So What?

Naturally, all blogs start with a description of why they're named what they're named. "So What?" is a throwback to my time in my 11th grade English class, where my teacher's mantra for each day was "so what?". Probably one of the most painful English classes I've ever had to take, but definitely the most fulfilling.

I've had the good fortune of attending a school with a multitude of bright people who will undoubtedly surpass expectations in whatever job they secure when they graduate. However, as good as they may be in their chosen field of study, too many of them are set in their own opinions with little interest in learning why other people think differently outside of the academic world. Perhaps this is a fault of our environment - we are all engineers and scientists here, set in fact with little regard for the "softer" studies.

Personally, I like hearing what people think and why they think that way. People are too quick to discount the personal aspect in science. As scientists and engineers, we are prone to a curiosity as to why things work, but I feel like we only scratch the surface. As soon as we know the mechanics, we're set. It's commendable to make it that far - there are thousands of people who would be deterred to even figure that out. However, why does it matter? What is the "so what"? And some things don't have a "so what", but in a generation who is more than willing to share their life and view on the internet, there are too many people who are wrapped up in what they feel as wrong, but not why it's wrong, what can be done about it, or what the potential silver lining is. I would be willing to argue that the balance between happiness and reality is so evasive to people because they don't acknowledge other viewpoints; those who are very happy tend to be living in a fantasy, and those who are firmly grounded in reality are entrenched in the overwhelming bitterness that the state of the world can sometimes bring on.

I don't have a particular political or social agenda attached with this blog, I only want to have a corner of the internet to express my thoughts and hope they get someone thinking.