From: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!cbosgd!jcg
Newsgroups: net.movies
Title: Engineers in Movies? Bah!
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.3333
Posted: Fri Mar 25 10:32:04 1983
Received: Sat Mar 26 12:14:20 1983


	Oh rapturous Joy!  An engineer responds to his critic!  This IS
news.  Recently, Mr. John Galt leaped to the stalwart defense of a much
maligned class of worker, the engineer.  Despite the bitingly offensive
tone employed, Mr. Geek Jones has made some interesting statements.

	His primarily valid point concerning generalizations is, of course,
tautological.  Mr. Lucius fortunately explains his lack of understanding of
the finer points of debate by detailing his educational experiences for us.
I am deeply hurt that Mr. Gil feels that he has received a less-than-adequate
education, owing to, if I read his implication properly, a lower-class
upbringing.  It is a sad commentary indeed on civilization that we not
only miseducate a portion of our population, but then make them engineers
as well. 

	Beyond his point about generalizations, I find Lucius' arguments
sadly wanting.  Rather than scream about misguided prejudices, why doesn't
Gil look at his own circumstances?  As he so blithely admits, he will not
refer to himself as an "engineer", instead preferring to introduce himself
as a "researcher" (now there is an arrogant title for you!  I suspect that
in the entire world there are not more than 100 true researchers -- the
remaining pretenders are, of course, scientists, technicians and engineers).
If I have a prejudice against engineers, at least it is simultaneously
self-criticism, and not the bigoted elitism espoused by Mr. Jones.

	Lastly, to claim that engineers "cannot communicate" is tatamount
to gagging my own voice (something I am not wont to do).  What I intended to
stress was that many "engineer" types (and this extends to "scientists"
and even "researchers" as well) have difficulty communicating because
(and here I'll admit to posing a debatable conclusion, though the problem
most assuredly exists) of an unhealthy disregard for the value of a strong
education in BOTH the Arts and the Sciences.

			Making no claims to perfection,
				Jim Grams

P. S. Several persons, undoubtably non-engineers (goad, goad) graciously
	corrected my misuse of the term "verbal" and I thank them for
	pointing out this deficiency.  After all, I'm only an engineer.