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A Triggering Display
During the eclipse yesterday, I took my 3 young children to the local science center. It was packed like I had never seen it before. We have had a membership there for about 7 years now with pretty regular attendance. I believe it was reported to have thousands occupying the grassy knoll between the Science center and the art museums.
While waiting for the eclipse time, we wandered our favorite exhibit areas. One section is the temporary exhibit which has featured everything from the human body to Star Wars and mummies. We went in to see the new exhibit and I was quite surprised by what I found.
In the midst of our political climate, the science center saw absolutely no issue with hosting a display on identity and biological gender brain development. After the Google Manifesto, it was surprising to see this exhibit. My kids wandered the displays, one board showing blue heads with math problems in them and pink heads with social questions. We saw a section of “cones” where you stand under them and can hear people talking. Each one was labeled a different characteristic such as “Cooperative”, “Social”, or “Creative”. Stand under them to listen to someone with that characteristic talk and see if you identify with that mental flow. My daughter camped under “Social.” At one point, a shy boy wanted to go under but withheld because my daughter was there. She reached out to him and said “Its ok, you can come over here. I can share.” Definitely social.
There was also a light projector focused on a section of ground, where when you walked into the section, a circle would pop up next to you. As you walked around, it would follow you. Running into other people’s circles would alter your own circle, taking on the colors of those you interacted with. It was an exercise in how our social interactions help shape our identities.
My favorite part, though, was the Male/Female brain quiz. There was a bell curve distribution that showed how women and men score on these tests, women scoring better on facial emotion and men better on spacial orientation. There was a lot of overlap, about 80% of the men’s curve and women’s curve was in common. My 8 year old and I took the test. Because it was meant for his age group, I find my 113/113 score to be a bit useless in determining whether I have male or female brain, but my son scored 81 on the spacial and 77 on the facial emotions.
Seeing all this data out there in the public gave me some hope for our future. Solid science is still on display and it is being presented to young students in fun and evocative ways. I have been going to MOSI and this particular science center since I was my son’s age, so I’m happy to see this institution not completely swallowed by the anti-science brigade.
Published in Science & Technology
The truth will always out eventually.
Whatever you do, don’t tell Google!! Seriously it sounds like a wonderful place for kids. I didn’t even know about the Center and that you must live near Orlando. (I’m in Poinciana.) Anyway, it does give us all hope for the future.
Ha Susan said what I was going to say: Don’t tell Google! It’s only a matter of time before the protesters arrive.
If this goes to main page, I may have to do redactions to protect the innocent, lol.
That is the sweetest thing ever. I love your daughter for just being a good kid with a sweet heart. I mean… Awwwwww! :D
It always comes back to what happened on the grassy knoll, doesn’t it?
Stina,
How simple and pleasant understanding the truth can be. When we seek to manipulate ideologically not only are we not helping but we are causing untold damage. Too bad the children can’t just be given the truth as in your science museum and be left alone to make their own judgments.
Regards,
Jim
This says a lot about her mother too.
I tried asking Google Home, “OK, Google, what is the difference between men and women?”
Google Home responded by describing a scientific study that, “surprisingly!”, shows a large difference between male and female brains.
I then tried, “OK, Google, You’re Fired!”, and she cheerfully promised to clean out her desk and leave.
I am not kidding.