Caltech students in Hawking's lecture

1of42
Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:14:04 +0000

I hate to rub salt in the wound, but biggs: quit while you’re less far behind than you’re about to become.

I have to agree with Ben on this one. I personally think that it is of the highest importance to always understand our own place in the world, and never hold ourselves so highly that we’re offended by a greeting. On the other hand, having grown up with parents who heavily stressed respect and politeness, I can understand biggs’s father’s point about respectful greeting. On the other hand, I think we can all agree that the perceived transgression (if it could even be considered that) was so minor as to not be worth noting. Hawking evidently didn’t care, the students didn’t care, and I would bet it set a good tone for the talk.

A lack of formalities can be very useful when it reflects an ease of communication that allows for free exchange of ideas. If it reflects lack of respect, only then is it a problem - and I don’t think it did, in this case.