Out sight out of mind. People don't see those of us that design the devices that help these people do a better job.

I think engineering failures make "better" news than the many successes. Often what joe/jane average knows is what he/she hears on the boob tube.

To my mind, the basic problem is that the media sets the tone. The average person in the public sphere is not intelligent enough to even understand what a scientist or engineer does, so the media feeds their audience. God forbid that the media should educate their audience. "The media is the message" (attributable to Mashall McClowen, I believe) and if the media is too dumb to know what engineers do, guess what?

Very well said.

Having done a stint in T.V. and with my wife working in T.V. for more than thirty years I can speak to this with some degree of authority.

Though there are many well educated people in the field, most of those do not rise to management positions. Perhaps it would be better said that they don't aspire to management positions where programming determinations are made.

I've watched the peter principle played out in a nearly text book fashion at a number of stations. It's worse on the network level. The least qualified are generally in charge. Megalomania runs rampant. Competent, reliable persons, well enough educated to understand and provide a platform for science education are needed to actually run the station. Managers normally have the positions they do because they simply can't do anything else.

It seems some of the Science T.V. I've seen lately does hold some promise though. Granted, at this point it sounds more like propaganda then science, their stated mission leaves room for the right thing to be done.

Ah , yes. The old Peter Principle at work again. Seems to hold true in most all hierarchies.

"Engineering - the Transparent Profession" - anon.

Most folks don't even know what we do, how can they judge. You tell them you are an Engineer and they say, "well you must be smart".

Ha! Too true, I find that most people don't even want to hold a conversation with me. I find that I have little in common with a lot of other people.

Engineering will probably never be a "glamorous" or popular profession, in that it attracts a lot favorable attention. But it should be known as a respectable one, and we do have an uphill battle on that aspect. Thanks to the media, engineers, programmers, and those in related professions, are seen as goofy geeks with brains and no social skills. Because most people want to be well-liked, you can see why they would not be inclined to go into engineering, math or science.

The stereotype might hold some truth. (Most stereotypes do.) The kid that doesn't fit in with the "cool" kids and spends his time reading or dinking around with computers might naturally be drawn into a world where knowledge and intellect count more than the latest fashion or the gossip about the hot celebrities of the day.

What can we do about it? Should we do anything about it?

It is thankless under paid, unrecognised profession.

Suresh Sharma.

Why are you obsessed with fame?

I do my job, I feel myself recognized by the company for which I work and for other related companies, clients, suppliers, etc. (even direct competence ones). I get earning enough to live in a comfortable way. (I've got no private yatch nor jet, but I don't need them)

I don't mind what common people, which doesn't knows anything about my job, think about it.

I just need to agree with what and how I'm doing. What everybody else think is his problem, not mine.

Don't worry, be happy.

Best regards.

GA, Neville.

Stu.

Lawyers, prostitutes, politicians, telemarketers - hmmm, I'd say we're NOT in some pretty shady company there. Best to leave well enough alone maybe?

You've seen them every time you follow a truck. "Without trucks, Australia Stops".

I propose that we go one better. "Without Engineers, The WORLD Stops."

How's that?

Next? " Invite an ENGINEER to lunch".

Cheers,

Stu.

I LIKE the way you think!