Why Is It Socially Acceptable To Be Bad At Math? (lawyer, suspect)
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I grew up being very 'bad at math', which I sort of laughed off initially, due to being homeschooled. My mother was unable to comprehend anything past high school algebra, due to her own limitations, so I relied on my neighbors who were engineers to teach me out of the text book. Also, being female, there was really no expectation on anyone's part either in high school or college that I would (or should) take an interest in science or math. It sounds harsh, but looking back, that's just how things were. Having attended a very conservative, Catholic college, the career counselor made very short work of my interest in computer science, suggesting instead that I should pursue something 'less academically challenging' like education or theology. You may laugh, but this stuff was still common in these particular circles. I can't think of a single female in my entire college who graduated with a STEM degree - it just wasn't done. Forget STEM, internet access was only made available in the men's dorms.
Anyway, I ended up taking a couple calculus credits in college to get my mostly useless lib arts degree, ended up getting my JD and very easily ignored math for the next few years until the economy took a downswing. Somewhere between utter economic desperation and noticing that all the demand was in IT/programming, I forced myself to learn math and started working in software development. Eventually, after being exposed to algorithmic concepts long enough, I actually started to enjoy it - I like problem solving, so there was really no need to be scared about the unknown, I just had to learn the concepts. Recently, I finished a course in cryptography which was one of the most challenging, but also the most rewarding courses I've ever taken. Now I'm currently studying machine learning which also relies heavily on linear algebra, also a really fascinating area of study.
So yes, math can come in handy. Perhaps it doesn't make great dinner conversation on the weekends, but having the ability to understand semi-complex mathematical concepts can certainly help you progress your career and avail yourself to opportunities that would only exist because you have mastered and can explain these concepts. Also, as an aside, I love to see that there are now volunteer programs like Girls Who Code, etc which visit High Schools to encourage students to take interest in STEM subjects. I'm really hoping that the culture of discouraging women from pursuing these interests (especially in more conservative circles where female education is mostly considered an unnecessary aside to marriage) is finally ending and we can move into the modern era.
Last edited by vladlensky; 04-18-2016 at 09:55 AM..
Part of the "Bad at Math" thing, at least in the US, is that most grade school math teachers are, to be kind, not very good at math. I struggled during 5th grade, because my teacher probably had an IQ of about 90, and approached math as strictly a grind, memorization "uber alles". Which, of course, I rejected. Fortunately I did get a decent tutor, then when I it college, with instructors who *actually were masters of the subject material* (!) I did great.
Take for example estimating a 15% tip mentally. Note, I said "estimate" and not "calculate" because first off being a percent or two high (or even low, really) does not make the answer "wrong". There is no need to measure with a micrometer what you will cut with a chainsaw. So let's say the bill is $52.48. Rather than attack it as trying to figure 15% of that, recall that since 15= 10+5, and that 5 is half of 10, first round the bill up to whole dollars - $53. So 10% of that is $5.30. Half of that, again split the $5 and the $0.30, so half of 5 is 2.50, half of .30 is .15. So $7.80 + .15 = 7.95. Or just get to $7.80, and decide to round up to $8. That damned old biddy back in 5th grade could sooner fly by flapping her arms than think like that.
Are you bad at art? Can't draw like Escher? Can't paint like Frida Kahlo? Must be because you just didn't try hard enough.
Math and art are not the same thing. Art is not a language in the same sense that math is. Math has rules and guidelines. Math always has a correct answer or series of correct answers. Math only starts to become art at very high levels.
I also never said that everyone could become a math prodigy with lots of hard work. Of course there are naturals out there. What I said was that everyone could become proficient if they worked at it. Anybody that puts in the effort can understand the basic principles of math.
Art is subjective, so being 'good' at it is in the eye of the beholder. However, there is still a basic level of proficiency that everybody has the capability to reach if they put in some degree of effort.
Because mathematics (not arithmetic) is irrelevant to most people's lives, like physics.
Math & arithmetic & physics are all relevant to most people in the US. If you work, get paid, have insurance, a mortgage, a budget & so on, you have to do a certain amount of math just to make sure you're paying & being paid accurately.
Physics - or @ least a human-scale version of it, a feel for oncoming traffic, etc. - is also a part of everyday life - if you drive, walk city blocks, etc. As witness the poor distracted driver who runs a stop sign or red light, & is t-boned by a semi. Or drives into a parked vehicle, or drives off a ramp - clearly that person never understood the sizable physical forces they were steering, nor the considerable distance that their vehicle covers while they glanced away.
Most people are content to learn how to ride a bicycle, drive a car, field a ball, etc. & in fact, sports celebs make a nice living by excelling @ this kind of everyday competency.
Show Biz in the US - since about 1943CE or so - is one of the reasons that intellectual distinction is downgraded. There's always been some unease about intellectual pursuits in the colonies (a legacy from the UK?) & then in the US - presumably because only the upper crust @ the beginning could afford to go to college, learn Greek & Latin, do the Grand Tour, etc.
As brains & trained expertise are considered important only in cases of dire need - WWII, for instance - most of the alleged US media have long given up on us & gone with the People magazine version of reality.
It's not being bad at math that is the real problem, it's not caring and pretending you know what you're doing that is the bigger issue.
Just look around various posts citing biased garbage analytics and statistics trying to convince you that something is good or bad especially in political areas.
Math is one of the few subjects where people with no real knowledge or training will weigh in with fervor.
You don't see posts in the medical forum here where people earnestly post that if you rub some raccoon fur on your knee under a full moon it will cure arthritis or posts in the History forum about how Napolean should have used his helicopters more efficiently at Waterloo. However you can find dozens of equally bright people spouting analysis where the sole variable about some social or political issue is whether or not the state votes "red" or "blue".
Math and art are not the same thing. Art is not a language in the same sense that math is. Math has rules and guidelines. Math always has a correct answer or series of correct answers. Math only starts to become art at very high levels.
I also never said that everyone could become a math prodigy with lots of hard work. Of course there are naturals out there. What I said was that everyone could become proficient if they worked at it. Anybody that puts in the effort can understand the basic principles of math.
Art is subjective, so being 'good' at it is in the eye of the beholder. However, there is still a basic level of proficiency that everybody has the capability to reach if they put in some degree of effort.
Math and art are not the same thing. Art is not a language in the same sense that math is. Math has rules and guidelines. Math always has a correct answer or series of correct answers. Math only starts to become art at very high levels.
I also never said that everyone could become a math prodigy with lots of hard work. Of course there are naturals out there. What I said was that everyone could become proficient if they worked at it. Anybody that puts in the effort can understand the basic principles of math.
Not if you have dyscalculia.
That is like saying that blind people could see proficiently if they worked at it. "Invisible" disabilities are still disabilities, not problems with lack of character.
Not if you have dyscalculia.
That is like saying that blind people could see proficiently if they worked at it. "Invisible" disabilities are still disabilities, not problems with lack of character.
Obviously if you have a learning disability etc ...that changes things.
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