The poor logic of STEM fanboys

OP

Speak for yourself.

Your local library has up to date academic standard history books on subjects other than 20th century and Reformation era British history? Where do you live, Hampstead? Anyway the point still stands, a lot of people don't even have a local library any more let alone a half-decent one that could realistically equal a university library.

Reply 21

username1221160

19

I don't really get the whole STEM superiority obsession, although it only seems to exist on TSR.

Anyway, I really like humanities and social science students. Their tuition fees are subsidising my science degree and that taq polymerase doesn't come cheap.

Original post by TeeEm

Story of my life. :smile:

Reply 24

Benis

8

"/girls/non-binary gender individuals"

Does this mean I wasn't supposed to read or reply to this because I'm not in those groups?
Or are those the only people who do humanities in your eyes?

I don't understand

Reply 25

TeeEm

19

Original post by Benis

"/girls/non-binary gender individuals"

Does this mean I wasn't supposed to read or reply to this because I'm not in those groups?
Or are those the only people who do humanities in your eyes?

I don't understand

not to worry ... it is almost bedtime....

Reply 26

TeeEm

19

Original post by XxKingSniprxX

Story of my life. :smile:

plus dribble?!

Reply 27

XxKingSniprxX

21

Original post by Copperknickers

/girls/non-binary gender individuals

It's time to settle this debate once and for all: why do STEM students deride arts and humanities students for studying non-STEM subjects?

Granted this was posted at midnight, I will let this slide.

Pro tip: STEM > all. #MASTERRACE

Reply 28

drandy76

13

Original post by XxKingSniprxX

Granted this was posted at midnight, I will let this slide.

Pro tip: STEM > all. #MASTERRACE

*smashes books to the ground and stands on table* STEM STEM STEM

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 29

XxKingSniprxX

21

Original post by TeeEm

plus dribble?!

is quite handy as a book marker. You'll never forget what page you were on :tongue:

Reply 30

username1560589

20

I misread and came here expecting you to accuse us all of being STEP fanboys. I was disappointed: M is often more interesting than STEM.

Since I'm here, I may as well contribute. I think it's a minority of STEM students that deride arts and humanities students. Arts and humanities subjects are a lot more boring than STEM subjects, so we often question why someone would like to study them out of choice.
It's strange how you mention history as being one of the degrees with lowest employability, then praise its employability.
Why would you want to study something and then get a job in something unrelated?
I find it funny how you reduce STEM to "doing equations".
If I enjoy a subject I'd like to spend my time studying that subject, rather than socialising and joining lots of societies. Also, why would a humanity degree be more fulfilling than a STEM degree?
The same point about libraries holds for STEM subjects(probably even more so). I think my local library had a small shelf dedicated to STEM subjects and a medium sized room dedicated to arts and humanities. Obviously the feedback etc. is invaluable too.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 31

Copperknickers

OP

15

Firstly, thank you to the posters who are engaging with the argument instead of trying to start a needless flamewar.

Original post by morgan8002

I misread and came here expecting you to accuse us all of being STEP fanboys. I was disappointed: M is often more interesting than STEM.

Since I'm here, I may as well contribute. I think it's a minority of STEM students that deride arts and humanities students. Arts and humanities subjects are a lot more boring than STEM subjects, so we often question why someone would like to study them out of choice.

I find STEM subjects extremely interesting. But my dissertation was on the relative advantages of different tactics in medieval warfare. It was basically studying the real Game of Thrones, in other words. As interesting as physics and maths are, I think it's safe to say the average person finds history much more interesting, when both are presented in an entertaining format. After all things like art and literature are basically studying entertainment so its difficult to find them boring unless you don't like art and literature in the first place (in which case I'm afraid you're in a rather small minority).

It's strange how you mention history as being one of the degrees with lowest employability, then praise its employability.

I was using history as an example because it's similar to what I studied. My point was, low comparitive employability =/= low total employability, so actually its perfectly possible to get a job with a history degree as long as you don't make the mistakes that the 10% of unemployed history grads make.

Why would you want to study something and then get a job in something unrelated?

Because outside of the STEM world, most paid positions are not steps on a vocational career ladder. They are just short-medium term posts, which you can easily become good at just from training courses and learning on the job. It's a waste of time to study a degree in something like journalism when you don't need a journalism degree. Many jobs just require a generic degree in anything so its better to do something you enjoy and are good at rather than something 'practical' which in real terms is no more practical than a philosophy or language degree etc. And so unless you have a particular aptitude for maths or tech, there's no pressing need to study a specific subject (at least at undergrad level, you will need to do further study to be eligible for progress in certain careers as I said).

If I enjoy a subject I'd like to spend my time studying that subject, rather than socialising and joining lots of societies.

Can't you do both? Most people don't like studying for 12-14 hours per day, however much they like their subject, which is not uncommon among STEM students at places like Oxbridge. If STEM is your particular aptitude then fair enough, but pressuring everyone to do STEM instead of arts/humanities is just not intelligent and there are advantages to participating in societies that many STEM students miss out on.

Original post by Benis

"/girls/non-binary gender individuals"

Does this mean I wasn't supposed to read or reply to this because I'm not in those groups?
Or are those the only people who do humanities in your eyes?

I don't understand

You are not a boy/girl/non-binary gender individual, which afaik covers every extant member of the homo sapiens species? What are you, a Neptunian mole person?

Reply 32

username738914

21

Original post by JohnGreek

While I've certainly heard the occasional jibe during exam time from both 'sides' - the classic "go research medieval Russian crop yields or something" versus "how about you play around with your calculator, son", I'd never realised that this STEM/non-STEM debate went this far...

Then, of course, it could just be the internet blowing a trivial matter out of proportion again.

Yep, hit the nail right on the head.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 33

Benis

8

Original post by Copperknickers

You are not a boy/girl/non-binary gender individual, which afaik covers every extant member of the homo sapiens species? What are you, a Neptunian mole person?

Well, the thread starter didn't say "boy/girl/non-binary gender individual", she just said "girls/non-binary gender"

That being said, I am a Neptunian mole person, so well done

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 34

zetamcfc

19

Original post by Copperknickers

Can't you do both? Most people don't like studying for 12-14 hours per day, however much they like their subject, which is not uncommon among STEM students at places like Oxbridge. If STEM is your particular aptitude then fair enough, but pressuring everyone to do STEM instead of arts/humanities is just not intelligent and there are advantages to participating in societies that many STEM students miss out on.

Examples...

Reply 35

username1162972

18