• Question: are you really popular by being a scientist?

    Asked by sarahsowter to Davie, Gemma, James P, James V, Nuala on 25 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: James Pope

      James Pope answered on 25 Jun 2012:

      Hi sarahsowter

      Interesting question. In all honesty, I don’t think being a scientist affects whether I am popular or not, I think I have the friends I have because I am the person I am, that I am also a scientist is not a factor in that. My friends who are not scientists certainly don’t seem to mind anyways, being involved in climate science means I get questions from friends about climate change, but I’m sure that is the same for any scientist in any field.

      So, I would say that your friends are your friends because of the person you are, not what you do with your life in terms of a job. I think the most important thing for being popular is to be yourself, the people who matter will respect you and like you for that, no one else matters in my opinion.

    • Photo: James Verdon

      James Verdon answered on 25 Jun 2012:

      Hi sarahsowter,

      I agree, I think being a scientist or not has nothing to do with popularity. I know there’s this worry amongst younger people that scientists are all geeks with no friends, but that’s really not the case at all. As with James P, my non-scientist friends aren’t bothered at all by what I do.

    • Photo: Davie Galloway

      Davie Galloway answered on 25 Jun 2012:

      Hi All,

      To be honest, I hope not, my friends accept me for who I am, not because I’m a scientist. Although saying that a good few of my friends do stick me on their CV’s as a referee especially when they are applying for jobs … so they are impressed with me being a scientist but they would still be my friends regardless of what my job was.

    • Photo: Nuala Carson

      Nuala Carson answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      Hey sarahsowter,

      Err i dont think your job really comes into popularity. If anything people maybe have a negative idea about what being a scientists is and may think they are all weird people who run round in lab coats and crazy hair (and there are some scientists like that!) but most of us are just normal people who like science instead of something else.

    • Photo: Gemma Purser

      Gemma Purser answered on 27 Jun 2012:

      When I meet new people and they ask me what I do for a job some of them are really interested and think its cool! Some however go into shut down mode as soon as I mention the word science and stop listening. lol!
      Saying that I have quite a few friends scientists and non-scientists and I think its more because of my personality and the things we have in common why they are my friends and not because of my job. Being popular and having lots of friends is not the most important thing to me. Having quality friends who you can talk to about anything and just be yourself around is what its all about.

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