Why Are Quants Not Very Socially Conscious?
I was looking through facebook and was shocked at the number of math grad students who were listed as politically apathetic. Most of these guys would seem to fall under the umbrella label of liberalism - but they don't seem to give a crap by and large.
And then I realized that the same thing was happening with me. A pretty sad thing to admit, no?
I'm not really sure what it is - or even if it is unique to this field. But at least for me, I know that I end up getting lost in this web of material with no connection to the real world. Don't get me wrong - the stuff I study has zillions of applications to the real world. The point is, I don't interact with any of those applications. So it ends up sort of parting my worlds. And with more stress and effort needed in this mathematical world, it becomes easy to forget about the other world. Anyway, I hardly think this description (a lack of time and energy) is the reason why most math-heads are politically apathetic. Also, it's probably worth clarifying that I haven't stopped being interested in the social sciences. I just noticed that my frequency of checking blogs, posting, talking to people about political issues, etc has declined considerably.
There's probably one other contribution to my growing apathy - and that is a sense of jadedness about about the political process as well as the quality of policy implemented.
That said, I found this interesting. Here's the quote:
It appears that the family of Jared Guinther, an 18-year-old from Oregon, was trying to get him released from the army, which recruited him in spite of the fact that he is autistic. Guinther, who rarely speaks, "wasn't even aware of the war in Iraq until a recruiter enlisted him last fall to be a calvary scout, the Army's most dangerous job". Guinther's mother tried to intervene, but the recruiter told her that he himself was dyslexic and that Jared "doesn't need mommy to make his decisions for him".
Well, isn't that amusing.
And then I realized that the same thing was happening with me. A pretty sad thing to admit, no?
I'm not really sure what it is - or even if it is unique to this field. But at least for me, I know that I end up getting lost in this web of material with no connection to the real world. Don't get me wrong - the stuff I study has zillions of applications to the real world. The point is, I don't interact with any of those applications. So it ends up sort of parting my worlds. And with more stress and effort needed in this mathematical world, it becomes easy to forget about the other world. Anyway, I hardly think this description (a lack of time and energy) is the reason why most math-heads are politically apathetic. Also, it's probably worth clarifying that I haven't stopped being interested in the social sciences. I just noticed that my frequency of checking blogs, posting, talking to people about political issues, etc has declined considerably.
There's probably one other contribution to my growing apathy - and that is a sense of jadedness about about the political process as well as the quality of policy implemented.
That said, I found this interesting. Here's the quote:
It appears that the family of Jared Guinther, an 18-year-old from Oregon, was trying to get him released from the army, which recruited him in spite of the fact that he is autistic. Guinther, who rarely speaks, "wasn't even aware of the war in Iraq until a recruiter enlisted him last fall to be a calvary scout, the Army's most dangerous job". Guinther's mother tried to intervene, but the recruiter told her that he himself was dyslexic and that Jared "doesn't need mommy to make his decisions for him".
Well, isn't that amusing.
posted by arun at 9:25 AM
5 Comments:
I totally understand how you feel about just being jaded in general about "the system" -- it's sad, for isn't the point of learning more about the world to be able to change it for the better?
OKAY I HAVE A BIG RANT ON THIS.
HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE RANT.
COMING AFTER THURSDAY WHEN I GLORIOUSLY FINISH THAT FINANCIAL ECON FINAL OF MINE.
"There's probably one other contribution to my growing apathy - and that is a sense of jadedness about about the political process as well as the quality of policy implemented."
Could this be a psychological thing? Like, being so into the idea of "agency" and "being able to implement the optimal solution"?
Just a hunch.
PS--new blog (i know another one but for real real real real real this time; i like the design and it's free), update your link please.
Well - I'm a little unclear with what is wrong with desiring agency in the first place (or at least the perception of agency). I happen to think it is nice to be able to affect and effect people's lives and help them (including my own life of course!). Granted, the help need not come from me personally - I could care less if someone else implements a policy that helps greatly. My sense of jadedness stems from the following fact. Voting is supposed to be a way in which I enact my voice - my opinion - and marginally affect policy. But that's the thing - more often than not the contribution is indeed marginal - either because the demographic in which I live overwhelmingly votes one way or another irrespective of my action or, and more importantly, because no matter who the fuck is in office, certain things i'd want just ain't gonna happen because that isn't what politicians do.
If you're voting for pragmatic reasons, it shouldn't matter whether your demographic overwhelmingly votes one way or another. No matter how divided your demographic is, the chances of your actually deciding an election are infinitesimal, no?
I think Tyler Cowen has come up with the best argument for voting, shortly followed by the best reason for not voting.
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