# Just Had to Find a Place to Put This (Comparing Nobel Laureates to Politicians) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 28, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342 "2019-02-28T16:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/1 "2019-02-28T16:11:31Z")
As I am watching/listening to a series of who’s who panels of elite American scientists (Guth, Krauss, Baltimore, Bard, DeGrass-Tyson, Bonner, Witten, Blackburn, Thorne) as I work today, I cannot help but chuckle (then sigh loudly) when I juxtapose the intelligence I hear in these men and women (many with nobel laureates) versus the entire crop of idiots, liars, con-men and tax cheaters that run our government and/or hope to in 2020. It is really staggering… and depressing. ---
**Author:** ![slumtrimpet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@slumtrimpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slumtrimpet)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/2 "2019-02-28T16:35:31Z")
Absolutely. What infuriates me is that, for the most part, the spewings of those same idiots, liars, conmen and tax cheaters are faithfully reported by the media, discussed adnausium by talking heads, and repeated over and over, lies or not. Whereas the information given forth by the scientists is mostly ignored by the media, or reported as “the other side” of “the controversy”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/3 "2019-02-28T16:39:15Z")
Nitpick: They _have_ Nobel prizes. They _are_ Nobel laureates. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/4 "2019-02-28T17:07:03Z")
The sad part is, for the most part this crop of idiots, liars, con-men and tax cheaters that run our government were elected to the positions they have by… us. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/5 "2019-02-28T17:50:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Nitpick: They _have_ Nobel prizes. They _are_ Nobel laureates. You are absolutely correct… i was typing while writing some SQL queries and did not proof my writing. :smack: apologies for the obvious error (I would have thought/responded in the same way). ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/6 "2019-02-28T17:52:10Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The sad part is, for the most part this crop of idiots, liars, con-men and tax cheaters that run our government were elected to the positions they have by… > > us. ☹ It’s called _representative democracy_. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/7 "2019-02-28T17:52:17Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The sad part is, for the most part this crop of idiots, liars, con-men and tax cheaters that run our government were elected to the positions they have by… > > us. ☹ True, but we are given so few choices… 2016 I mean Hillary and Trump (and even those that ran in primaries) are so bottom of the barrel that “we” cannot take all the blame. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/8 "2019-02-28T18:19:43Z")
The difficulty is that elections in the US really comes down to a popularity contest, which means that in order to get elected you need to speak to the voters at their own level. Even if you are very knowledgeable about a subject if you display that knowlege you will be viewed as an elitest, out of touch, egg headed, wonk who is spouting technobabble rather than the common sense solutions we all know that America needs. This was to some extent Clinton’s downfall. She is actually quite bright and knows her stuff, but if she couldn’t connect with the nation’s id the way Trump could. I would also point out that just because one is smart in the areas of science doesn’t necessarily mean that they are experts in other areas. In fact many Nobel laureates ended up being[crackpots in later life](http://moreisdifferent.com/2015/10/11/crackpot-nobelists/). I’[m sure that in a panel on science those people shone, but in a discussion of foreign policy I’d put my money on Clinton over any of the people you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/9 "2019-02-28T18:42:30Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > The difficulty is that elections in the US really comes down to a popularity contest, which means that in order to get elected you need to speak to the voters at their own level. Even if you are very knowledgeable about a subject if you display that knowlege you will be viewed as an elitest, out of touch, egg headed, wonk who is spouting technobabble rather than the common sense solutions we all know that America needs. This was to some extent Clinton’s downfall. She is actually quite bright and knows her stuff, but if she couldn’t connect with the nation’s id the way Trump could. > > I would also point out that just because one is smart in the areas of science doesn’t necessarily mean that they are experts in other areas. In fact many Nobel laureates ended up being[crackpots in later life](http://moreisdifferent.com/2015/10/11/crackpot-nobelists/). I’[m sure that in a panel on science those people shone, but in a discussion of foreign policy I’d put my money on Clinton over any of the people you mentioned. I agree with your points… that said I find it difficult to believe that Trump is AMAZINGLY GREAT (his words) at much of anything and would wager a few bucks that his actual IQ is in the double digits. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/10 "2019-02-28T20:21:39Z")
> [@chargerrich](#): > > I agree with your points… that said I find it difficult to believe that Trump is AMAZINGLY GREAT (his words) at much of anything and would wager a few bucks that his actual IQ is in the double digits. 😃 Trump is AMAZINGLY GREAT at embodying the hate and fear of a substantial portion of the American population, and fooling it into believing he has their best interests at heart, while feeling no moral qualms about the wreckage he leaves behind. He was also the first person to realize (probably by accident) that with the new echo chamber media that truth is irrelevant, and that rather than spinning existing facts to match a particular political view point one can just make up facts that match the viewpoint and not worry about the extent to which they match reality. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2019, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/11 "2019-02-28T22:18:42Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > I would also point out that just because one is smart in the areas of science doesn’t necessarily mean that they are experts in other areas. In fact many Nobel laureates ended up being[crackpots in later life](http://moreisdifferent.com/2015/10/11/crackpot-nobelists/). I’[m sure that in a panel on science those people shone, but in a discussion of foreign policy I’d put my money on Clinton over any of the people you mentioned. Quoted for truth. Believing that science geniuses should run the country is very much like believing billionaire business wizards should run the country. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/12 "2019-03-01T00:17:10Z")
> [@chargerrich](#): > > I agree with your points… that said I find it difficult to believe that Trump is AMAZINGLY GREAT (his words) at much of anything and would wager a few bucks that his actual IQ is in the double digits. 😃 Remember Cohen was instructed to make sure that no one released Trump’s grades and SAT scores. Which were probably 198s. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/13 "2019-03-01T00:18:03Z")
For example, Nobel laureate James Watson, who has been spouting racist-genetic theories for years. Sure, let’s put him in a position of authority … ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/14 "2019-03-01T00:35:16Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > For example, Nobel laureate James Watson, who has been spouting racist-genetic theories for years. > > Sure, let’s put him in a position of authority … True, it’s [risky](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Nobel_disease) to assume that because someone won a Nobel Prize they are geniuses concerning whatever they choose to spout off about. More importantly though, we’ve gotten in trouble as a society due to the arrogance (on the part of politicians and the general public) of assuming that expert knowledge is to be derided or dismissed, and that anyone with access to Google is just as believable. \*I saw a cartoon recently showing an airline passenger complaining to others on his flight about the “smug pilots” flying the plane, and asking whether others thought _he_ was capable of taking over (many raised their hands in agreement). :smack: ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/15 "2019-03-01T16:20:49Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > For example, Nobel laureate James Watson, who has been spouting racist-genetic theories for years. > > Sure, let’s put him in a position of authority … [Linus Pauling](https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pauling.html) won _two_ Nobel prizes! ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/16 "2019-03-01T16:40:48Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > The difficulty is that elections in the US really comes down to a popularity contest, which means that in order to get elected you need to speak to the voters at their own level. That’s true for every democracy. The real problem is anti-intellectualism. Increasingly, people distrust the educated “elite”, and think “normal” people like themselves could run the country better. That’s what they really mean when they say “drain the swamp” - they don’t care about corruption, they want to get rid of career politicians and bureaucrats who are experts in their fields. What’s happening now in the US is not Nazism, it’s the Cultural Revolution. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-had-to-find-a-place-to-put-this-comparing-nobel-laureates-to-politicians/830342/17 "2019-03-01T16:59:20Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Quoted for truth. Believing that science geniuses should run the country is very much like believing billionaire business wizards should run the country. However, it would be nice if the people running the country believed in science instead of thinking presenting scientific findings were just nothing more than a way to justify grant funding for their own ends. I’m wondering how many people go into science to make money versus people who go into politics to make money.