May 24, 2006
Cool scientists missing from TV and movies
from - RSA
While on a cross-country plane ride the other day, I was reading the New York Times and ran across an article that, in passing, observed that there are no breakthrough movies or TV shows that present scientists as being cool. The article mentions The Godfather and The West Wing showing criminals and politicians as being gritty and cool. I'd add the innumerable shows and movies demonstrating the coolness of doctors, lawyers, police officers, fire fighters, soldiers, cowboys, and even, sometimes, business people. . .have I left anyone out?
Somehow scientists (including college professors like me) are never on such lists. And, really, there should be no expectation that they'll ever be in such highly publicized company. Why is that? I think there are a couple of reasons. First, there's very little in the way of drama in the average scientist's life that's specific to being a scientist. (Forensic scientists on CSI-related shows may seem to be an exception, but imagine if they were using identical techniques to determine the causes of cancer, without specific deadlines, without crimes, without specific bad guys, without overbearing bosses, and without the need to go interview people. . .you get the idea. It's the context, not mention the acting, that makes the stories compelling.) Scientists make incremental progress, occasionally a breakthrough, but if there's any drama, I think it goes on inside people's heads rather than in external events that might make for a good visual portrayal. Second, while the work of many scientists affects people's lives, it's not nearly as immediate an effect as the work of gangsters, cops, doctors, and even lawyers. If I do a good job in my work, no one's going to live or die or even go to jail; I'll write a paper that may gain me the respect of my peers and be possibly incomprehensible to the greater public.
I've become resigned to the belief that I'll never be a media celebrity. Such is life--I'll have to look elsewhere for happiness.
::Posted by RSA at May 24, 2006 01:08 PM
Man, in my mind being a media celebrity would be much more a nightmare than a reason for celebration.
I hope that someday, when you are looking through a microscope, you find happiness.
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Posted by Buck on May 24, 2006 01:26 PM Link to comment |
Maybe it takes other elements, too, but remember the character of John Nash in A Beautiful Mind? Even his academic side (as non-technically, and perhaps misleadingly as it was portrayed) was done with loads o' panache.
I remember Peter O'Toole playing a mad scientist in "The Creator" (opposite a delicious Mariel Hemmingway)... and dumb as the movie was, it at least made a good stab at portraying a scientist in a favorable light.
I'd love to see a Hollywood take on Richard Feynman, though I know he would spin in his grave...
If you really want to be famous, make anthropomorphic robots and put them in a movie.
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Posted by smijer on May 24, 2006 02:12 PM Link to comment |
It's true, some scientists are bigger than life, like the ones you mention. (And Buck's comment is certainly true--my connection between happiness and celebrity was tongue in cheek.)
As for anthropomorphic robots, I love the idea. Here's the closest we've come so far (as of late 2004, at least):
http://www.csc.ncsu.edu/faculty/stamant/papers/canis-web-short.mov
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Posted by RSA on May 24, 2006 02:23 PM Link to comment |
Yes, I love the robot dog - I saw that on your other web-site. Watching him look around the room for the ball is classic... Here's a question: I noticed yesterday, watching robot mule, that one his front legs bend this way: >, and his hind legs bend this way: < ... reviewing the doggy, I notice his do the same... Is there a particular reason robots are designed this way? I guess it sort of mimics nature.. but in real dogs, on the back you have have two bends The top being < and the bottom being >, and the front legs are pretty much straight, with a backward 'L' bend at the bottom (which I guess your robot dog could have if the larger part of that extremity is a "foot" instead of part of the leg)... I assume there must be some reason it should be this way, but it looks kind of clumsy to the eye.
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Posted by smijer on May 24, 2006 02:46 PM Link to comment |
That's a great question, and I have to say I don't know a definitive answer. I can make a guess, though, that's pretty much as you speculate: it's mainly due to cost and engineering simplicity. If you ever see an Aibo in action, this becomes pretty clear; to right itself, if the robot ever gets put in an untenable position, what it can do is extend all its legs out perpendicular to its body, rotate them all into their appropriate orientation, gather them under itself, and stand up again. That is (based on my understanding), robot designers make some concessions to biologically plausible behavior, but in the end it's sometimes "whatever works" within engineering and cost constraints. (I should add the disclaimer that my robotics knowledge is *very* limited.)
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Posted by RSA on May 24, 2006 03:02 PM Link to comment |
Here is a list of some movie scientists.
I guess cool and gritty are just matters of personal taste.
Of course my favorite all time movie character ever conceived of is Science Officer Spock.
Nothing or nobody is as cool or gritty as Spock.
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Posted by Buck on May 24, 2006 03:49 PM Link to comment |
You're right; these are good. I'll have to rethink my expectations and assumptions about movie and TV scientists. Looking at the list, I'd have to add a nomination for Dr. Morbius from Forbidden Planet.
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Posted by RSA on May 24, 2006 04:01 PM Link to comment |
I've got to say that Jodie Foster was pretty damn cool in CONTACT. Made me want to revisit astronomy.
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Posted by happycindy on May 25, 2006 10:16 AM Link to comment |
I'd also forgotten about Jodie Foster--cool and a babe. I only wish there were more like her, and fewer^H^H^H^Hnone like Denise Richards (Dr. Christmas Jones in The World is Not Enough--bleah!)
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Posted by RSA on May 25, 2006 11:10 AM Link to comment |
It's nice to see you happy instead of cranky Cindy.
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Posted by Buck on May 25, 2006 03:58 PM Link to comment |
