28 Jan
2012
28 Jan
'12
8:13 p.m.
Ah, but there is a trap. How do you
"measure" smarts? Smart enough to
get a PhD in hard science (maths, physics, ...)? Smart enough to realize
what needs to be done and just do it, no matter what? Smart enough to be
beyond "this scut work is below me" bullshit? Smart enough to cooperate,
even if he/she/it doesn't like all the other people in the group?
I've seen my share of people who were, unarguably, very smart in their
speciality, but had plenty of ... other problems.
I felt that 'smart people' here meant what we used to call 'hackers'
before that term got hijacked by the gutter press. I've yet to meet a
true hacker who, if he/she sees something that needs to be done and thet
are capable of doing , doest just do it. It's in their nature.
Just because the janitor is normally invisible
doesn't mean he isn't
important. ;-)
I am fond of pointing out that if the so-called 'celebrities' (pop stars,
footballers, etc) all vanished overnight then life would go on much the
same. If all the dustment disappeeared overnight, there would be major
helth problems in a couple of weeks. So which is acutally more valuable?
Sorry, but you pressed a rant button with me here. "I know, the problem
are stupid people. I'll setup a colony/commune/habitat and let only
smart people in. Then there won't be any problems" - and then the place
collapses after the last toilet is clogged because you _clearly_ can't
expect a PhD to do such lowly work.
A hint for Ph.D students : If the sink in the lab is blocked, by all
means try to unblock it. But if you do so by firing tyhe compressed air
line down it, make sure a senior member of staff is not looking down the
plughole of an adjacent sink. I forget to check this, and said member of
staff ended up wit ha jet of drity water in his face....
-tony