If I Reacted to Other People’s Careers the Way They React to Me Becoming a Mathematician
by Jordy Greenblatt
You’re a doctor? I don’t really know anything about medicine, but can you explain exactly how the endocrine system works in two minutes or less?
You’re a writer? I had a terrible writing teacher in high school. I bet I wouldn’t like you.
You’re a carpenter? You must be super good at carpentering.
You’re a singer? I stopped singing in 11th grade. The last song I sang was… hmmmmm… let’s see… Mozart’s Requiem. I wasn’t very good at that song.
You’re an engineer? I used to play with building blocks when I was a kid. Show me exactly what you’re designing and, if there’s anything I don’t understand, it’s probably your fault.
You’re a banker? So that means you print money, right? What kind of money do you print?
You’re a lawyer? Argue against the Electoral College in front of me right now for my perverse amusement. I’ll just be here smiling smugly and assuming that you don’t realize I’m making fun of you in my head.
You’re a project manager? God, I fucking hate project management.
PUT IT ALL ON RED 
> You’re a project manager? God, I fucking hate project management.
You know that’s a completely valid response, right?
project management: all downside, no upside
Reblogged this on The Biderman Dialectic.
LOLOL on your last one. I *do* hate project management.
Reblogged this on singingbanana's abandoned microblog.
[…] a mathematician). Anyways, I found this to be hilarious, and I hope that our three mathematicians will find these funny. "If I Reacted to Other People's Careers the Way they React to Me Becoming a […]
Fantastic — glad I clicked to read this.
There is something easier than whining about peoples’ reactions to your career — get a real job!
(just kidding)
That doesn’t sound easier!
I don’t know, barista jobs are not too hard to come by. 🙂
“You must be good at computers, right?”
Yes people think that. No I’m not.
But you should be you like know math and all that right?
Mathematician… do you actually believe you will receive a second question?
As the father of a HS Sr. who has a passion for maths, and wants to major in it at university, and hopes to become a mathematician, I can appreciate your sentiments. As a professional Project Manager, fuck you. 😉
I’d like to send your son or daughter my encouragement and send you my apologies 🙂
Reblogged this on R196, Hilbert's Hotel.
Reblogged this on parsleys and commented:
Finally somebody said it 😀
This is awesome 😀 . Reblogged.
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Fantastic! Reblogged yesterday.
Also: You’re a veterinarian? Oh I’m so bad with animals!
You’re a chef? Do we still need chefs now that we have food processors?
theres no like button, but I would like to like your post
As an artist/previous art student I received almost the exact same sort of reactions (with a good added dose of “well… good luck being poor” which was always very encouraging), especially the “You’re a carpenter? You must be super good at carpentering.” thing. As the daughter of a mathematician, I also seem to get those reactions, “Wow, you must be very good at math.” “Nope, that’s my dad’s job. Not mine.”
[…] Still, she doesn’t begrudge the questions. Pure math research is a weird job, and hard to explain. (The irreplaceable Jordy Greenblatt wrote a great piece poking fun at the many misconceptions.) […]
I don’t know if the lawyer or project manager characterization is worse, but when people are clearly just making small talk, I mostly avoid answering the question. All the grad students in my department are really enjoying this
Thanks, that’s nice to hear!
Reblogged this on Ági here and there and commented:
comment: ‘You’re a chef? Do we still need chefs now that we have food processors?’
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These are typical responses in the U.S., which has a strong anti-intellectual bias. In other countries, responses can be quite different. I lived in France long ago and being a mathematician seemed to be viewed with respect. In the U.S., the typical attitude toward mathematics seems to involve a strange mixture of fear, disdain, and admiration.
I’m an Italian high school student (with a passion for math) and I hear similar comments here, both from people of my age and older ones. I would say, however, that aged people show sincere admiration too, since many of them view scholarization as a chance they didn’t have.
[…] If I Reacted to Other People’s Careers the Way They React to Me Becoming a Mathematician […]
So, you can do, like, calculus?
Omg yes
Like all the time.
Haha ‘you’re a teacher? why are you teaching, is it because you want to teach?’
Hilarious
I know the struggle
Oh, you’re a plumber? You must want to get a job teaching kids how to be plumbers.
Reblogged this on Certain about uncertainty and commented:
I wish I wrote that!
Shared this on Facebook. As a mathematician myself, I appreciated it.
Thank you very much, Prof. Simon! Incidentally, the first presentation I did in grad school was on Schatten classes and would have been a nightmare if it weren’t for your clear and concise exposition on the topic so I owe you a (6 year belated) thank you for that as well!
“You’re an English teacher? I did poorly in that subject. I’m illiterate.”
Yep… many a conversation has met that brutal fate.