All too often nowadays the media attention focus on reality stars, whereas in reality the forgotten stars are the ones with lab coats. Oh yes, the scientists.
Have a look around you. I’m guessing you are probably looking at a screen or a sheet of paper which has come out of a printer. The fundamental essence of our day to day lives is focused around visions scientists have brought to life: including what you are looking at right now. Their individual stories about how they have made their dreams become realities are inspirational tales that need to be told.
Yet still we don’t consider scientists in the same league as we do for the latest x factor contestant.
Why is that? Surely we should be celebrating our modern pioneers and not just the people that mildly humour us during team time?
We live in a society where we are lucky to be surrounded by science and the latest technology. Not just in a ‘gadgetty’ sense, but also in hospitals, security and communication. This means that we are exposed to better health care, a safer lifestyle and a world where you can talk to pretty much anyone on the planet by the touch of a few buttons.
Science is an exciting world full of answers to some of life’s greatest questions. However we must work as the young generation to ensure that scientific powers does not lead us astray from what good in life. Science gives us the power to improve our life, but also to reduce others dramatically.
Gustave Le Bon said that “Science has promised us truth. It has never promised us either peace or happiness”. Humans hold the great power that is science, and they can use it in an inspiring way or a distressing way. It is us as innately good humans that needed to restrain science and keep it at a moral level. Even Martin Luther King JR noted that science has “guided missiles and misguided men”.
So here’s my idealistic goal. I want to drag our media into the 21st century to catch up with the scientists. Being a scientist is a fabulous career and one that I think young people everywhere should be enthralled by the thought of. I feel we should also be reminded of the sheer power of science and the possibly devastating effects that could occur with it. To appreciate and inspire good practise in science in the youth can only be a good thing for the future.