• saltesc@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    37
    arrow-down
    20
    ·
    10 months ago

    As someone that works at a university, this perfectly summarises the childish stubbornness that is academics’ resistance to change. It is impossible to tell an idiot they’re an idiot when their entire identity is groomed in a niche echo chamber of praise for knowing what’s best.

    “I’m excellent at one thing. Therefore I am excellent at all things. Therefore things I don’t like must be stupid. This fishing pole and foam hand is not stupid, laser pointers are, as are all those that advocate them. I will not participate in… points to word and appears to attempt an underscoring action…stupidity.”

    • Funderpants @lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      57
      ·
      10 months ago

      A different take, the professor doesn’t give a shit one way or another about laser pointers but knows a ridiculous foam finger will get attention and help students remember important stuff.

      Google von Restorff effect.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        29
        ·
        10 months ago

        Yeah, and it is absolutely more visible. If I had to take notes during this lecture, I would absolutely appreciate not having to search for the dot every time I looked up.

      • saltesc@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        10 months ago

        We do have those academics. It’s funny, they’re the most paid and don’t seem to give a shit about it all, where as those below them seem to be constantly trying to earn more than each other to be seen as better than each other. The top academics and most of the research academics seem to all succeed because they’re connected to reality, not the academia schoolyard games.

    • seang96@spgrn.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      21
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      10 months ago

      To be fair I have accidentally lasered people during a speech. Laser pointers are great, but it can be a safety issue.

    • reddfugee@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      10 months ago

      I kinda love this for webcasts though. We use Panopto and it shows you the digital slides and a camera view of the lecturer, so whenever the speaker uses a laser pointer the remote audience can’t see what they’re pointing at.

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      10 months ago

      Hence why there’s a butt load of scientists that express opinions that go against the scientific consensus, most of the time they’re talking about stuff that’s out of their actual specialty.

  • Gestrid@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    With a projector screen that big and with him that close, I can see why. That’d be a pretty bad angle for a laser pointer.

    • NeatNit@discuss.tchncs.de
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      10 months ago

      Agreed, plus they run out of battery or just stop working for no reason when you need them most. This only happens very rarely with the foam-hand-fishing-pole.

    • snownyte@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      16
      ·
      10 months ago

      He points at you instead - “YOU, SIR! GET OUT OF MY CLASS!” he demands as he waves his foamy finger at you all in a vague gesture.

      Would make for a good funny video.

  • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    10 months ago

    Can’t quite make out what is being taught here. Are they doing nucluophilic acyl substitiution, or just some random resonance structures? I wish there were a few more pixels…