That's the end of that conversation then

Recently I have become increasingly frustrated with people who, on hearing I am doing a PhD in physics, say "Well that's the end of that conversation then" or something similar (flying cars included).

The overt implication of this is to that they are saying that they couldn't possibly understand. But what they are actually saying is either:

1) They don't believe that I am capable of explaining it to them at a level they can engage with.
2) They are just not interested (or possibly they are scared).

I actually find both of these very rude. Firstly I am developing the ability to explain my work at an appropriate level to different audiences. When people do show an interest they might learn something which they may even find interesting and exciting. But I'm no evangelist, I'm not going to try and persuade them they should be interested.

Whoever I meet I am able to engage them with and show an interest in what they do (for at least a short while, depending on what it is). Often I am very interested and enjoy these interactions.. Whether it be a study of the portrayal of Victorian social constraints in Hardy, or the econometrics of development, or human rights law, or selling polystyrene cups to petrol stations. Why should physics be any different? Personally I think that what I am doing is both important and exciting. Ignorance is excusable, rudeness is not.

That said, when people do ask the question, "What do you do?" I will no longer reply that I am doing a PhD in Physics but "I am working to create a clean and unlimited energy source for the future".

Semi secret, semi self-obsessed

I have removed the facebook import of this blog so that I can safely post here without the whole world knowing I just wrote something. This blog has been dormant a while, so I'm guessing it gets checked rarely if at all but perhaps some people savvy with feeds will read this. And new stalkers could still find it if they trawl carefully enough.

I still feel self conscious about the self publicity, self obsessed nature of a blog, especially as my life now is probably not as interesting now as when I was travelling. But I may have some things to say, as new environments and new experiences always give us new perspectives. So I don't mind a few close friends reading here if they are interested. And I think blogs are becoming more socially acceptable with the advent of facebook.

I was also toying with a more anonymous outlet for some of my more crazy-controversial-devil's-advocate-test-the-water-speculations but that isn't getting the readers I thought it might. So I may also post some of those here toned down and with appropriate this-is-not-my-actual-opinion disclaimers.

So give me a shout if you're reading this. Or I may plough on and post some stuff anyway, if I don't get distracted by life. And if for some reason facebook still imports this post I will feel rather stupid!

Postscript: 9/9/08

I've decided it is better to be less secret, less self obsessed and more read.  And the controversial stuff has yet to materialise so I am re-enabling the facebook import!