Bad Movie Physics Hurt Scientific Understanding
August 16, 2007 |11:39 | Physics By : Team X
"A paper published by UCF researchers claims that bad movie physics hurt students' understanding of real world physics. From the article, "Some people really do believe a bus traveling 70 mph can clear a 50-foot gap in a freeway, as depicted in the movie Speed." The professors published this paper out of fear that society will pay the price. One of the authors commented on advancements in the past years "All the luxuries we have today, the modern conveniences, are a result of the science research that went on in the '60s during the space race. It didn't just happen. It took people doing hard science to do it." I commented on the physics of the most recent Die Hard having problems detracting from my enjoyment of the movie but is it really the root of a growing problem of poor science & math among students?"
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3 Comments
Siobhan
September 3, 2007 |15:18
I think in some ways, this debate can be linked to the dilemma proposed by concerned parents, lawyers, ect. that violent video games equal volent behavior. While a child can be very easily influenced by media, especially when it is idolised the way Hollywood is, the child needs to develop their own sense of reality. You are set for failure if you cannot distingish what can be trusted and what can not. If a child is not exposed to enough reality and is left in isolation to the real world, obviously their sense of what reality is will be serverely skewed. I think the real problem developing is that parents are letting tv and computers babysit their children for them. What you see and experience around you becomes your reality. If virtual reality is the only one you know, you cannot be expected to grasp concepts relating to a different reality. Common sense and logical thinking are not being focused on enough in child development. Besides that, basic school physics don''t tend to resemble reality anyway in order to make it simpler to understand. However badly made, action movies are entitled to have dramatic lisence in the name of entertainment, and if the bus being able to jump a 50 foot gap tends to be more entertaining, they have right to violate laws of physics. The purpose of movies is mostly to entertain and indeed, serve as an escape of reality; not to have to stick to laws and rules of what is ''real'' or promote logical thinking.
And, in a court of law if you cannot tell the difference between reality and fantasy, you are, legally, insane.
Amoeba
September 5, 2007 |01:21
It''s our duty to protect the dumb so they too can have a chance to live and breed so they can pass on their genes so that we can have more dumb people in the world. The world really can use more dumb people. Please help save an idiot. Start today by eliminating all sources of danger in the world so that dumb people can live, frolic and reproduce without any chance of self-extermination. A population comprised of smart individuals never benefited anyone.
So, concerned parents: remove all potentially dangerous objects from your child''s reach. For optimal protection, lock your child in a room with nothing but a ceiling mounted TV playing baby einstein 24x7.
Concerned lawyers: Sue everyone who makes anything that isn''t 100% safe to the lowest common denominator.
Toy makers: make more barbie dolls dressed as cheap hookers so our little girls know what we expect them to become when they grow up.
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June 29, 2010 |14:21
It''''s our duty to protect the dumb so they too can have a chance to live and breed so they can pass on their genes so that we can have more dumb people in the world. The world really can use more dumb
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