<p>What do you think of people that just aren't turned on by school work? In many a thread, I've seen many a nerd herald the virtues of mathematics, talking about how "beautiful" it is and such. What do you think of someone who thinks that math is the most boring thing in the world? Do you think they're dumb and/or lazy, or frustrated, or they "don't grasp the fundamentals"? In other words, can someone who fancies themselves a smarty-pants accept that there are people who find schoolwork boring and pointless, or do they just think those people are dumb?</p>
<p>If anyone takes offense to my use of the N-word, then this thread is going to fail. So please, don't act like it offends you.</p>
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What do you think of someone who thinks that math is the most boring thing in the world? Do you think they're dumb and/or lazy, or frustrated, or they "don't grasp the fundamentals"?
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<p>Prima facie, the person who dislikes math is more likely than average to have poor aptitude in math. HOWEVER, this is merely an AVERAGE and there are PLENTY of math-talented students who hate math (probably more than there are students who love math but are without talent). There are MANY factors to explain disinterest in math for each individual, even if those who like math may be somewhat different (ONLY ON AVERAGE) than those who dislike math.</p>
<p>personally, i can appreciate both a poem and a math equation. also, people who find school boring aren't "dumb" at all -- it just isn't their niche, and that is perfectly understandable. i'll take the competitive but laid-back environment of a basketball court over typical school classes on almost any day. from personal experience, i've seen that a lot of the people i've encountered who don't like school possess a natural intelligence that some of their bookish counterparts lack. if they were to utilize their talents, they'd be 10x versatile than these "nerds".</p>
<p>I would definitely fit in to the group of people being insulted for disliking school--and math. Some people have strengths in areas that involve different skill-sets and interests. I am someone who does excel in school but that doesn't mean that I have to like math. You can like other subjects...from Language to Business to Social Studies... I find that people who think of them as "smarty-pants" tend to be the people who think school is pointless, especially if they have to make minimal efforts to do well.</p>
<p>I find math fascinating in how everything seems to "fit together", like the same concept will hold true for two unrelated subjects in math.</p>
<p>It's also interesting now that I am actually applying things like quadratic formula and sine/cosine in physics (It seemed so pointless before, but now I am motivated to excel at math so I can do good in my intended field of study).</p>
<p>As for your question, if someone is a general underachiever (i.e., ditches school, puts no effort into anything, or is genuinely an idiot), then yes, I will look down on that person. Just because someone doesn't like math though, that's their opinion and I wouldn't hold it against them.</p>
<p>I've always been an average math student, but I hated math for years. Then, junior year, I got an amazing math teacher who really made connections between math and the theory behind it, between math and the real world, and between concepts and why they were important. Now I love math. It also helps to get out of the lower levels of math, where it's mostly learning how to solve certain types of problems and then practicing a lot. Plug and chug is boring. The higher up you go though, the more interesting it gets, at least to me. Algebra I is not exactly scintillating stuff, but precalc can be pretty interesting.</p>
<p>Precalc and 'higher level' shouldn't be mentioned in the same paragraph. Just face it, it isn't interesting. A sizable amount of the hard-ness of math comes entirely from the fact that it's the most boring thing in the world. Can you honestly think of anything MORE boring? All you're doing half the time is bouncing your neurons off the rev limiter to try and understand something that would be infinitely clearer if someone taught it to you, which never happens for some reason. Why do you think procrastination is such a problem for people? Try doing your schoolwork for a little while, and suddenly ANYTHING else that isn't your schoolwork will seem like it's super exciting. Case in point: this board.</p>
<p>chemistry is FAR more boring than math. But that's just my opnion.
There are people that think watching a football game is the most boring thing in the world. I can think of plenty of things that are MORE boring, because it's a matter of opinion.
duh...</p>
