Rant: ERTW vs. ESTW

Trevor Freeman rants about the old engineering slogan "Engineers Rule the World". Is engineering arrogant and out of touch with reality? Should engineers be ashamed of their profession, or is there another approach we can take. Do engineers RULE the world, or do they SERVE it?

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• EWB Canada
• Rant

[inigomontoya6667]

1) Engineers don't steal the format from Rick Mercer's rants.

2) Could someone engineer this poor bastard a steadycam?

[JoeGaudet1]

I think this misses the point, ERTW is just a silly thing people say in school to promote 'esprit de corp'. It's about having a fun rivalry between faculties to make university more fun.

No one honestly takes this stuff off campus.

Perhaps you are also against cheering for sports teams?

EWB does a lot of good, though they could stand to have more actual engineers involved, but I think you've missed it here, this isn't a real issue.

[frankystein12]

In a sense, engineers do indeed rule the world. Look around you, everything that is not natural (i.e. everything) has been made by engineers.

[parkourtml]

Engineering "rules" the world.

I interpret it as rules refering to the laws of science that engineers are applying to everyday life. We the engineers, create a world in which things are ruled by our understanding of engineering.

ESTW seems like we're bending over to what the world wants, not what it needs!

So yes, engineers do rule the world! and hey, it makes faculty rivalry great.

ERTW!

[umgryba]

Trevor, I think you may have spent a little too much time in a granola crunching EWB talk session on what you'd like to change in the world around you.

Engineering as we know it has it's roots in protecting the public's interest and ensuring that human activities respect the laws of the land. Sounds a lot like the job description of a responsible ruler to me.

If you dislike ERTW, perhaps you might modify the acronym to Eager and Ready To Work..... and scrap the servitude bologna.

[lilmo90]

We engineers are Gods. We literally created this world.

[Julian3190]

meh ERTW is better. More badass.

[stevz0r]

I was going to say something about this whole thing but the comments seem to sum it up pretty well.

ERTW.

[cnmarine2006]

fuck off mate. i serve no one.

i get to work when i want. and leave when i want.

i dont have to clock in clock out because i'm NOT serving anyone. i don't have to work around other people's schedule like other professions.

ERTW.

[charliegodsoe]

First and foremost, I don't have that cousin who has ever done that...

secondly who cares?

thirdly, its just a fun thing we say. Did you guys cheer on Canada in the olympics? Saying , "Who's game is this?".

fourthly, I got into engineering to solve problems and make money. And that's pretty much how it got started too. Don't paint an altruistic picture unnecessarily.

fifthly I would have held more stock in what you were saying if you didn't talk with a lisp. haha jk'ing.