Are we damaging science with our egos?

Some time ago, I decided that I will add some science posts to my mixture of themes I am writing on steemit. So far, I have done 3 of them in my series "Physics explained" and got some mixed and opposite reactions to them. To better know what I am talking about, here is the list of them:

I studied physics and have a certain background with educators and scientists alike. There were great people and those that were not that great. Like in any other area in life I suppose, there are people you like and those who you do not like. That is in our human nature, to have subjective preferences when it comes to dealing with different personalities. That being said, I have to proclaim that this post is going to be extremely subjective and that my opinion is just that, an opinion and should never in any way be considered the truth. Think for yourself and considered this post a gentle reminder that you are, in fact, free to do so. Think.

If there ever was a contest for the stupidest thing to say, this line would probably win the grand prize. I do not know who was the first insecure individual, not capable of explaining something to his student, who compensated for his incompetence by proclaiming those who are able to explain things as stupid. This is wrong on so many levels that I am not even sure where to begin.

How obsessed with your self-image do you have to be to not be able to admit to yourself that your highness is not perfect? Let me be the hammer of truth here. No, you are not perfect, there are things some people are better at than you. Deal with it. Your worth as a human being or as a scientist is not diminished by the fact that you are not "a teacher material".

Think about that stupid saying for a second. Think hard. How can someone teach something if he or she does not know it first? Educators all over the world are undervalued and it is a shame. If it were not for teachers there would be no scientists, there would be no science for that matter. All we have today is a direct result of people teaching and inspiring others. If you are one of those (trying to find a polite word for you) special people (there you go Petra, special is a polite word) who thinks that teachers do not know things, just remember, who was the one who taught those things to you?

Really? You are the one who is defining what is normal? You of all people? I don't think so. First of all, being normal is not only overrated but a huge misconception that people should stop believing in. None of us is normal and none of us is average. We all excel in some things and some of us even go on and become experts. The reason why there are people who are under impression how they suck at math or physics or science in general is because they had bad teachers or were discouraged from learning by these kinds of sayings. Sayings how it is hard, complicated and they were not smart enough for it.

First of all, if you judge a fish by her ability to climb a tree it will go on living her whole life believing she is stupid (no, there is no proof Einstein has ever said that but it is still a great and accurate saying). As for the second point I am trying to send across, everyone is capable of understanding everything. If you do not understand something, it is only because no one has explained it to you well enough.

I have been a tutor in physics, chemistry, and math for 15 years and I have yet to meet a child who I cannot make fall in love with them. I even tried explaining Newton's laws to kindergarten children and succeeded. Our brains are amazing. Capable of understanding everything but not all of them are the same. The individual approach works wonders. Some people are auditory, some visual and some need to feel the thing in their hands to perceive it. There is also that "small" thing of having a good enough teacher who is actually capable of teaching. Sadly, not all of them are.

Yes it is. It is everywhere and it is not even that hard to find. From our amazing bodies, over everything on this planet to different galaxies in space, there is so much to be learned and amazed by. Possibilities for your exploration are almost endless. There is no telling what glorious discoveries you may encounter if you embark on that journey.

Do not let small minds discourage you from using your curiosity. Curiosity is something we are all born with. We want to explore, see, hear and experience everything imaginable. Read about everything that interests you, attend classes, and watch educational videos. It is perfectly normal that you are not interested in everything and that some things excite you more than others. However, if you are set in your opinion that nothing interests you, you may ask yourself if it is because you are too stubborn to try new things out.

Maybe you had bad teachers and maybe you just have not discovered that you are actually quite capable of learning and having fun at the same time. Whatever reasons you have, trust me, you are more than competent to learn whatever you wish. You just need to find the right way. Think about how amazing our brains are and how much stuff we still don't know about them. Think about magnificent beings living on this planets and glorious events that are happening in space. Think about forces, energy, probabilities, psychology, and philosophy of everything.

If you are one of those people who think that science should not be dumbed down for the "simple folk", I challenge you to take a long look at the mirror. The only person who is simple is the one who will be staring back at you. If there were no promoters, there would be no science and there would be no you. Get off your high horse and start treating those in classrooms the same way you treat those in laboratories.

By promoting science you are promoting critical thinking and helping humanity. Yes, yes you are. If you do not want to be surrounded by stupidity that will destroy this world, change something. Start with changing your attitude towards educators and treat them like kings and queens that they are.

Whenever you are writing a scientific article or speaking about any topic from the realms of science, stop for a second and ask yourself is your presentation interesting enough to be the reason for someone's spark of interest and imagination. Don't make it boring, tedious or complicated. By simplifying something you are not changing its value, you are adding to it.

Leave your ego aside and try to think about the benefits from this approach. By making science fun you are bringing it closer to more people and inspiring new generations that will possibly make this world a better place with their work and discoveries. Whenever you make science fun and interesting, you are improving our chances of healing all disease, owning flying cars, feeding everyone on the planet and traveling to galaxies far away. Someone you inspire today could be that someone who will lead us to a better future tomorrow.