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Looking Smart

Name: The Mad Josher 2007-05-14 17:57 ID:PjqY7kZ7

So I caught myself explaining what I know about physics to a friend today, and it struck me that it felt like I was trying very, very hard to look knowledgeable. In the Tao te Ching, Lao Tzu said, "(S)He who speaks of a thing does not truly understand it."

Paradox aside, how can one explain something to someone without looking smart? That is, how do I explain physics to someone who isn't versed in it in such a way that it sounds like anyone could do it, instead of an intellectual elite?

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 18:00 ID:2bc7gwuG

Relate it to easily understandable things that puny minds can quickly grasp.

Really.

Also, don't go into detail.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 18:07 ID:PjqY7kZ7

Good thinking.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 19:33 ID:bMAaCeLL

Use ridiculous analogies that semi-relate to what you are talking about.

Seems to work for Stephen Hawking.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 19:49 ID:ds6ShpYi

Oh.. I thought Hawking was just tripping

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 19:55 ID:ZMu54S7m

>>5

The last time he tripped was like 30 years ago, and I think he learned his lesson.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 20:08 ID:a+7XeH/X

>>6
fucking lold

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 20:18 ID:Ao/3u64L

>>6
:D

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 20:59 ID:3LH3r66R

>>6
haha o wow

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 21:06 ID:r7X3j4vE

>>1

Use layman terms, and easy to understand analogies. Don't just repeat what you've heard, keep in mind you're not trying to give a proper lesson with word for word precise formal definitions. You're trying to have a conversation with a friend. Say things in ways he'll understand and pause between concepts so that he can think about them.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 21:13 ID:dgECcogw

Analogies ftw.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 22:04 ID:UsCH8JOy

you can use  parables to point out that they aren't as smart @_@

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 22:12 ID:Z7yKY6rG

>>12
Get out.

I have the same problem.. except the things that I try to explain can't be explained without using physics jargon or big words in general.  I get "You're the smartest person I know" deal all the time, and it pisses me off.  If I'm the smartest person that they know, then that doesn't say much for everyone else.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-14 22:19 ID:Z7yKY6rG

>>13
Here again.

When talking about time travel, without going into detail about false vacuums, singularities, LHC, etc, it's next to impossible to not sound like a generic moron without going into huge detail.

Things like when talking to new people, "Yeah, I'm planning on becoming a physicist in high density physics and hopefully time travel."  People give you looks like you're a moron sometimes.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 0:39 ID:4/UgllEY

>>14

Don't say all that at once. Just say "I'm planning on becoming a physicist". Then they'll probably respond with something like "so you're going to be the one in charge of [something] working right" or "what type of stuff will you be doing". Then elaborate on what you do. This way you aren't pushing too much information on the person all at once and you come off a lot less pretentious. Also, when you do elaborate, start off by giving examples "Well I'll be working on the physics of what happens under high density conditions for example [something that the listener is probably familiar with]" or "Well basically working on a number of theories that deal with the possibility of time travel".

>>12

Only morons learn math and science to try and appear smarter than others. True lovers of math and science can spot fakes like you from a mile away.



I don't try to explain things to people unless it comes up in a conversation and they're curious about it, or unless they themselves ask about it. When they do, I generally start off by telling them how hard of a concept I thought it was to understand. Then I think of an analogy (or in math an application) and elaborate on that. An explanation of something well generally go something like this:

"Ok, so we know 'A' about 'X' ~{pause}~ and we also know 'B' about 'X' ~{pause}~ and because of 'A' and 'B' we can say that we know 'C' about 'X'; ~{slightly longer pause}~ but what if we want to find out 'D' about 'X' ~{slightly longer pause}~. Well, if we think about it this way ~{draw large picture or chart or whatever and label things as I mention and explain them}~, then we can see that 'D' is actually just [insert property] (minus/plus/times/etc...) [insert property]. ~{pause}~ So what does that mean? ~{pause}~. Well when 'A' and 'B' are [insert property] then 'D' is going to be [insert property] and when 'A' and 'B' are [insert property] then 'D' is going to be [insert property]."

This way the person listening can take advantage of the pauses to ask questions, just think about things, or whathaveyou. The material should always be easy to follow, but talked about in such a way that it all feels like common sense to the listener. If the listener complements the explanation I'll try to give credit where it's due ("yea, I thought it was clever too. Some guy was talking about it on the internet" or something of the sort). This way they don't feel intimidated and are more likely to treat me as an equal.

Wow, this post really ran long. I guess it went off topic too. Sorry about that.

TL;DR: don't teach things in a manner that will intimidate the listener or you'll just look like a pretentious ass who doesn't know what he's talking about and you'll scare people away from the subject.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 1:09 ID:/2kdvytt

>>6
not really funny because his paralysis is the result of a disease not an accident.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 2:08 ID:0DcO1UNK

>>16
Life is a disease.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 2:21 ID:pMAmlc2z

Don't bother explaining, it's a waste of time, unless you plan to spend a lot of time with someone (lol marriage). But then it won't matter how inept you are at it because the hormones flying all around will make it irrelevant.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 4:57 ID:XqW3rWUS

>>1
It would help if you stopped changing quotes to try to appear politically correct even when they already have both genders grammatically covered.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 18:34 ID:5weKRRGD

>>18
Hormones flying and marriage?

You lost me.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-15 23:56 ID:1B5L6d8o

>>1
If it really concerns you, the above posters have great answers, especially >>11, 15.  Personally, if you really know your stuff, then you have the right to be elitist.  It's all a game of who can be the most pretentious.

>>13
Everybody else they know is a dumbass.

>>16, 17
True.

Name: Anonymous 2007-05-16 0:46 ID:iDgJ87qk

Say "like" and intstead of "the" say "DUH" every so often and blink real hard
"So like you got DUH like negative charge and like DUH oil drop, like arg fuck I'm thirsty"

Name: Anonymous 2009-03-18 2:35

I wants lots and lots of some delectable pot!

Marijuana MUST be legalized.

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