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Pentagon Wants Screenplays From Scientists

Posted by Zonk on from the for-the-good-of-the-nation dept.

Aix writes "According to the New York Times, the Pentagon is funding classes in screenplay writing for 15 scientists. The idea is to encourage kids to go into science and engineering through mainstream media and thereby presumably bolster long-term US national security. While it sounds like a lot of fun for the researchers involved, and anything that stems the spiral of the US into a culture of anti-intellectualism is a good thing in my book. Will glamorizing science in the movies make kids pay better attention in chemistry class?"

9 of 757 comments (clear)

  1. glamorous by talaper · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Will glamorizing science in the movies make kids pay better attention in chemistry class?"

    In a word, YES.

    we should all know by now that kids will immitate anything the movies (or tv) show them. just look at how many injuries were blamed on Beavis & Butthead!

    1. Re:glamorous by Nos. · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm sure the scientists will write screenplays that are very realistic. However, I really doubt that these screenplays won't pass through some hands that will alter them here and there to make them more "entertaining" (read: revenue generating).

  2. Anti-intellectualinism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    While it sounds like a lot of fun for the researchers involved, and anything that stems the spiral of the US into a culture of anti-intellectualism is a good thing in my book.

    Pot. Kettle. Fragment.

  3. Movie Physics website by HonkyLips · · Score: 5, Informative

    They could do worse than begin by visitng this site: http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/ which examines physics in Hollywood movies. The reviews alone are priceless.

    --
    Putting syrup in coffee is some form of blasphemy.
  4. Wouldn't Stargate SG-1 be a good example? by Pedrito · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Stargate SG1, while being sci-fi, does try to adhere to real science and real scientific theory in many ways. Granted, some aspects can't simply to maintain the story. But a lot of the stuff they discuss and use is based in real theory. If more sci-fi shows would at least try to do that, I think it would be helpful.

    The thing is, I don't know that this kind of stuff really brings kids into science, no matter how much real theory they use. And frankly, when it comes to higher degrees, where the money is can be a big driver. During the .com boom, tons of kids where going into computer science programs and there was a sudden overflow of programmers, right around the time it went bust.

    I was a chemistry major my freshman year. Certainly not because of the money. The reason I left it was I had this sudden vision of what life would be like as a chemist and I thought, "Oh God, how boring." And that was the end of it for me.

    My girlfriend in college went into comp. sci. because of the money. When she graduated and got her first job doing it, the first thing she said was, "God, this is so boring." I said, "Well, didn't you like it in school?" She said, "No." I said, "Well what made you think doing it for a living was going to be any more fun?"

    Needless to say, her career as a programmer was short-lived.

    So I guess my point is, money will attract people, but it's the interest that keeps them. I think glamorizing it might bring some kids to find interest in it, but the fact is, most science jobs aren't all that glamourous and getting hit by the reality of that may make careers short-lived.

  5. Re:That's why I'm in I.T. by finse · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously, for me this flick from the 80's helped fuel my disire to learn more about computers & software. Although, after seeing this movie with my father (I was 8 or 9), he forbid me from using a modem until I was 18.

    --
    Paranoid tinfoil hat crowd say Y here, everyone else say N.
  6. not even close by sewagemaster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    if you see what's on tv, you'll find so many shows dedicated to doctors (ER, grey's acadamy, chicago hope) lawyers (law and order: special victims unit, criminal intent, trial by jury) and cops (CSI miami, ny).

    you never hear anyone even mention engineers in movies or tv series. it's got to do with the social culture of the states. 100% of the political leaders in China have an engineering or science degree. In the states? none! (source: IEEE spectrum magazine June 2005).

    --
    my blog
    1. Re:not even close by CosmeticLobotamy · · Score: 5, Funny

      you'll find so many shows dedicated to doctors (ER, grey's acadamy, chicago hope) lawyers (law and order: special victims unit, criminal intent, trial by jury) and cops (CSI miami, ny). you never hear anyone even mention engineers in movies or tv series.

      You're right. And it would be so easy. The three-episode arc on tracking down an elusive double-free()d pointer practically writes itself.

  7. Re:Clue stick. Re:Well, an anti-intellectual is... by nunchux · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bush has never endorsed the teaching of Intelligent Design as a science rather than religion. That's simply a fabrication intended to karma bait the Bush haters. Congratulations on your success -- but you are still a troll.

    Actually...

    "Bush told Texas newspaper reporters in a group interview at the White House on Monday that he believes that intelligent design should be taught alongside evolution as competing theories."

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic le/2005/08/02/AR2005080201686.html