Government education SUCKS. I learned this after being forced to squander a good amount of my life on learning useless shit in highschool. I spent god knows how much time on bullshit I will never use like logarithms, without spending one minute on thing that you will actually use in life like how to calculate interest and money management. No. If you are going to violate the constitution by having the government mandate that you attend school, why would you teach anything of value?
Why does the interviewer keep tilting her head, and pulling stupid faces, and weird eyebrow positions while he's speaking? It's really rude and off-putting.
Why do we always have to frame it as kids don't want to learn stem because it's hard? Our schools are failing students at a very basic level. They weren't created with the kind of critical thinking required for these jobs in mind. They are for a moderately educated workforce, actively EXPECTED to do A follows B without nuance. If the programs aren't teaching kids how to read in some cases why are we holding it against them that they aren't becoming engineers? Blame the fucking system!
the bottom problem is the set of things that are valuable to our society, why does a proffesional ahtlete in any massive sport like basketball or football is a millionaire? because society gives more value to what those people are doing to other things that really produce useful goods and services like science and tecnnology. people, in general can´t seem to connect the dots, thay preffer not to think and value those people who entertain them rather than value people who solve problems
Here's the catch Mr Tyson: Advanced mathematics no longer deals with numbers - it becomes letters and therefore English.
I did an English degree because I chose it. Doing any one of the sciences at university costs a hell of a lot more than doing an English based qualification. Besides, already worked as an engineer and it's hard, dirty and long hours.
Here's where he's not totally accurate, those new neural connections, if not used (and it's true most people never use the math the advanced maths) will eventually get pruned away by your brain. Especially if learned at later ages.
@scnarb The neural connections you're talking about is just the pure memory-connections. Tyson talks about the connections which make you ask the right questions when confronted with a problem. Those connections stays, and math is a very good way to establish those connections!
@FellOnSoundGarden Thumbs up,,,,Scientists need more credit than they get!,,,,They stopped me getting many diseases as a young child with their vaccines and many more advances too may to count!
Disagree with Neil on this.There is no shortage of people with science and math backgrounds.Except they may not all come from America.If there are high paying jobs which require STEM,people from wherever will fulfill the requiremments.
I never had a math teacher that would teach me the hows and the whys of math. For me, it was just mindless repetition and memorization. I didn't understand the meaning of what I was doing, and what my equations were expressing, I was just told to shut up and do it.
@frankvonfrauner it took me until I started college (the second time) after I enlisted in the navy to fall in love with math. it was then (at a community college) the my professors taught me the how and why of math as far as differential equations and discrete math logic. I hated it in high school because I was a little shit, but I fell in love with it recently. NDT is right, math needs a better publicist.
Europe (Even with the crap going on in Greece and Portugal) is still doing better then the US. And no, it is not a communist run welfare handout paradise. It is as capitalist as the US is. We only handle the money differently.
I wonder what he thinks about people who dropped out of college but are still in these fields? I took up to calc 2 but I ended up dropping out and getting a high paying job. Bill Gates also dropped out to work full time.
I have a music composition degree. One of my professors gave me similar insight. You could pretty much apply what he's saying to everything, not just science, engineering, tech, and math.
It's ultimately a cultural problem more than anything. Kids are discouraged from studying in favor of being the sports hero/party guy. Nerds get picked on while athletes bask in a all glory/love and get all the girls etc. Why would anyone with a choice choose the harder route when there are literally no rewards for about 20 years? Kids don't think that far ahead.
We need to reward those who do well in school with attention/perks/popularity to have a country that is not hostile to STEM careers
I'm thigh deep in an accounting degree that I know I hate. How can I educated myself in higher math and science? I need time and institutions to not only facilitate it, but to recognize it. It seems that I've missed that train. Though I desperately wish to catch up to it. To me, money is nothing. I hate it. It's a quantified obstacle. My shortcomings are 2 parts my fault, and 1 part the failure of our education system to breed students hungry for a REAL education.
Than why is America so well off compared to these other countries where students are ranking higher in Math and Science for example Finland. Yeah it's not fair but it's also not black and white. I'd encourage everyone to pursue Science and Mathematics. Those are the jobs of the future however those studies are not what's doing the monetization, I don't agree with the fields of math and science being looked down on, but you can't just disregard our current state.
@DistortedV12 Why on EARTH do you think people are better off in the USA instead of Finland. Any scandinavian country has a better GDP per capita, lesser obesity rates and on average live longer. All the while having a stable socialist goverment taking care of you in regards to health care or unemployment. Yeah, I know where I'd prefer living.
it's not because we are ignoring education's actual benefits, that's for sure. America is well-off because of a systematic exploitation of immigrants as part of a vast, uninsured and unfunded underclass. We simply have tons of people willing to do hard work for little compensation. We also play a huge part in managing the world's finances and take quite a pretty piece of the pie home for doing that.
@DistortedV12 A large majority of our scientists come here from other counties since this is currently where technology/science is. Thats slowly changing with outsourcing and other countries' development. The US is only surviving because it's one of the few countries that can literally print it's own money and is currently the "standard currency" for other countries to trade (ie. German buys oil from Saudi Arabia in USD). If that changes due to USD depreciation, we're fucked.
@DistortedV12 The US has much better post-secondary education than Finland. That means that it can attract smart people from abroad and it can give the young people who do succeed in their primary and secondary an opportunity the get some of the best post secondary education in the world. That doesn't however mean that the US would not benefit from better K-12 education. Just because you are the best doesn't mean you can't get better. The US shouldn't be resting on its laurels.
In my opinion the reason would - be engineers change majors is because they weren't really ever dedicated to engineering in the first place. Obviously this is anecdotal, but in my experiences I believe that, mostly men, initially go to school to be an engineer because they simply aren't sure what they want to do. And engineering is by far the most well known "male" profession to high school students.
@juiceforjoe Where would your dad be without ability in software writing? Or his friend who can market? Depending on what you do, you do need certain skills. If you want to be in a STEM career, you very likely will need a lot of math. But like the poster of the video said, the point of this vid isn't even that you need calculus for everything. It's that it is helpful to be able to challenge yourself and think critically and creatively.
By the end of this century, if we don't blow ourselves up, there won't be jobs for the uneducated. Robots can and will do everything that merely requires some kind of manual labor faster, more accurately, and cheaper than people. All appliances will become computers of one sort or another. Even now, cars are basically computers that you drive.
Many commentators on this page are living in the past. Our children and grandchildren must be well educated to have a future.
I agree people should learn. You can buy a book and teach yourself various types of mathematics, and sciences. I do not believe going to college will magically make everyone smarter, no do I believe that it will solve anything close to the majority of the problems we face as humanity, culturally, etc.
@84Drumcircle I think for most people there are a lot of things that are just too complicated to learn straight from a book and that you need an expert to teach you, with books as a supplement. I don't think college is for everyone, but I do think if everyone were better educated then society would be a lot better. I think there would be less crime and people would be better able to relate to one another, so less prejudice and more compassion.
So nevertheless, as I agree with Mr. Tyson, math is not easy by any means for some individuals. English and Biology come quite easy, but math and chemistry is a continuous struggle despite studying far more then the average student while receiving mediocre scores in comparison. Subsequently, when I talk to my best friend who excels at mathematics and studies only before tests, it reinforces my belief that some people are meant to be engineers and others are meant for something different.
@mysticpotatoheadgirl I don't think it's as simple as "He's naturally good at math and I'm not".
For example, in calculus, you're having to use all the stuff you learned in the previous classes that you thought you'd never encounter again.
If you remembered how to do polynomial division and how to complete the square and some other guy didn't, that doesn't mean you're just naturally better.
@juiceforjoe software engineering uses more discrete math than calculus, however both are really useful for software engineering and both are higher level math.
What Neil forgets is that a science degree costs a hell of a lot more than an English degree. I'm studying English and love it, although I would've loved to do a science degree, but I know I don't have the mathematical/mechanical kind of thinking for that. Besides, in terms of text books and materials, it is not unheard of for science students to spend $1,000 per year on books alone.
English may be the easy option, but the jobs/careers at the end of it cover more ground than a specific science
i didn't hear him mention the english major....is the title implying that majoring in english is a waste of four years in college? ok, mathematics is a practical skill, without a doubt undervalued by most students i know. but discourse is also practical. the analytic skills developed as a mathematician are perhaps different than those developed as an english major, 'someone who studies the way the english language is used to represent ideas and events.' i think you need both yall. i love math
i didn't hear him mention the english major....is the title is implying that majoring in english is a waste of four years in college? ok, mathematics is a practical skill, without a doubt undervalued by most students i know. but discourse is also practical. the analytic skills developed as a mathematician are perhaps different than those developed as an english major, 'someone who studies the way the english language is used to represent ideas and events.' i think you need both yall. i love math
When I was 9 I wanted to be an Astronomer. Why didn't I become one? Because throughout most of my middle and high school education the science teachers were not passionate. In fact, they complained about how people entering the science fields would grow up to be poor, under valued, etc. I love my current job, but had my science teachers been as encouraging as my speech teacher I would probably be working on my PhD in Astronomy. I wish Neil had taught at my school!
I was actually interested in hearing why they thought would-be Engineers become English majors. I think this video should have a different title. I agree most Americans don't see the importance in the STEM fields and many Americans do not want to do advance math. But that doesn't answer why many would-be Engineers would pick a field such as English.
@juiceforjoe Do you honestly not understand that writing computer software REQUIRES problem solving? That's what computer software is: a solution to a problem.
@juiceforjoe to form your opinion on one case is ignorant. Look up how many people make 140k a year without the education of higher math or studies...
The banks did use math to make more money. They used computers to do the difficult math in economy to trade with our money; That's the reason why the economy is going bad; The math was wrong; Math is an instrument, but not a god.
There is a problem with degrasse's philosophy. I ask : who were the people who decided to drop the atomic bomb? Who led the nazis? It wasnt scientists. Imo we need to teach bullshit detecting along with science.
@Tinhh you seem smart, so why would you assume science taught the foolish Nazi's to do what they did. the people who dropped the bomb were war mongering nuts...most were actually god fearing. no true scientist believes in killing people, but educating them out of their self deluded foolishness. that's what i do with my religious friends. they try to educate me on god too, but i'm not keen on that theory :)
i'm 20 and make $150,000 a year. I quit college and started my second business this year on discount online retail. When employment rates are low, start fucking creating jobs instead, stop leeching other companies.
@juiceforjoe all computer programming and the action of writing them are based on the properties of Linear Algebra and the processes of Calculus...you do need advanced math.
I was a talented student, graduated with honors had a lot of scholarships. I was bound to be an aerospace engineer, but I found I absolutely could not function in college. Maybe it was because I didn't have enough passion, because I could not focus on the work and opted to goof off instead. I have been doing this for 3 years, I have no idea what to do and it's killing me. I thought Tyson would be talking about my case, the type that start out Pre med and end up communications but I guess not
@rreku2 exactly, well not just that. The very limits of logic created what we know as computers, they are an application of such. Mathematics is critical to understanding how machines operate, and what machines can or cannot do. One would be surprised how little computing majors actually go into it to actually learn the science of computing, it's actually kind of sad. I know at least I'm a minority. But, at the end of the day, I'll be the one who will have the answers, and they will not.
Math, physics, and electrical engineering are an absolute component of how computers work. But that is only 40% to 60% of everything that is really going on. The rest of it is this interpretation of what we understand as logic and this translation of language. Dare I say, there is a definite amount of elegance and artistry within a machine and its code that, often, unfortunately no one will ever see or understand.
@55metalmonkey It is, if you use it wisely. Perhaps for larger families, yes, 60-80k per year doesn't leave enormous wiggle room, but the average person can live comfortably on it. I myself could easily live my life on that salary.
The school system in this country - all countries - is based on a caste system. It is DECIDED FOR YOU on many levels - yes there are exceptions - as to what you will learn. Many subjects are not taught anymore - phonics for instance. Many incompetent teachers are allowed to oversee the warehouses that are now called schools. Biolgical and Chemical Science and math is really not difficult to grasp - when taught correctly.
Phonics work really well for some kids, but with others (like ones with a vocabulary high enough to recognize the words) they simply don't work and are confusing.
Tracking is also being shifted downward because of the state test. Kagan Structures are really popular right now, in which higher-functioning students teaching lower ones. Works well for the lower, kills the upper. Also, if tracking is so prevalent, why are our colleges flooded with people who don't need to be there?
@juiceforjoe Well, you can apply your example to all sports athletes. They can make huge money without math. Now, are they the majority of people? No. I think Neil is talking about majorities. The majority of the people need at least decent math and reasoning to be successful at making money through jobs.
Our problem is not that we fail to offer challenging classes to students, our problem is strictly political. When you have a school system that receives money from the federal government regardless of whether or not it performs you're only throwing kerosene onto an open flame.
Competition is the reason why other countries have better education than the United States at a fraction of the cost. Don't let the teachers union know I let you in on this commonsense.
@davitodude Add to that a lazy american culture, and you have lazy students, lazy teachers and equally lazy directors. They do their job, yes, but not as well as they could. Simply because they don't need to. They're gonna make enough money to live their lives, even though their knowledge will remain that of a 18 year old forever.
@juiceforjoe I don't think you understand how programming works. It's not just "algebra". You have to know discrete number theory and if you do any 3D modeling you have to know calculus and trig. These are not easy classes and even if your dad learned everything he knows by trial and error he would be an ISOLATED example. Come up with a few more examples than just your dad and "a buddy of his" and you have the makings of an argument.
Maybe you should just do what is right for you as an individual. Then people should come together to put their skills to use. Sometimes people are not introduced to these subjects till college. I think high school should teach what they are teaching now better. Also focus on introducing students to different subjects through different means other than the classroom.Possibly not even worry about grading student, just focus on making info familiar .
0:29 Many? I dunno. Certainly not most. Advanced math is required only in a TINY FRACTION of jobs. Easily the largest share of the job market is in sales and service interaction... this requires only the most basic math, if that. If you're an engineer for NASA or Boeing, great. These are the people we need to build tommorow, like NDT says, but for the average Joe and Jane, no.
@juiceforjoe Ur Dad may use Algebra for his computer work. But the science that makes his computer even work came from advanced science like calculus & physics. & those companies that have those engineers & scientists are millionaires. Your comment is ignorant. Its the same as to say that a farmer doesnt need 2 know genetics & genome sequencing to run a farm. True, but if he did, he would have the highest yields, the biggest most productive crops vs. his competitors. Max. education = Power
Learning calculus or anything else does not make you a "problem solver". You either are one or you are not. It's a talent and despite what many people would like to believe, you cannot teach talent.
It's also dangerous in the extreme to be pushing the idea that everyone should get a college education requiring "career". They clearly have no idea of the numbers of people they're talking about, there aren't enough openings for everyone to have these types of jobs. Never will be.
@graey24601 So there's no nice logical story about opposites. We can say that they are almost always contraries but not contradictories, and we can say that they often lie across some more or less vague midpoint from one another of some more or less well-defined scale, at more or less equal distances. It's not as black and white as you presume. There's no finite solution but if everyone had an analytical heavy college education, the world would be a much more rational place.
@aznfamous In order for everyone to have a college education we'd need a whole lot more schools, a whole lot more professors and then in the long run you still have the issue of jobs. Are there really thousands of "openings" (funding, lab space ect) just waiting for physicists to roll up their sleeves? And say everyone has a college education (in various fields) who's going to bag their groceries and unclog their drains? a pyramid sitting on its point is not stable.
@graey24601 DeGrasse isn't actually saying everyone should be a physicist. He's saying that being educated makes you a better problem solver, more marketable and better able to understand the world around you and make decisions. There is a somewhat disturbing anti-intellectual trend I sometimes notice, and I wonder if those people desire a second dark age (oh, the melodrama :P).
All that aside, the degree'd have half the employment problems as non-degree'd, which is worth considering.
@aznfamous As a person who struggled with higher level maths in high school, I eventually began my Biology major in college and was essentially forced to learn Calculus. I'm not naturally "talented" at Calculus, but I still got a B in the class, and I still can apply upper level math if I ever need to. I disagree though that college is the only way to get an education, as many people are autodidacts and can learn exceptionally well without school. Calculus isn't a requirement for intelligence.
@graey24601 Sure problem solving is a talent, but it can also be enhanced and taught through education. I don't understand how you can't see that along with the fact that better educated people will make the world a better place?
@graey24601 You can only become good at solving problems by being presented many problems to solve. That's why proper mathematics education makes everyone better at problem solving. Not necessarily amazing at it, but better.
@graey24601 Don't propose your opinion to people as if it was a fact, there were a lot of cases where people did great things just because of hard work. If you believe that you can't develop your mind, you're as good as dead.
@graey24601 Wrong. You can be taught to problem solve in the way that you can be taught to play piano. Your innate ability may propel you further than others or make the process easier for you but never discount the ability to educate others to arm themselves with skills they could not acquire on their own.
@graey24601 I dont think hes saying everyone should be an engineer. I'm a civil engineering student and most of the math I have learned in college is really simple. anyone can learn it as long as they work hard at it. but the U.S. does have a shortage of engineers and medical graduates in all fields. i think hes just saying that the U.S. gov. should advocate for better k-12 education. and expose students to more science and engineering.
I believe that people should attempt to take higher level math and science classes; HOWEVER, as a person who struggled to pass calculus I find it irritating when people assume math is a feasible option for every individual. I worked harder then 95 percent of the engineering/math majors simply because math is not an easy subject for me to grasp. Further, I attended every office hour, tutoring session and group study sessions in order to BARELY pass the class.
@graey24601 There could be enough openings for those types of jobs but that would mean many more intelligent, politically capable people. You need to ask yourself who wouldn't want this? Any why?
@graey24601 That is a patent lie. We are taught, throughout our lives to problem solve. Higher math skills help us develop mental muscles that wouldn't be flexed any other way. Without calc, how do you think engineers create the things you use, including your computer? You think someone instinctively came up with the idea? Learning and problem solving is a step-by-step process that anyone can learn, as long as they put the effort.
@graey24601 Also, people with higher degrees have a statistically better chance of getting higher paying jobs. The statistics just don't support your theory of higher education not being a must. Last point, and I think this is what you missed, what Neil is saying is that if people pushed themselves to learn higher levels of math and science (levels that are laughably low in the US) other areas of critical thinking will strengthen in people.
@graey24601 Just because you have talent doesn't mean anything. Problem solving is a lot like training for sports. Even if you are a naturally gifted problem solver, you still need to hone your skills. Talented people require less hours to achieve expert status. Beyond whether everyone should get educated, we as a society should VALUE education. There needs to be more emphasis on math and science because often our brightest students are not going into engineering and science.
@graey24601 Speaking about talent, we should not be so easy on discriminating 'hard work' as 'talent'. Just because you can't be bothered spending the time and effort to do something that someone else would, doesn't automatically mean that person has 'talent'.
not having talent is not a reason to give up. Talent is bullshit, it has so less of an impact. I work hard everyday and people tell me all the time I learned that or this, because of my talent and that others have an hard time studying. THE funny thing is these same teacher said a couple of weeks ago that things might be to difficult and that I needed to think if i was able to pass this year. They said if you can't then you cant. Get this idea of talent out of your head. Just do it
@juiceforjoe you fail to get his message, he explains it clearly and you still did not get the message so it's pointless for me to try to explain it to you.
Huh, my brother flunked out of a top-rated engineering program. Transferred to another college and graduated as an English major. He now is co-founder of a pretty big hosting company which is rated in the top rated green businesses in the US.
@juiceforjoe I don't think you understand the message Neil is trying to convey. He's not setting a benchmark to say more calculus equals higher pay. He's saying that the pursuit of higher education in mathematical logic can benefit on a subconscious level. Just the act of trying gives you a leg up in multitudes of your daily comprehension of life. Understanding the complexity of a subject--like calculus--paves way for the ability to diffuse less complex issues more effectively.
@aznfamous I totally agree with your arguments. Learning higher level math and science may not seem like it'll have any practical application to your life, but it teaches you a way of thinking so that you as a thinker are better than the next guy who is applying for the same position as you. As for graey24601's comments, learning calculus is not a talent, it is a skill. Any skill can be learned with the proper dedication. It's great that your dad does well financially, but money isnt everything
As a college senior who recently found their passion for physics, I've realized the great importance in math for all students. I've been just getting by to pass, and I want to do nothing more than repeat all high school level mathematics before i go to college.
@Neuromancer1970 I think it is a bit more complicated than that. Science isn't THE answer but rather a large part of the answer. I think Mr. Tyson here did imply this, but unfortunatlly some may miss it. For example, considering the strong relationship with IQ and the sciences, this does not fulfill the intellect story, only a part of it. Some super smart scientists simply have horrible EQs and thus suck at people management as well as self-awareness. Its really about being a rounded person.
@Neuromancer1970 There were easier ways to make money however it has become much more competitive to find such lucrative vocations that are non-technical due to the necessity for many companies to truly assess the value of its employees. Many of the best minds in science are NOT going into the banking industry, those are just the one's who are ahead of the curve in the finance industry and picked the right educational background to solidify a finance career. The best minds are in research.
I'm not from the US but aren't good universities also very expensive to attend? Im french and studying mechanical engineering in the UK and i only pay £3000 for a year's tuition fees. It'd be free if i was studying in france. Surely this plays a huge roll in the US' bid to churn out engineers? On the other hand I could be talking out my arse...
Spot on! His reasoning of the importance of math (and science) is exactly what I tell people when they say they don't need, want, or like math. Beautifully spoken!
@Chaicoffski I know what you're talking about. I hated when people said, "oh you're just smart!" Bitch I worked my ass off for that A. Anyone can get an A.
@qazwsxedcrfvg123 Well that's true. The invention is just the idea. The guy that knows what to do with the invention or improve on it makes the money. Even the marketer makes money. He has nothing to do with the product, but he gets paid because he knows how to make the product interesting to other people so THEY can buy it.
The metal industry is a good example. Any new alloy really came from a chemist, but the guy that found its best use got the credit. :)
Government education SUCKS. I learned this after being forced to squander a good amount of my life on learning useless shit in highschool. I spent god knows how much time on bullshit I will never use like logarithms, without spending one minute on thing that you will actually use in life like how to calculate interest and money management. No. If you are going to violate the constitution by having the government mandate that you attend school, why would you teach anything of value?
TheMadCrumpet 6 days ago
Anybody would look stupid sitting beside Neil Degrasse. Leave the woman alone. Someone needs to be asking him the questions.
barelycertain 6 days ago
his eyes are bloodshot, thats whats up
FullOfTehLulz 1 week ago 5
im addicted to watching neil degrasse videos on youtube! p.s. that bitch had some weird thing on her blazer :-S
Belfast92Boy 1 week ago 4
1. She's a shitty interviewer.
2. She totally wants to bang him.
NicoM137 1 week ago 11
Why does the interviewer keep tilting her head, and pulling stupid faces, and weird eyebrow positions while he's speaking? It's really rude and off-putting.
LordNazgulKing 1 week ago 4
WOW THIS WOMAN IS FUCKING ANNOYING.
Mgslsnake 1 week ago 7
A+ video. And trigonometric identities were fun.
KingRobertBaratheon 2 weeks ago 2
Who is this woman? Could someone please slap her!
Jayjon81 3 weeks ago 3
Why do we always have to frame it as kids don't want to learn stem because it's hard? Our schools are failing students at a very basic level. They weren't created with the kind of critical thinking required for these jobs in mind. They are for a moderately educated workforce, actively EXPECTED to do A follows B without nuance. If the programs aren't teaching kids how to read in some cases why are we holding it against them that they aren't becoming engineers? Blame the fucking system!
vesperhesperus 4 weeks ago 7
He has such an accessible intelligence. I really like listening to him.
PrimeEden 1 month ago 3
the bottom problem is the set of things that are valuable to our society, why does a proffesional ahtlete in any massive sport like basketball or football is a millionaire? because society gives more value to what those people are doing to other things that really produce useful goods and services like science and tecnnology. people, in general can´t seem to connect the dots, thay preffer not to think and value those people who entertain them rather than value people who solve problems
shreder89 1 month ago
Tyson is a straight up beast!
zellster 1 month ago in playlist Liked videos
Here's the catch Mr Tyson: Advanced mathematics no longer deals with numbers - it becomes letters and therefore English.
I did an English degree because I chose it. Doing any one of the sciences at university costs a hell of a lot more than doing an English based qualification. Besides, already worked as an engineer and it's hard, dirty and long hours.
neil73 1 month ago
@neil73 If you think that adding numbers to math makes it more like English, you clearly don't understand.
ValReif 1 month ago 4
@neil73 How insulting to English majors you are to not even understand the fundamentals of language.
osaka35 1 month ago
@neil73 Lol not sure if serious.. You clearly didn't understand the math you were taught.
CTwrestler1 1 day ago
Silence is golden woman. Let the man speak.
bubbelbadaren 1 month ago 53
@bubbelbadaren
inb4 a feminist calls this comment sexist
BlockisticStudios 4 days ago
she is anoying
TheKaniffel 1 month ago
Here's where he's not totally accurate, those new neural connections, if not used (and it's true most people never use the math the advanced maths) will eventually get pruned away by your brain. Especially if learned at later ages.
scnarb 1 month ago
@scnarb The neural connections you're talking about is just the pure memory-connections. Tyson talks about the connections which make you ask the right questions when confronted with a problem. Those connections stays, and math is a very good way to establish those connections!
Kornsirkler 1 month ago
Neils logic is making her neck weak
lyles32386 1 month ago 3
The Engines of Problem Solving... good name for a song
Caligula138 1 month ago
I love this man. if you don't want to be a scientist, you should at least become scientifically literate.
FellOnSoundGarden 1 month ago 6
@FellOnSoundGarden Thumbs up,,,,Scientists need more credit than they get!,,,,They stopped me getting many diseases as a young child with their vaccines and many more advances too may to count!
ZukefliJohan 1 month ago 3
Disagree with Neil on this.There is no shortage of people with science and math backgrounds.Except they may not all come from America.If there are high paying jobs which require STEM,people from wherever will fulfill the requiremments.
TiaSaysSo 1 month ago
I never had a math teacher that would teach me the hows and the whys of math. For me, it was just mindless repetition and memorization. I didn't understand the meaning of what I was doing, and what my equations were expressing, I was just told to shut up and do it.
frankvonfrauner 1 month ago
@frankvonfrauner it took me until I started college (the second time) after I enlisted in the navy to fall in love with math. it was then (at a community college) the my professors taught me the how and why of math as far as differential equations and discrete math logic. I hated it in high school because I was a little shit, but I fell in love with it recently. NDT is right, math needs a better publicist.
yrogergamezor 1 month ago 2
Europe (Even with the crap going on in Greece and Portugal) is still doing better then the US. And no, it is not a communist run welfare handout paradise. It is as capitalist as the US is. We only handle the money differently.
DoggySpew 1 month ago
More people should think this way, because engineering is the key for the future, and students nowadays want to choose the easy way.
MaddieLace 1 month ago
People don't care about education at all in this country, they just want to learn enough to get a job...that's it, and that's pretty fucked up.
Sluggo117 1 month ago
I went to college to study public relations because I knew it was an industry that has openings and pays well.
I wanted to go to college to study astronomy, just to better my understanding of the universe. Got to play the game. Maybe someday I won't have to.
AndrewDangerously 1 month ago
Neil looks tired
Tired of the world standing on his shoulders.
Sepharite 1 month ago
Honestly is this guy the smartest man alive or what.
Gunmangreen 1 month ago
This video has come at a perfect time in my life.
JoNnYShizzle 1 month ago
She's eye fucking him the whole time.
drumzeppelin 1 month ago
I wonder what he thinks about people who dropped out of college but are still in these fields? I took up to calc 2 but I ended up dropping out and getting a high paying job. Bill Gates also dropped out to work full time.
sefy98 1 month ago
i dont learn math i learn how to learn math
sirsilentbear 1 month ago
I have a music composition degree. One of my professors gave me similar insight. You could pretty much apply what he's saying to everything, not just science, engineering, tech, and math.
fauxman 1 month ago
It's ultimately a cultural problem more than anything. Kids are discouraged from studying in favor of being the sports hero/party guy. Nerds get picked on while athletes bask in a all glory/love and get all the girls etc. Why would anyone with a choice choose the harder route when there are literally no rewards for about 20 years? Kids don't think that far ahead.
We need to reward those who do well in school with attention/perks/popularity to have a country that is not hostile to STEM careers
Ravenwild1 1 month ago
Neil Degrasse Tyson - Scientist
MisterSkillet100 1 month ago
I'm thigh deep in an accounting degree that I know I hate. How can I educated myself in higher math and science? I need time and institutions to not only facilitate it, but to recognize it. It seems that I've missed that train. Though I desperately wish to catch up to it. To me, money is nothing. I hate it. It's a quantified obstacle. My shortcomings are 2 parts my fault, and 1 part the failure of our education system to breed students hungry for a REAL education.
superpoot1 1 month ago
Than why is America so well off compared to these other countries where students are ranking higher in Math and Science for example Finland. Yeah it's not fair but it's also not black and white. I'd encourage everyone to pursue Science and Mathematics. Those are the jobs of the future however those studies are not what's doing the monetization, I don't agree with the fields of math and science being looked down on, but you can't just disregard our current state.
DistortedV12 2 months ago
@DistortedV12 Why on EARTH do you think people are better off in the USA instead of Finland. Any scandinavian country has a better GDP per capita, lesser obesity rates and on average live longer. All the while having a stable socialist goverment taking care of you in regards to health care or unemployment. Yeah, I know where I'd prefer living.
GogetaEX 1 month ago
@DistortedV12
it's not because we are ignoring education's actual benefits, that's for sure. America is well-off because of a systematic exploitation of immigrants as part of a vast, uninsured and unfunded underclass. We simply have tons of people willing to do hard work for little compensation. We also play a huge part in managing the world's finances and take quite a pretty piece of the pie home for doing that.
TGfeed 1 month ago
@DistortedV12 A large majority of our scientists come here from other counties since this is currently where technology/science is. Thats slowly changing with outsourcing and other countries' development. The US is only surviving because it's one of the few countries that can literally print it's own money and is currently the "standard currency" for other countries to trade (ie. German buys oil from Saudi Arabia in USD). If that changes due to USD depreciation, we're fucked.
Astafar13 1 month ago
@DistortedV12 Is America well off?
xStealthClown 1 month ago
@DistortedV12 Its probably riding on the wave of innovations of the past century and acquiring foreign intellectuals to do the heavy lifting.
B1ackNinja04 1 month ago
@DistortedV12 The US has much better post-secondary education than Finland. That means that it can attract smart people from abroad and it can give the young people who do succeed in their primary and secondary an opportunity the get some of the best post secondary education in the world. That doesn't however mean that the US would not benefit from better K-12 education. Just because you are the best doesn't mean you can't get better. The US shouldn't be resting on its laurels.
SimaanFreeloader 1 month ago
@DistortedV12 That's the thing. America isn't so well off compared to many other first world countries anymore.
lapotamus 1 month ago
I believe this title is misleading.
In my opinion the reason would - be engineers change majors is because they weren't really ever dedicated to engineering in the first place. Obviously this is anecdotal, but in my experiences I believe that, mostly men, initially go to school to be an engineer because they simply aren't sure what they want to do. And engineering is by far the most well known "male" profession to high school students.
Then they find out engineering wasn't for them.
53iBro 2 months ago
watch out we got a badass over here
desparchadostv 2 months ago 69
@juiceforjoe Where would your dad be without ability in software writing? Or his friend who can market? Depending on what you do, you do need certain skills. If you want to be in a STEM career, you very likely will need a lot of math. But like the poster of the video said, the point of this vid isn't even that you need calculus for everything. It's that it is helpful to be able to challenge yourself and think critically and creatively.
Halopedian 2 months ago
By the end of this century, if we don't blow ourselves up, there won't be jobs for the uneducated. Robots can and will do everything that merely requires some kind of manual labor faster, more accurately, and cheaper than people. All appliances will become computers of one sort or another. Even now, cars are basically computers that you drive.
Many commentators on this page are living in the past. Our children and grandchildren must be well educated to have a future.
TacticusPrime 2 months ago
Wicked!
dudokozle 2 months ago
I agree people should learn. You can buy a book and teach yourself various types of mathematics, and sciences. I do not believe going to college will magically make everyone smarter, no do I believe that it will solve anything close to the majority of the problems we face as humanity, culturally, etc.
84Drumcircle 2 months ago
@84Drumcircle I think for most people there are a lot of things that are just too complicated to learn straight from a book and that you need an expert to teach you, with books as a supplement. I don't think college is for everyone, but I do think if everyone were better educated then society would be a lot better. I think there would be less crime and people would be better able to relate to one another, so less prejudice and more compassion.
zoikles1 2 months ago
He's making legitimate points... but that lady is the most annoying interviewer I've ever seen.
Inirit 2 months ago
Tyson looks a little stoned
robair9911 2 months ago
@robair9911 when you know what he does , youre always stoned
dawtchins 1 month ago
So nevertheless, as I agree with Mr. Tyson, math is not easy by any means for some individuals. English and Biology come quite easy, but math and chemistry is a continuous struggle despite studying far more then the average student while receiving mediocre scores in comparison. Subsequently, when I talk to my best friend who excels at mathematics and studies only before tests, it reinforces my belief that some people are meant to be engineers and others are meant for something different.
mysticpotatoheadgirl 2 months ago
@mysticpotatoheadgirl I don't think it's as simple as "He's naturally good at math and I'm not".
For example, in calculus, you're having to use all the stuff you learned in the previous classes that you thought you'd never encounter again.
If you remembered how to do polynomial division and how to complete the square and some other guy didn't, that doesn't mean you're just naturally better.
ninjajesus81 2 months ago
What a fantastically eloquent man. I'm still minoring in biology and chemistry for exactly the reasons he's stating.
Shame on the reporter for not even trying to hide her disdain for what Tyson is saying. She has horrible media ethics.
crashedfrigate17 2 months ago
Why isn't this guy running for POTUS???
resistnzisfutl 2 months ago
@juiceforjoe software engineering uses more discrete math than calculus, however both are really useful for software engineering and both are higher level math.
trophymursky 2 months ago
What Neil forgets is that a science degree costs a hell of a lot more than an English degree. I'm studying English and love it, although I would've loved to do a science degree, but I know I don't have the mathematical/mechanical kind of thinking for that. Besides, in terms of text books and materials, it is not unheard of for science students to spend $1,000 per year on books alone.
English may be the easy option, but the jobs/careers at the end of it cover more ground than a specific science
neil73 2 months ago
I can't stand this lady's mannerisms, they drive me nuts.
clizzaster 2 months ago 73
@clizzaster Seriously. She just has this insolence about her that's unbecoming of an interviewer.
werebee 1 month ago
@clizzaster Dear Sweet God that is annoying.
go2URroom 1 month ago
i didn't hear him mention the english major....is the title implying that majoring in english is a waste of four years in college? ok, mathematics is a practical skill, without a doubt undervalued by most students i know. but discourse is also practical. the analytic skills developed as a mathematician are perhaps different than those developed as an english major, 'someone who studies the way the english language is used to represent ideas and events.' i think you need both yall. i love math
TheCritterkins 2 months ago
i didn't hear him mention the english major....is the title is implying that majoring in english is a waste of four years in college? ok, mathematics is a practical skill, without a doubt undervalued by most students i know. but discourse is also practical. the analytic skills developed as a mathematician are perhaps different than those developed as an english major, 'someone who studies the way the english language is used to represent ideas and events.' i think you need both yall. i love math
TheCritterkins 2 months ago
When I was 9 I wanted to be an Astronomer. Why didn't I become one? Because throughout most of my middle and high school education the science teachers were not passionate. In fact, they complained about how people entering the science fields would grow up to be poor, under valued, etc. I love my current job, but had my science teachers been as encouraging as my speech teacher I would probably be working on my PhD in Astronomy. I wish Neil had taught at my school!
thenovicenovelist 2 months ago 3
I was actually interested in hearing why they thought would-be Engineers become English majors. I think this video should have a different title. I agree most Americans don't see the importance in the STEM fields and many Americans do not want to do advance math. But that doesn't answer why many would-be Engineers would pick a field such as English.
thenovicenovelist 2 months ago
even some of the comments here illustrate the ignorance that neil is trying to reduce with improved educational opportunities... interesting
bearwoodcarpentry 2 months ago
The Cnn lady didn't get it
chattled 2 months ago
Calculus (excluding analysis) is such an overrated subject in terms of difficulty. People just scare away from it.
hubomba 2 months ago
@juiceforjoe Do you honestly not understand that writing computer software REQUIRES problem solving? That's what computer software is: a solution to a problem.
linkfan22 2 months ago
@juiceforjoe to form your opinion on one case is ignorant. Look up how many people make 140k a year without the education of higher math or studies...
twistedfocus100 2 months ago
lmao the title defines what happened to my English teachers
Patrock96 3 months ago
The banks did use math to make more money. They used computers to do the difficult math in economy to trade with our money; That's the reason why the economy is going bad; The math was wrong; Math is an instrument, but not a god.
Maartenn100 3 months ago
@Maartenn100 You fail in more dimensions that String Theory takes into account.
SREproducciones 3 months ago
I find the statement "The Universe chose me" very paradoxical for an Atheist to make.
TheAnonymousAnomie 3 months ago
@TheAnonymousAnomie I find that attributing figure of speech to ones belief is wrong. P.S. He's agnostic not atheist.
Domasito 2 months ago
i hate how the interviewer was constantly going to the subject of jobs and the bottom line. Jobs is but a by product of science.
vivlevivle 3 months ago
There is a problem with degrasse's philosophy. I ask : who were the people who decided to drop the atomic bomb? Who led the nazis? It wasnt scientists. Imo we need to teach bullshit detecting along with science.
Tinhh 3 months ago
@Tinhh you seem smart, so why would you assume science taught the foolish Nazi's to do what they did. the people who dropped the bomb were war mongering nuts...most were actually god fearing. no true scientist believes in killing people, but educating them out of their self deluded foolishness. that's what i do with my religious friends. they try to educate me on god too, but i'm not keen on that theory :)
schmoonzer1 3 months ago
WATCH OUT WE ARE DEALING WITH A BADASS HERE!
S1nd0x 3 months ago
watch out guys' we're dealing with a bad ass here.
TheAwkwordPair 3 months ago
i'm 20 and make $150,000 a year. I quit college and started my second business this year on discount online retail. When employment rates are low, start fucking creating jobs instead, stop leeching other companies.
JohnF30Music 3 months ago
Calculus... Anything without it is simply disgusting. People with out it must live such hollow and empty lives.
Scientisticsoviet 3 months ago
@juiceforjoe all computer programming and the action of writing them are based on the properties of Linear Algebra and the processes of Calculus...you do need advanced math.
dizwiz12 3 months ago
I was a talented student, graduated with honors had a lot of scholarships. I was bound to be an aerospace engineer, but I found I absolutely could not function in college. Maybe it was because I didn't have enough passion, because I could not focus on the work and opted to goof off instead. I have been doing this for 3 years, I have no idea what to do and it's killing me. I thought Tyson would be talking about my case, the type that start out Pre med and end up communications but I guess not
technicallyabsurd 3 months ago
@technicallyabsurd change your diet, sleeping habits, hobbies. see if it helps you focus. get out of your comfort zone. learn discipline.
payasoinfeliz 3 months ago
a computer's fundamentals are based on math. without math there is no computers
rreku2 3 months ago
@rreku2 exactly, well not just that. The very limits of logic created what we know as computers, they are an application of such. Mathematics is critical to understanding how machines operate, and what machines can or cannot do. One would be surprised how little computing majors actually go into it to actually learn the science of computing, it's actually kind of sad. I know at least I'm a minority. But, at the end of the day, I'll be the one who will have the answers, and they will not.
Entertainmentwf 3 months ago
@rreku2 Well, yes and no...
Math, physics, and electrical engineering are an absolute component of how computers work. But that is only 40% to 60% of everything that is really going on. The rest of it is this interpretation of what we understand as logic and this translation of language. Dare I say, there is a definite amount of elegance and artistry within a machine and its code that, often, unfortunately no one will ever see or understand.
joebob3719 3 months ago
@juiceforjoe hahaha, if you think you can be a software engineer without understanding math... LOL. good luck with that.
eugimon 3 months ago 3
lol she acts like 60-80k a year is a lot of money
55metalmonkey 3 months ago
@55metalmonkey It is, if you use it wisely. Perhaps for larger families, yes, 60-80k per year doesn't leave enormous wiggle room, but the average person can live comfortably on it. I myself could easily live my life on that salary.
FutaSarah5000 2 months ago
The school system in this country - all countries - is based on a caste system. It is DECIDED FOR YOU on many levels - yes there are exceptions - as to what you will learn. Many subjects are not taught anymore - phonics for instance. Many incompetent teachers are allowed to oversee the warehouses that are now called schools. Biolgical and Chemical Science and math is really not difficult to grasp - when taught correctly.
lukejaden1 3 months ago
@lukejaden1
Phonics work really well for some kids, but with others (like ones with a vocabulary high enough to recognize the words) they simply don't work and are confusing.
Tracking is also being shifted downward because of the state test. Kagan Structures are really popular right now, in which higher-functioning students teaching lower ones. Works well for the lower, kills the upper. Also, if tracking is so prevalent, why are our colleges flooded with people who don't need to be there?
IdesOfMarchHare 3 months ago
@juiceforjoe Well, you can apply your example to all sports athletes. They can make huge money without math. Now, are they the majority of people? No. I think Neil is talking about majorities. The majority of the people need at least decent math and reasoning to be successful at making money through jobs.
He doesn't say it is some kind of law.
wooboy11 3 months ago
Our problem is not that we fail to offer challenging classes to students, our problem is strictly political. When you have a school system that receives money from the federal government regardless of whether or not it performs you're only throwing kerosene onto an open flame.
Competition is the reason why other countries have better education than the United States at a fraction of the cost. Don't let the teachers union know I let you in on this commonsense.
davitodude 3 months ago
@davitodude Add to that a lazy american culture, and you have lazy students, lazy teachers and equally lazy directors. They do their job, yes, but not as well as they could. Simply because they don't need to. They're gonna make enough money to live their lives, even though their knowledge will remain that of a 18 year old forever.
wooboy11 3 months ago
I don't like Soledad. She annoys me. But Dr Neil is interesting.
jesushateswood 3 months ago
We need better math teachers that don't just cater to the talented students.
kaga13 3 months ago
these days, if the public needs to chose between calculus and statistics, the public needs statistics.
funkyj95060 3 months ago
I know not if this interviewer is intrinsically dumb or just trying to simulate the typical American bimbo...
baihbalm 3 months ago
Is Neil stoned? He's got some wicked bloodshot eyes
cowpacino 3 months ago
those two should get a room
gavranarh 4 months ago
@juiceforjoe I don't think you understand how programming works. It's not just "algebra". You have to know discrete number theory and if you do any 3D modeling you have to know calculus and trig. These are not easy classes and even if your dad learned everything he knows by trial and error he would be an ISOLATED example. Come up with a few more examples than just your dad and "a buddy of his" and you have the makings of an argument.
Horus175 4 months ago
@juiceforjoe that bitch in red is annoying
mio68df 4 months ago
Maybe you should just do what is right for you as an individual. Then people should come together to put their skills to use. Sometimes people are not introduced to these subjects till college. I think high school should teach what they are teaching now better. Also focus on introducing students to different subjects through different means other than the classroom.Possibly not even worry about grading student, just focus on making info familiar .
TheMoni700 4 months ago
creativity drives the innovation that is the forefront of the future.
rukus100821 4 months ago
0:29 Many? I dunno. Certainly not most. Advanced math is required only in a TINY FRACTION of jobs. Easily the largest share of the job market is in sales and service interaction... this requires only the most basic math, if that. If you're an engineer for NASA or Boeing, great. These are the people we need to build tommorow, like NDT says, but for the average Joe and Jane, no.
tmc359 4 months ago
@juiceforjoe Ur Dad may use Algebra for his computer work. But the science that makes his computer even work came from advanced science like calculus & physics. & those companies that have those engineers & scientists are millionaires. Your comment is ignorant. Its the same as to say that a farmer doesnt need 2 know genetics & genome sequencing to run a farm. True, but if he did, he would have the highest yields, the biggest most productive crops vs. his competitors. Max. education = Power
metalmilitia1977 4 months ago
Learning calculus or anything else does not make you a "problem solver". You either are one or you are not. It's a talent and despite what many people would like to believe, you cannot teach talent.
It's also dangerous in the extreme to be pushing the idea that everyone should get a college education requiring "career". They clearly have no idea of the numbers of people they're talking about, there aren't enough openings for everyone to have these types of jobs. Never will be.
graey24601 4 months ago
@graey24601 So there's no nice logical story about opposites. We can say that they are almost always contraries but not contradictories, and we can say that they often lie across some more or less vague midpoint from one another of some more or less well-defined scale, at more or less equal distances. It's not as black and white as you presume. There's no finite solution but if everyone had an analytical heavy college education, the world would be a much more rational place.
aznfamous 4 months ago 77
@aznfamous In order for everyone to have a college education we'd need a whole lot more schools, a whole lot more professors and then in the long run you still have the issue of jobs. Are there really thousands of "openings" (funding, lab space ect) just waiting for physicists to roll up their sleeves? And say everyone has a college education (in various fields) who's going to bag their groceries and unclog their drains? a pyramid sitting on its point is not stable.
graey24601 4 months ago
@graey24601 DeGrasse isn't actually saying everyone should be a physicist. He's saying that being educated makes you a better problem solver, more marketable and better able to understand the world around you and make decisions. There is a somewhat disturbing anti-intellectual trend I sometimes notice, and I wonder if those people desire a second dark age (oh, the melodrama :P).
All that aside, the degree'd have half the employment problems as non-degree'd, which is worth considering.
basmithtx 4 months ago
@aznfamous Rational? You want to increase rationality in the world?
Stomp out religion. It plays a bigger role in restricting/limiting people than anything else.
iruquoi88 1 month ago
@aznfamous As a person who struggled with higher level maths in high school, I eventually began my Biology major in college and was essentially forced to learn Calculus. I'm not naturally "talented" at Calculus, but I still got a B in the class, and I still can apply upper level math if I ever need to. I disagree though that college is the only way to get an education, as many people are autodidacts and can learn exceptionally well without school. Calculus isn't a requirement for intelligence.
NikTheJew 1 month ago
@graey24601 Sure problem solving is a talent, but it can also be enhanced and taught through education. I don't understand how you can't see that along with the fact that better educated people will make the world a better place?
yamenhawit 4 months ago
@graey24601 if you learn calculus... aren't you solving problems?
sniped101 3 months ago
@graey24601 You can only become good at solving problems by being presented many problems to solve. That's why proper mathematics education makes everyone better at problem solving. Not necessarily amazing at it, but better.
EclecticSceptic 3 months ago
@graey24601 I don't think it's a talent, it's all practice.
DIOGYK3D 3 months ago
@graey24601 all humans are problem solvers
DeathHoldGrip 3 months ago
@graey24601 Don't propose your opinion to people as if it was a fact, there were a lot of cases where people did great things just because of hard work. If you believe that you can't develop your mind, you're as good as dead.
dqds 2 months ago
@graey24601 Wrong. You can be taught to problem solve in the way that you can be taught to play piano. Your innate ability may propel you further than others or make the process easier for you but never discount the ability to educate others to arm themselves with skills they could not acquire on their own.
supahsekzy 2 months ago
@graey24601 I dont think hes saying everyone should be an engineer. I'm a civil engineering student and most of the math I have learned in college is really simple. anyone can learn it as long as they work hard at it. but the U.S. does have a shortage of engineers and medical graduates in all fields. i think hes just saying that the U.S. gov. should advocate for better k-12 education. and expose students to more science and engineering.
issagc 2 months ago 3
@issagc
I believe that people should attempt to take higher level math and science classes; HOWEVER, as a person who struggled to pass calculus I find it irritating when people assume math is a feasible option for every individual. I worked harder then 95 percent of the engineering/math majors simply because math is not an easy subject for me to grasp. Further, I attended every office hour, tutoring session and group study sessions in order to BARELY pass the class.
mysticpotatoheadgirl 2 months ago
@graey24601 There could be enough openings for those types of jobs but that would mean many more intelligent, politically capable people. You need to ask yourself who wouldn't want this? Any why?
IMB2U 2 months ago
@graey24601 That is a patent lie. We are taught, throughout our lives to problem solve. Higher math skills help us develop mental muscles that wouldn't be flexed any other way. Without calc, how do you think engineers create the things you use, including your computer? You think someone instinctively came up with the idea? Learning and problem solving is a step-by-step process that anyone can learn, as long as they put the effort.
elspoko 2 months ago
@graey24601 Also, people with higher degrees have a statistically better chance of getting higher paying jobs. The statistics just don't support your theory of higher education not being a must. Last point, and I think this is what you missed, what Neil is saying is that if people pushed themselves to learn higher levels of math and science (levels that are laughably low in the US) other areas of critical thinking will strengthen in people.
elspoko 2 months ago
@graey24601 I disagree. I have become much more of a problem solver becuase my job requires it
MisterBicycle 1 month ago
@graey24601 Just because you have talent doesn't mean anything. Problem solving is a lot like training for sports. Even if you are a naturally gifted problem solver, you still need to hone your skills. Talented people require less hours to achieve expert status. Beyond whether everyone should get educated, we as a society should VALUE education. There needs to be more emphasis on math and science because often our brightest students are not going into engineering and science.
diiaann 1 month ago
@graey24601 ooh I beg to differ.. there is so much evidence supporting the theory that "intelligence" can be built up to a certain extent.
markustheaters 1 month ago
@graey24601 I disagree.
webmastertool 1 month ago
@graey24601 He's just saying that everyone should at least be mathematically and scientifically literate regardless of 'talent' or not.
Aph0x89 1 month ago
@graey24601 Speaking about talent, we should not be so easy on discriminating 'hard work' as 'talent'. Just because you can't be bothered spending the time and effort to do something that someone else would, doesn't automatically mean that person has 'talent'.
Aph0x89 1 month ago
@graey24601
not having talent is not a reason to give up. Talent is bullshit, it has so less of an impact. I work hard everyday and people tell me all the time I learned that or this, because of my talent and that others have an hard time studying. THE funny thing is these same teacher said a couple of weeks ago that things might be to difficult and that I needed to think if i was able to pass this year. They said if you can't then you cant. Get this idea of talent out of your head. Just do it
bboybram 1 month ago
@juiceforjoe you fail to get his message, he explains it clearly and you still did not get the message so it's pointless for me to try to explain it to you.
VanMedia 4 months ago
Huh, my brother flunked out of a top-rated engineering program. Transferred to another college and graduated as an English major. He now is co-founder of a pretty big hosting company which is rated in the top rated green businesses in the US.
Bacopa68 4 months ago
@juiceforjoe I don't think you understand the message Neil is trying to convey. He's not setting a benchmark to say more calculus equals higher pay. He's saying that the pursuit of higher education in mathematical logic can benefit on a subconscious level. Just the act of trying gives you a leg up in multitudes of your daily comprehension of life. Understanding the complexity of a subject--like calculus--paves way for the ability to diffuse less complex issues more effectively.
aznfamous 4 months ago 136
@aznfamous I totally agree with your arguments. Learning higher level math and science may not seem like it'll have any practical application to your life, but it teaches you a way of thinking so that you as a thinker are better than the next guy who is applying for the same position as you. As for graey24601's comments, learning calculus is not a talent, it is a skill. Any skill can be learned with the proper dedication. It's great that your dad does well financially, but money isnt everything
Aznthunder10 3 months ago
bahh Fail, I meant to say HIGH SCHOOL senior in my last comment lol
7itanium452112 4 months ago
As a college senior who recently found their passion for physics, I've realized the great importance in math for all students. I've been just getting by to pass, and I want to do nothing more than repeat all high school level mathematics before i go to college.
7itanium452112 4 months ago
man i HATE when in calc classes there is always some dickhole who says "WHEN WILL I LIKE EVER USE THIS!?!??!"
i just want to say "Well holy shit bitch, just fucking leave then"
Pager1991 4 months ago
@Neuromancer1970 I think it is a bit more complicated than that. Science isn't THE answer but rather a large part of the answer. I think Mr. Tyson here did imply this, but unfortunatlly some may miss it. For example, considering the strong relationship with IQ and the sciences, this does not fulfill the intellect story, only a part of it. Some super smart scientists simply have horrible EQs and thus suck at people management as well as self-awareness. Its really about being a rounded person.
9b8 4 months ago
No math = something missing in one's education
Neueregel 4 months ago
He didn't mention english majors once in that whole video. But the title be little's them.
VolcardoReviewer 4 months ago
Is the interviewer retarded? It's like she is arguing for unintelligence.
N1NJ4lVl4573l2 4 months ago
liberal sciences are on the way out,allmost totlally useless.enrollement is way down for a reason .
jefsin1 4 months ago
@Neuromancer1970 There were easier ways to make money however it has become much more competitive to find such lucrative vocations that are non-technical due to the necessity for many companies to truly assess the value of its employees. Many of the best minds in science are NOT going into the banking industry, those are just the one's who are ahead of the curve in the finance industry and picked the right educational background to solidify a finance career. The best minds are in research.
hamilton481 4 months ago
I'm not from the US but aren't good universities also very expensive to attend? Im french and studying mechanical engineering in the UK and i only pay £3000 for a year's tuition fees. It'd be free if i was studying in france. Surely this plays a huge roll in the US' bid to churn out engineers? On the other hand I could be talking out my arse...
mutater0 5 months ago
Spot on! His reasoning of the importance of math (and science) is exactly what I tell people when they say they don't need, want, or like math. Beautifully spoken!
Ripley747 5 months ago
@Chaicoffski I know what you're talking about. I hated when people said, "oh you're just smart!" Bitch I worked my ass off for that A. Anyone can get an A.
nothingtodo225 5 months ago
That interviewer is trying wayyy too hard.
Kruezoraxe 5 months ago
@Neuromancer1970 it reminds me that many inventors didn't earn money. But the people who sell their (somebody else) inventions did.
qazwsxedcrfvg123 5 months ago
@qazwsxedcrfvg123 Well that's true. The invention is just the idea. The guy that knows what to do with the invention or improve on it makes the money. Even the marketer makes money. He has nothing to do with the product, but he gets paid because he knows how to make the product interesting to other people so THEY can buy it.
The metal industry is a good example. Any new alloy really came from a chemist, but the guy that found its best use got the credit. :)
gredangeo 4 months ago
@qazwsxedcrfvg123 reminds me of Nikoli Telsa {WESTINGHOUSE} anyone.
jefsin1 4 months ago
Im 31. Just started uni doing maths. Do it! I got terrible grades in highschool!
kosilveriarn 6 months ago
I needed to see this video about 4 years ago when I was that student opting out of the hard math and science classes....
TrounceX 6 months ago
@TrounceX Hahah me too man.
VolcardoReviewer 4 months ago
She's just playing devil's advocate to get interesting responses from Tyson (which worked).
metaserve 6 months ago