Large Hadron Collider Panic
Reading the comments on the web and in the media about people freaking out that the starting up of the Large Hadron Collider today will end the world, I have two opposing reactions:
- Wow, my colleagues and I need to work much harder at science education
- May as well give up on science education, the battle is already lost
PS It’s been turned on. World hasn’t ended. Damn, still have to pay off my debts.
Well, you never know… as soon as we turned it on, we might have been instantly sucked into another world… it is amazing how all over the world, the same fears are propagating about this.
Too funny. I am thinking option 2 is better; and to pay off your debts, go with the fears and start your own religion;-).
I don’t think you can hope to change the world though, Dave. The forces of well duh and Paris Hilton are strong, but you will have your protégés and converts as well.
Yeah, I think limiting our ambitions to changing the ‘world’ (perceptions) of each student we influence (in my case both my students and their students), rather than setting our sights on changing the whole world, is more likely to lead to satisfaction rather than despair.