Well, maybe not so noble……

If you search through the GNXP archives, you’ll see periodic references to how media, in general, negatively portray math/science (e.g., it is often the “evil villains” who are the geniuses). A colleague at the Clinic I work brought me a videotape of a show called Numb3rs to watch (at work). 1 After watching the part of the season he brought me, I have to say I am almost impressed.2 Instead of the evil-mad-scientist caricature, they have a very positive slant on math/science, with a genius-can-help-the-commoner caricature (perhaps due to the show’s consulting firm). Of course, they do portray the genius-in-residence as somewhat aloof and out of touch, but when you decide to devote a whole show to regression-to-the-mean, what can you expect? Still, the fella gets the last laugh, as his mentee-come-girlfriend is kinda cute (see below)

Ms. Rawat:

1. I am one of the 2% of Americans who refuse to buy a television.

2. The (forensic) psychology is hokey. Truthfully, I’ve yet to see a 1/2 accurate portrayal of a (non-psychoanalytic) psychologist.

Posted by A. Beaujean at 05:01 PM