. . . The news last night reported that 61% of Americans believe in the Biblical story of creation. Astounding. . . until you hear some of the leaders of that 61% talk. I heard a gentleman last week arguing that the essence of the theory of evolution is found in the word "chance." If I understand it correctly, all the theory of evolution posits is the "how," not the "why." I don't see any inconsistency the theory of evolution with my belief in a Creator. What fun for God, to play in the fields of evolutionary creation. What a brilliant way to allow the universe to unfold. At the same time, the theory of evolution leaves plenty of space for other "whys" of a religious or spiritual dimension. The problem eludes me, but my hat is off to the high school science teachers who refuse to acknowledge "intelligent design theory" as anything other than junk science. (I presume that 61% of the thousands of people who read this will completely disagree with me?)
. . . Apparently the president of Harvard University suggested last week that perhaps innate gender differences are behind the lag in scienctific and engineering careers for women. Excuse me, sir? Innate gender differences or lack of support? One of my daughter's best friends, a brilliant young lady with enormous potential for a scientific career, has been admitted early to an Ivy League institution and her parents, despite their own success in related areas, are pressuring her to stay closer to home. Another young woman I know was planning to apply early decision to M.I.T., but was somehow completely dissuaded from that path before she even filled out the application forms. A third, who is hoping to go to medical school, is reportedly basing her college decisions on what she has heard about where the science curriculum will be "easier." Careers in science, engineering and medicine are intensely demanding and require unwavering committment and discipline in the preparatory years. If even the brightest of our young women who have worked hard throughout high school toward admission to the most elite universities are tripped up by their own families and friends at the starting line, how do we expect women as a group to maneuver the subsequent academic amd political paths such careers require?
. . . One of my college sons wrote me the following a couple of days ago:
"I read an interesting article in the paper today. It suggested people abandon their attachments to online communities because they are gradually destroying our abilities to exist as social beings in real society. The article referenced sites that targeted specifically demographics of young people, but given your addiction I thought of you. It was in the [college paper]; ironically you can probably read it online (without having to interact with anyone!). "
I responded that I had been thinking about that very topic, although in a somewhat different vein. I have lots of wonderful friends in my life, for whom I am extremely grateful. But oddly enough, we don't share many interests in common. We came together over common experiences in church and as parents of young children, but most of us have taken different religious paths from one another and our children are almost grown. So while we love each other dearly, we don't DO things together. It's probably been ten years since I first sought out an online community when a child's unusual medical condition left me isolated and alone in a strange new world, and I just got used to seeking companionship online when I couldn't find it in my daily life. Does that mean I have destroyed my ability to exist as a social being in real society? I see my friends all the time and we all count on each other for a great deal, so I don't think so. But it's a question worth thinking about.
. . .Well, I think that's enough procrastination for one morning.
12 comments:
Hear, hear! My daughter is a freshman Biomedical Engineering student at a Florida college. We are very supportive of her but some of her peers are ruthless. She was called a lesbian, a geek, a dork and other derogatory terms because of her major. I saw a lessened interest in Math and Sciences in her this semester. I miss the child whose face brightens when she talks about engineering theories. Hope she sticks to engineering because I know that is what she wants to be.
I really wonder about that 61% statistic. It sounds awfully high. I have trouble believing that 61% of the US population believes that the world was created in 7 days and that woman was made from Adam's rib. (How does one explain the fossil record?) I'm not sure what the "intelligent design" proponents claim. I thought, and I'm likely wrong, that they feel that given the incredible design and functioning of life on earth that there must be an "intelligence" or "creator" of some sort behind it all... which really could work quite nicely with the theory of evolution. Though it is of course speculation and opinion, not science, and shouldn't be taught as science. The basic underlying question seems to be whether one believes the world is natural or supernatural. I'm going to have to do some reading I guess because I have never equated "intelligent design theory" with the Biblical story of creation.
On the issue of women's lagging being men in science and engineering careers.... there are so many factors that must contribute to that. A lack of support for women who want to pursue a career in those fields as well as the view that they are "men's fields" must be a big part of it. Another, and one that applies to all careers, is that women have babies and often interupt, permanently or temporarily, their career path to raise them. I think men can more easily combine a demanding career with raising a family than women can in our current culture. So, start out with a lack of support for young women in those fields and more potential roadblocks and detours on any career path for women and you end up with fewer women in that field. Innate gender differences? Who knows?
Being raised Catholic,we were never taught that there was inconsistency between religion and evolution. Sure, the world might have been created in "six days." But who are we to limit our creator to OUR concept of time? Hanging on to literal biblical creationism is yet another example of anthropomorphism of the almighty.
As for online communities destroying our ability to socialize in person...I offer a different point of view. There are those of us who wouldn't be socializing at all if it wasn't for online communities. AND it gives us the opportunity to have friendships that span the country, or even the globe. I can't help but think this is a desirable thing... Lisa :-]
And on the topic of online communities "destroying our abilities to exist as social beings in real society", I disagree in all but the most extreme cases. I think online communities are another source of social contact that is available to us in this modern world. I enjoy my online friendships and think they enhance my "social life", not hinder or replace it. I imagine in some cases there may be people who chose to escape from "real life" relationships by interacting only online for whatever reason... they are surely not psychologically healthy adults... but that is another whole issue. The internet may attract people with some social problems but I don't know that it is responsible for creating them.
Oh my - so many topics to comment on in this journal entry.
The innate gender difference is a bunch of hooey. I was a bright, young overachiever at one point. I had a great career as a chemical engineer. I worked internationally and led national engineering organizations. I could not find a balance in life between work and children and was especially dismayed at child care choices and expense. I had an au pair for a year; she was terrific but it added another level of parenting a young adult to an already chaotic schedule.
I also found no support for a mommy track at work. For years, I was the one that in the event of a product crisis worked nights and weekends to keep things running. My boss told me he didn't think I was contributing enough because I'd cut back to 45 hour work weeks. Nevermind the guys in the office that basically punched a clock - in at 8:00; out at 4:30.
Oy - this is long enough, I'll have to save the comments about creation and social community for later. I will make one brief comment that RIT recently released a study which said that blogs and IMing keep people more connected to far-flung family and friends and provide venues for making new connections which previously didn't exist.
OK, where to start? So many interesting controversies in one journal entry. I read about the Harvard president's comments too. Since I'm a former math teacher, and my sister is a university physicist, I think he is full of hooey. I think women are more socialized to go into the helping professions than the hard sciences, but that's a cultural influence, not an innate biological difference. Hmmmph.
Well, I was terrible at math and science and it didn't have anything to do with the way I was socialized. :-) Needless to say, however, there are many, many women who do well in those fields (i.e. wasn't one of the people who unlocked the secrets of DNA a woman? Yet she was never given credit for her work--I remember seeing a show on PBS about that).
And about the online community--I can understand what the article is suggesting. I've had fears along those lines myself as I've watched my students' writing skills erode as a result of online chatting. Yet I think the article your son mentioned makes the mistake of generalizing too much. It doesn't take into account situations like yours, or like that of shy idealists like me who HATE socializing but who love to connect with people online, especially with people who are also shy idealists, people we would never know otherwise.
What a wonderful entry!!!
p.s. Aren't there two creation stories in the Bible? Which one do believers believe?
I think having an online community in which to socialize is great. It does have its drawbacks (I get weird looks when I talk about my online friends), but so do real-life friendships. Moms of young ones often have difficulty getting together, especially if they enforce naptime. Working men & women have limited time to socialize. As Stacy pointed out, the internet is a boon to long distance friendships and family relationships! That said, I did make plans to have lunch with a neighbor on Friday, lol! I do need to have a life outside the computer.
On intelligent design -- I feel like asking everyone who wants this taught in our schools if their church plans to preach about evolution as an alternative to Creation? Not too many takers for that, I am sure.
There is quite a lot to comment on in this one! lol! When I took "apptitude" tests in High School (my mother loves to remind me) I was fingered for being a secretery! Have no idea why, since I sucked at most things I immediatley relate to that career! During my second try at college, I had to take calculus for my degree. I signed up, went to one class and spent every minute the next of the weekend trying to complete the home work (maybe this should be an entry)...I had to drop the class and take remedial algebra. I LOVED that class. Fresh out of that back in calculus....I TORE IT UP!! The teacher could not stump me. I was totally fasinated with figuring out the "puzzles". I aced every test, never missed a point, and completed every conus question on the test and ended up with a grade of 110% I was so gifted in math that I alsolutely strutted around for the entire semester. I had no idea. The "gift" was never uncovered nor nurtured in high school. Just think of the path I may have taken if I had know 15 years earlier?
Excellent entry. I think you are right that society in general has different if not always lower expectations for women. In this century women are without a doubt tilting social norms in a revolutionary way. Historical patterns show revolutions in almost every aspect of society at the start of a new millennium. Being the child bearers, women face particular challenges when making many life choices even under the best of circumstances and support.
As for evolution I have come to accept that the world and universe is far too complex for the amount of human brain we are presently utilizing. Setting parameters of truth of an unknown simply keeps the human brain so preoccupied that it often misses the bigger picture/question. I am never diminished by entertaining, understanding or accepting that mine may not be the correct answer. The danger it seems to me is found in dogma of any theory.
There may be some truth to the article your son shared with you. But it also doesn't address what you mentioned, how that in some it may actually enhance your real life relationships. I feel that online I get to know people from the inside out.
Thanks for all the great food for thought this morning.
http://journals.aol.com/sandybottomii/MentalJewelry
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