It’s time we took action to address a growing cultural distaste for technical detail and expert opinion argues The Secret Engineer.
I read the comments under the last Secret Engineer piece with interest and noticed a few referenced something that’s been bugging me for a while. So, in part, this is a response to that – this is a sort of “meta-opinion piece” if you will forgive my being so nerdy? Which is precisely what I have a problem with. When did we start apologising for having an interest in technical things, or just for being educated within a certain field? I think I first became aware of it in the late 1980’s, but as a fairly young person it was the creeping realisation of a change in attitude rather than something specifically noted.

I seem to recall that Top Gear and their ilk started using phrases such as “Its a bit nerdy but…” or “This is a little technical but bear with me.” It was like the dissemination of important information – information of inherent interest – was a distasteful exercise that could not be escaped. Even shampoo adverts felt the need to warn viewers about the impending illustration of pseudo-science before coming out with something utterly banal. At about the same time I also noticed that offhand dismissive comments were being made about “men with pipes”.
However, I am not going to write two pieces running on television programme makers so please be assured that this is something I see around me generally, and the “visual arts” are merely one part of it.
If I go back further to the dim distant days of my youth, my impressions of school broadly conform with the stereotypical dynamic regarding sporty types and academics. Funnily enough all pupils seemed to belong to one camp or the other, with only a very few managing to cover the bases of both softball and mathematics.
Of course the sporty types appeared to be glamorous and were a hit with the girls (once we’d reached the age where girls were of interest.) I couldn’t say whether this was because children are still less refined and more animalistic in their methods of attributing status, or merely because sporting success is more conspicuous. Perhaps there is simply a more introspective and private satisfaction to be found in academic achievement?
Stop apologising for being bright, stop qualifying comments just because others may not have the wit to understand what lies behind them and stop allowing people to proudly flaunt their ignorance unchallenged.
As we grow older though there should surely be a growing realisation within our peer group that, while a small number will be able to achieve greatness through physical prowess and playing games, most will need to establish their place in society through other skills and abilities. Games and sports are important for any number of reasons but they do not exactly shape the world around us. This then should be where those of us who have sweated over exercise books rather than exercise machines find ourselves elevated. Sadly, something that cannot happen while popular culture seeks to undermine us – and certainly not if we aid that process by meekly compounding the problem.
There is no wonder that there exists a growing movement of politicos being dismissive of experts, an increasing number of public and blunt refusals to accept scientific opinion. This is the natural conclusion to being steadily victimised for the past 30 years and something that is harmful to the future of all of us. It does take two parties to create a victim though, and thankfully in this case we can do something about it.
I say stop apologising for being bright, stop qualifying comments just because others may not have the wit to understand what lies behind them and stop allowing people to proudly flaunt their ignorance unchallenged. Its time we stood tall and fought back against being treated with dismissive disdain.
To hark back to reality, the game we are in is called “survival of the human race”. It is not a popularity contest, and is not a contest to reduce the surplus population in some Scroogesque fashion. All of our job is promote the general well-being of mankind, help make feeding the world population, housing all, and clothing all something that is sustainable (to use a buzz word).
Science needs to test everything, seek all truth, and report accurate, truthful findings. Science that cooks the books (as has been reported more than once) is not science at all, but is a form of propaganda. Engineering is limited to taking the real facts and producing more, better, or new from those facts. Ladies and gentlemen of the future, you are embarking on the greatest undertaking of our Century. May God grant you speed, safety, and all success in your search for truth, your application of the facts to real life, and the serenity to still raise your families in peace.
NT: Resonates with my remark on accompanying article Is Hyperloop more than just loopy hype? viz NT: former footie fairy-tale teller at last acquiring at least some scepticism about techno tall-tales. Informed insight isn’t merely magicked , it takes persistent perspiration & intellectual inspiration!
Neale, as an apprentice back in the 60’s and training in the Aerospace area, one of my mentors was Sir Barnes Wallis; who said “if you can think of something to be designed/built, never give up as the technology will occur” well we are there now with the “Hyperloop concept”.
So as Engineers we accumulate vast amounts of knowledge and note books of sketches and ideas, which eventually can be used going forward.
Those who are the Politicians of this world, who do not think beyond the next second and tend to as the author states “to be dismissive” for our knowledge and expertise. Well more fool them for neither asking questions or assisting in the development of “ideas”. That is another reason why Elon Musk’s Hyperloop bears merit and consideration – MagLev has been around for more than 50 years and is used successfully in China, Japan, some areas of Europe, so why not in a Vacuum tube to get higher travel speeds?
Mankind must change their outlook on inventiveness if we are to really survive!! All ideas should be consider not matter how far out or weird they may initially appear.
The article reminds me of a similar point raised in an engineering meeting, that being the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
For those who may not know, the Dunning-Kruger effect refers to the tendency for people to overestimate their own intelligence or competence.
Well that seems to be a fairly common complaint, in my experience.
I’m not sure that I agree with the author; there was a time not so very long ago when people in power would proudly declare their ignorance of maths and science. That seems to have decreased, perhaps because of the number of TV programs recently with obviously very intelligent presenters with excellent scientific and engineering credentials (Brian Cox, Helen Czerski, Marcus De-Sautoy, Jim Al-Khalili).
My personal bug bear is the number of A level failures, who after spending some time at art college or taking media studies proclaim themselves ‘creatives’, hijacking that term from its true owners – us.
Of course one use of the word “create” is to make a loud noise, they certainly do that!
“…and private satisfaction to be found in academic achievement?”
And achievement in ordinary? efforts: -emergency services, dustmen, delivery driving, transport efforts, retail staff, maintenance and repair, nursing, teaching primary school(*) …making the mundane magnificent.(*) I have always believed that primary school teachers should be trained and paid more than professors. Because if very ‘young children’ are illuminated on that path to wishing to become educated at age 5,6,7…the rest is easy?
Changing attitudes will take a long time.
i have recently become involved locally with ‘Inspiring the Future’ – an initiative to emphasise to 10/11 year olds the value of STEM subjects by going into schools and talking to them about the real-world value of maths and technology. There is scope for anyone in our profession to help encourage future generations along the technology path.
I just wish we could occasionally organise all the engineers, scientists and maybe architects, to stop doing useful stuff for a while and let all those self-important culturally iconic but technically ignorant types see how much of a concert, or a TV programme, or even a rail journey they can make. They’re so proud of the fact that what I say goes straight ‘over their heads’ , let them learn a little humility.
I am glad that I am not the only one who found the declaration “I don’t understand anything about the technical aspects of this project” made by the project management team. What disturbed me the most is that they sounded proud making this statement. How the hell can you make intelligent decisions when you don’t understand anything about the subject you are dealing with?
Whatever the project was, I would be acutely embarrassed if I found myself in that position; I certainly wouldn’t be boasting about it. (Surely one should take some interest ?!)
I’ve been told that I should no longer project myself to my customers as an “expert”, but as a “trusted advisor”. Hmmm….
Is this because their lawyers have advised them not to make rash claims in case it backfires on the company? (In the same way that all medicines now have the catch-all ‘may cause death’ in the small print – corporate ‘backside’ covering!)
I think it’s more come from the PR / Spin merchants!
The problem with ignorance, is that the ignorant are unaware of just how ignorant they are!
One is only ‘enlightened’ when one realises just how much one doesn’t understand. Only then can you treat everything you do as an opportunity to learn. It’s why we need to stay naturally curious, just as a young child is; and why we must encourage our children to keep seeking answers.
I find that the more I learn, the more I find that I know little about; but at least I now know what I need to find out about! The universe is full of endless opportunities to learn something new, so let’s begin . . .
“…the more I learn, the more I find that I know little about”
Not mine, but someone’s definition of a Professor.
“They know more and more (more detailed and in depth analysis) about less and less (a smaller topic area) until in the end they know everything about nothing!”