Why I Became a Doctor...

The paper entitled Franklin My Dear, I Don’t Give a Damn, offers a great new perspective on the “infotainment” genre. Programs like Bill Nye the Science Guy are generally hailed by the media and parent associations as positive influences on children. It is argued that these shows get kids interested in science at an early age and foster a desire to learn about science and math which can lead to an interest in a higher professional career. Along the same lines, fun exhibits at museums are believed to instill the same kind of excitement in children and provide the fundamentals for learning. The author of this piece argues; however, that these shows and museums provide more entertainment than quality education or learning stimulation. He or she explains that when kids look at these exhibits, little is learned from them, the author’s friend noted that he remembered nothing from one particular exhibit besides the fact that he had fun. The writer never takes a strong stand either way endorsing the positives or negatives of this ‘infotainment,’ but I think he or she fails to cover a particular aspect of the concept. While kids may not learn or retain certain information about whatever experiment or exhibit they are witnessing, the point of these museums are as much to educate as they are to inspire. Even if a kid doesn’t learn how chemical reactions work, someone might be stimulated to pursue their own learning in the science or medical field. Who cares if someone remembers how a heart works? Museums are there not just for learning but also for entertainment. Saying that a child with no predisposition to this certain field will take nothing away from the museum seem like a brash statement. Children are famous for their impressionability, a positive experience at a museum may be just the thing to sway a child's mind. Perhaps this combination does a better job at influencing the career choices doctors and biochemical engineers than the incessant nagging of overbearing parents.