolocation devices are in R/D to help the blind "see" through hearing. That's one reason. Want another? Neanderthal)
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> But you guys should REALLY get a sense of humor about yourself and stop thinking of yourselves as superior beings because you've spent 4 years studying zoology. That's good for you and I hope it will lead you on to fruitful and productive lives, but please stop using it as a crutch to knock people on the head with.
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> -Joshu