# Do scientists believe they are better than the rest? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 22, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303 "2011-04-22T00:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/41 "2011-04-22T03:44:50Z")
I believe Bill Murray’s character from _Ghostbusters_ is a scathing social critique of scientist/(other human) relations that we should all be taking more seriously before it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/42 "2011-04-22T04:09:25Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > I am just curious about the psicology of the scientist. I study Michio Kaku, Carl Sagan and other patriarcal scientists to see theirs deep motivations. I like to see how Kaku, for instance, claim everything has been invented by physicists, including all the development in computer science! scientist celebrities are different from other scientists. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/43 "2011-04-22T04:12:16Z")
I don’t mean to alarm you, **pinguin** , but you know who developed the components of your computer? _A scientist!_ I’m not sure the machine can be trusted- Wait, did you hear that noise? Look out- there’s a scientist _RIGHT BEHIND YOU!_ ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/44 "2011-04-22T05:15:43Z")
I for one, do consider myself smarter than the average human. I have never seen an episode of the Brady Bunch. And I know all the words to The Pointy Birds. So there. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/45 "2011-04-22T06:28:26Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > So, they believe they are the “chosen” people, the “superior” race, or just they are sure they are “alphas”? > > If so, why scientists work in private companies, universities and research labs, ruled by business people? Funny, you’re reusing all the tropes of the antisemitic rant. Can we have a Scientists Vs Indians match? That Cavemen Vs Astronauts one was such a big disappointment. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/46 "2011-04-22T06:30:40Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > I am just curious about the psicology of the scientist. I study Michio Kaku, Carl Sagan and other patriarcal scientists to see theirs deep motivations. Some of them are after knowledge for knowledge’s sake; others just love doing science. But I have a feeling that that’s not enough for you, so try this - scientists want their names in the history books. To them, that’s far more important than earthly, epehremal fluff like money and power. Does anyone remember who Jonas Salk worked for? Who paid Niels Bohr’s bills? Who was the president of Albert Einstein’s university? If you asked a scientist to choose between a billion dollars and being the next Isaac Newton, chances are he’ll choose the latter. _That’s_ what scientists want. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/47 "2011-04-22T11:49:25Z")
Working scientist here. I don’t think I’m better than the average person. Do I think I’m _smarter_ than the average person? Of course I do. I wouldn’t be much good at my job otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/48 "2011-04-22T12:04:05Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Actually, since there is no actual thesis presented and it sounds like a poll, this thread will do better in In My Humble Opinion than in Great Debates. > > So moved. Sorry-we don’t do mindless rants. Moving thread from IMHO to The BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/49 "2011-04-22T12:10:13Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > Working scientist here. > > I don’t think I’m better than the average person. > > Do I think I’m _smarter_ than the average person? Of course I do. I wouldn’t be much good at my job otherwise. It is not so much that one is smarter than average because one is a scientist, but one becomes a scientist because one is smarter than average. I am a scientist (research engineer actually). You could not pay me enough to take my boss’s job and spend all day dealing with funding issues and schmoozing people. OK, you actually could, but only if it was so obscenely high that I would then be able to retire in a couple years and do research on my own. Most scientists made the active choice to earn less in order to do the kind of work they love and find intellectually stimulating. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/50 "2011-04-22T12:24:16Z")
> [@flight](#): > > It is not so much that one is smarter than average because one is a scientist, _\_ Unless of course you are one of the previously mentioned _mad_ scientists. At least, once you _acquire_ the donors for your brain tissue transplantation experiment! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/51 "2011-04-22T12:25:35Z")
Certainly not, seeing as “the rest” were Mary Ann and **the Professor**. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/52 "2011-04-22T12:33:19Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Cloaked satellites. Moon bases. Deep in the Amazon jungle. In the basement of abandoned hospitals. Secret bases in the antarctic (I guess publicly known ones as well, technically), the ocean floor. ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/53 "2011-04-22T12:49:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Sorry-we don’t do mindless rants. > Moving thread from IMHO to The BBQ Pit. Sorry, but there’s limited storage capacity at the moment in the Pitt, could this be moved to Cafe Society? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/54 "2011-04-22T13:18:31Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > What do you think? Do scientists believe they are smarter than the rest of humans? 1. Smarter? Probably. Most scientists had to do the college \> grad school route, that required lots of standardized testing, so most scientists know that they’ve got a reasonably high, that is to say, above average, IQ. They also know lots of people with high IQs who are working in business or industry, or selling books or working in IT or renting surfboards - and at times, they envy the hell out of those people. 2. Better? No. Most scientists that I know - and I know a hell of a lot - are crawling along in the human condition just like everybody else. They get depressed, their marriage falls apart, they can’t find a job, they live from check to check, they’ve got medical and work problems, the boss is a jerk. They know many people who are morally better, more decent human beings than they themselves are. I would suspect that they are generally more liberal and less religious than the average in their community, but that still doesn’t translate into believing they’re better. Some of the most decent people I know, the ones with a real moral compasses are atheist or agnostic scientists. I also know some jerks. Just like any other collection of people. I should point out that not only am I a scientist, but I have the distinction of having been banned from human research\*, so I have Mad Scientist chops. Can I see some listings on those volcano lairs please? \*The fools! They’ll come to regret this and appreciate my genius! Bwahaha! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/55 "2011-04-22T13:18:37Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Sorry-we don’t do mindless rants. > Moving thread from IMHO to The BBQ Pit. When I first saw this was in the Pit, I thought it was moved here because the OP admitted it was a joke thread. I guess I gave him too much credit. ---
**Author:** ![heavyarms553](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/56 "2011-04-22T13:34:26Z")
> [@](#): > > So, they believe they are the “chosen” people, the “superior” race, or just they are sure they are “alphas”? Scientist power! Scientist power! Scientist power! Seriously whats wrong with you? Of course scientists are smarter on average than most laymen, but that doesn’t necessarily make them happier, better, or better reimbursed. IQ by profession: > **[Modern IQ ranges for various occupations](https://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/Occupations.aspx)** ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/57 "2011-04-22T13:42:21Z")
Here’s a question for the OP - do professional athletes think they’re in better shape than the rest of us? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/58 "2011-04-22T13:47:42Z")
> [@Zany\_Zeolite\_Zipper](#): > > No, no, no. Scientists are the grass of business. Engineers are the cows. We eat the scientists and build something for the business to sell. I’d follow this to its logical conclusion, but I’m married to an engineer. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/59 "2011-04-22T13:57:03Z")
Interesting comments. After all, this thread has allow me to understand the human part of scientists lives. I know the tragic family and personal lives of Darwin, Ramon y Cajal, Turing and Einstein, for instance, and believe me, I preffer to be just an unknown computer engineer… Of course some scientists have had brillian careers and happy families, like Von Neuman for example, but most of the time people has to pay a very high personal cost for success and fame in science. And those scientists that jump to the show business (Sagan or Kaku, for example) are just exceptional cases. Most scientists aren’t even known by theirs colleages! Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303/60 "2011-04-22T14:02:34Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Here’s a question for the OP - do professional athletes think they’re in better shape than the rest of us? Do pro bowlers count? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-scientists-believe-they-are-better-than-the-rest/579303.md?page=4)