The World is just awesome, isn't it?
You might be familiar with the Discovery Channel's ad, "The World is just awesome" (check these YouTube links:
I have seen them recently and now I can't get that song out of my head.
I used to watch this channel A LOT, now I don't have it on cable
anymore. It was part of a huge pack of channels, quite expensive and out
of which my wife and I were watching only Discovery.. no point in
paying for it. So every time I'm visiting my parents, who still have
Discovery on cable, I am spending a lot of time watching TV. Up until
these Christmas holidays when it felt strange. There were the usual
things on it, nothing has changed, so I guess I am different, not the
channel. I realized I haven't become uninterested all of the sudden, but
that I have gradually become less and less... curious.
When I
first started to watch the Discovery Channel, I was in my teens and the
shows I was watching were travel related. Then I grew up and started
travelling, so my focus turned more towards "scientific" ones. I'm using
the quotes intentionally. I have a scientific background and I am aware
of the level of scientific knowledge you can get from such a TV show.
However, we are talking here about TV shows trying to popularize science
and technology, and not only one specific area, but everything you can
think of. I have always liked attempts of making scientific theories
easier to be understood by everyone. It takes a great mind to contribute
to science, but it takes a totally different set of skills to explain
the contribution. Some authors are purely geniuses when it comes to
popularize science (Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Stephen Hawking's "Brief
History of Time", anyone?). And when I read one of their books (or
watching something at TV) while also knowing the subject, I am still in
awe of how easy and obvious it all seems.
I guess I'm attracted by
popularization attempts partially because I like to explain things to
others. Usually it's only an attempt from my part to better understand
something: putting it into words, answering questions and looking for
best examples usually makes it very clear in your own head. And, as many
teachers could probably confirm (I am not one), seeing a face lighting
up with understanding and interest it's a very rewarding experience.
However, I am convinced the popularization attempts appealed to me also
because they were a source of knowledge. Knowledge is so diverse
nowadays that you cannot be an expert in everything - so you rely on
experts in other fields (the ones with good teaching skills) to satisfy
your curiosity. But then again, what happened to MY curiosity? Why, with
the opportunity to watch a 4 hours show on the entire NASA space
program - from the first flying attempts to landing on the Moon and ISS -
I turned off the TV to sleep or read or play an online game? I don't
think I would have done that a couple of years ago...
Maybe it's
the age (I'm in my 30's) and the realization that I will not be a
scientist "when I grow up". Maybe it's the day-to-day life that it's
taking its toll (work, family). Maybe it's because I spend a vast
proportion of my free time in a fantasy world (online gaming), instead
of caring about how the real world works? Hard do say. I think I'll make
a New Year's resolution to try to rekindle that (scientific) curiosity
that once characterized me. Who knows, maybe that flame still burns?
;-)
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