David Sklansky's Article: Math, Logic, and Poker

[lisue49]

Sir,

Assuming your article is true, and I have no doubt it is, what is the answer? How do you convice parents a math/science education is worth more than what is currently offered? The sad news is most parents would rather have their children march in the band, or play on a winning football team than be a math scholar. I work at a cable company and the most common across the board response about cable is,"My kids gotta have cartoons." I have co-workers who cannot wait until their sons are playing football for the state college team. I found out that in the local school district the third graders are timed over and over on the same arithmetic problems so they make a good showing on the state proficiency test.
So my question to you is how do you get people to change their thinking about what is important?

[ShakeZula06]

[ QUOTE ]
How do you convice parents a math/science education is worth more than what is currently offered?

[/ QUOTE ]

The point is not to advise people or parents to go into math/science jobs, it's to use math, science, and logic to go about making +EV decisions in life.

[ QUOTE ]
So my question to you is how do you get people to change their thinking about what is important?

[/ QUOTE ]

You are not asking me but I'll give my answer-

Teach them mathmatics and logic and they'll understand. Wanting to be a pro football player if probable enough is logical, NFL players make a lot of money, and being a good athlete can provide for a scholorship to a good school.

Math isn't all about using the quadradic formula, it's about making +EV decisions in life, whether it be relationships, occupation, or at the poker table

[Leptyne]

[ QUOTE ]
Sir,

Assuming your article is true, and I have no doubt it is, what is the answer? How do you convice parents a math/science education is worth more than what is currently offered? The sad news is most parents would rather have their children march in the band, or play on a winning football team than be a math scholar. I work at a cable company and the most common across the board response about cable is,"My kids gotta have cartoons." I have co-workers who cannot wait until their sons are playing football for the state college team. I found out that in the local school district the third graders are timed over and over on the same arithmetic problems so they make a good showing on the state proficiency test.
So my question to you is how do you get people to change their thinking about what is important?

[/ QUOTE ]

As the father of a young man that played QB for the largest high school in the country I couldn't agree with you more. I've been preaching forever that a college education is not unlike sports. If your grades are good enough, if you're good enough, you can get drafted by the business world straight out of college and make more than a lot of pro athletes. But what kid wants to listen to an old man? There is nothing more useless than un-asked-for advice.

[CrayZee]

I think things outside the realm of math and science are important as well (arts, etc., are a part of the human experience), but perhaps less of a priority to people.

I think you need to instill a sense of importance for learning to think about things using reasoning. The problem is that a lot of people are not motivated to learn subjects that are generally more difficult.

The only time people seem encouraged to actually persue study in these subjects is when the financial payoff is decent for a job, at least in terms of popular belief. I saw this during the dot-com boom when everyone and their mom wanted to go into computers. HR staff would say that they "worked in IT" almost with the zeal of a lead programmer. Good times.

Since then the wannabes have moved to other areas and college enrollment has declined for computer science because of the dot-com bust plus overreaction to concerns of outsourcing. There are many good opportunities out there for the years to come for people that enter this field.

Anyway, enough rambling.