The irony in this statement is thick enough to slice with a butter knife. In what way are engineers not taught to “think?” If anything, it’s engineering curricula more than any other that are geared to force students to think, rather than regurgitate information. The very core of engineering is the *application* of knowledge. Synthesizing data to formulate and design a solution…sure sounds like “thinking” to me! If there’s any “yelling” that’s going on, it’s in fields where the only fruit you have to show for your labor is a pile of words, rather than things like more efficient delivery mechanisms for vaccines, or architecture with better structural integrity.

Moreover, it has been my experience that engineers are more likely to be “renaissance men” than those in the field of liberal arts. It’s very common for me to see an engineering colleague spend a weekend reading a novel and come back to work the following Monday with a critique of it. It’s much rarer for my artsy friends put their “creative” endeavors on hold to engage in something like coding. This is even more apparent if you look at undergraduate populations. Look in an introductory physics class, and you will be hard-pressed to find any students present who aren’t majoring in STEM fields. On the other hand, take an intro-level course for philosophy, film, creative writing, etc. and you will probably find at least a handful of engineering students.

This was a pleasure to read. I have to admit that I got a bit teary-eyed. Although I agree that there are things many people in rural communities are not exposed to and don’t understand about life outside the city limits, you can never question the genuine caring that is present in a small town when someone needs support. It was good to see you and Rex; just not under those circumstances.

http://samdavidson.net/bringing-back-the-us/