I really motherfucking love goddamn science

October 20, 2012 By 4 Comments

Steven here…

Maddox is brilliant. His recent post regarding the Facebook page, “I fucking love science” is pretty interesting.

I think most of his criticisms can be summed up as him not liking the page’s name. Perhaps he would like “I fucking love scientists and the end results of the scientific process” instead. I agree that taking a picture of a galaxy may not be science, but science is the reason we can have that and any understanding of it.

Some of the criticisms are valid though. My scientists friends have informed me that whenever they talk to people who casually identify as fans of science about real science and not just lasers and shit, these “fans of science” start to lose interest.

In order to address this problem and make real science just as hip as image macros and pithy quotes, I started “I really motherfucking love goddamn science.” No memes, just science news. Hopefully that (and more profanity) will be an improvement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can read my comedy writing, my fake history book, and watch my vodcast on group organization. Or you can follow me on Facebook.

Filed Under: science, Steven says... 4 Comments
  • LeftWingFox

    I have to admit, this strikes me a little as hipster elitism.

    We don’t expect scientists to be experts outside their fields of study, so why should we expect kids, dropouts, humanities majors or tradespersons to be engaged with scientific research at an academic level?

    I’m just happy that people relate natural photos with SCIENCE rather than spiritual mysteries. I want scientists to be seen as cool and interesting, even if they may not understand everything they do. Isn’t that better than people looking to priests, politicians or celebrities to weigh in on what those photos should mean to us? I’ll happily take brand loyalty for “science” over the alternative, even if that means accepting that the vast majority don’t actually understand it.

    • invivoMark

      As a scientist, I wholeheartedly agree. What we need is more science geeks, not more scientists. And if pages like this get more people to be science geeks, then that is a win.

  • Gwynnyd

    But webinars on gas chromatography or chemical lab safety do not impact me at all. Is all “science” a grim and humorless subject to be pontificated upon by geeks and nerds with those of us who found our intellectual fulfillment elsewhere relegated to standing in awe and silence? If I do that, will they give me the same courtesy while I pontificate upon my equivalent of a chemical lab safety class that does not impact them? I can certainly love science, and the scientific method, without being myself a scientist.

  • Kodie

    I think over 31,000 people liked it because the cartoon was funny and they subscribed to the page because they acknowledge science even if the may or may not know it in any depth. One of my facebook friends loves science and studies science and shares articles from the shallow to the very deep, and me not being a scientist, appreciate her sharing both kinds along with her other interests. I have to admit I don’t really “get” the really deep science. I give it a look but it’s over my head, and I’m glad there are people who really understand it and share it with others even if it eventually gets watered down to an amazing photograph. I also subscribe to a pretty interesting arts page and sometimes there’s crossover with the photography and it’s labeled “art” for the photographer who must have become fascinated with science and not have the capacity to translate how amazing it is. Don’t be a hater.

    I also highly recommend https://www.facebook.com/fakescientist?ref=ts&fref=ts and its tumblr: http://fakescience.tumblr.com/ You have to know more science than I do to get all the jokes, but I recommend it. I’m not “liking” any new pages since facebook doesn’t seem to put the pages I want in my feed no matter what. I get dozens of updates on library events (which I sort of like and want to know a portion of), for example, but about 5 or 6 pages (I don’t even “like” that many pages, but these I really do “like-like”) that update often and never show up.