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If you are reading this, there is a chance you are an engineer. You love what you do; however, you do not feel that everyone shares the same passion and love for engineers. Most people do not care if you are an engineer and might even look down on you. Are we misunderstood as a group or misrepresented? Who is at fault? How the world’s true heroes are so unappreciated?
Although engineers innovate, design, and build everything and make the world a better place, people care so little about engineers, especially in nations with a high number of engineers, such as the United States, India and China. The reason behind that is people mostly assume engineers are nerdy, weird, and antisocial.
In a survey done in 2018 at the University of Technology Sydney, random students were asked what they thought about engineers without asking them to declare what course they were studying. Although the survey was random and probably included many engineering students, the results were shocking:
Most people thought engineers were nerdy and cool. However, a tiny minority thought engineers were arrogant and mean, with only 2% thought engineers were fools!.
The results might be pretty close to what people actually think. Engineers are quite nerdy, and it might be an accurate description of what society thinks of engineers. Being a nerd is the opposite of an insult for an engineer. However, because most people who participated in the survey were students, “Cool” might be a bit fudged up, assuming that at least 20%-30% of the participants are engineering students.
If you are not an engineer and wondering what engineers think of themselves, you can find out here.
So there you go, that is your answer!
But how about what people think engineers do? See below.
What People think engineers do?
In the same survey, students were initially asked what they thought engineers do. Students were asked to think of one thing engineers do. The number one answer was not something engineers build, make or design; it was Math!
Yep, apparently, the first thing that comes to people’s minds when they think of engineers is math. I’m sure no engineer will answer that one. This shows how little people know about engineers. Although we know that engineers are good at math, it is not what we do all day. We make all sorts of things; math is just a tool to make those cool awesome creations.
But what if someone is bad at math? Can they be engineers? Find out here.
Well, this leads to the next question, what is people’s impression when you tell them you are an engineer? Read below.
Do people get impressed when they know you are an Engineer?
The short answer is no. People might have slight interest at first and might ask you what you do exactly. However, when you try to explain, they quickly lose interest and change the subject. It is like they were just trying to be nice or did not know what else to ask. This is very common in people who have little to do with engineers.
Unfortunately, people understand so little about what engineers do for society. They do not comprehend how everything they use around them was designed and built by a team of engineers.
Are engineers considered attractive?
Engineers generally have attractive personalities because they are quite loyal and honest, making them the perfect individuals to start a family with. Engineers are very forward-thinking and problem-solving, which makes them highly reliable.
This might not be very obvious for your romantic partner to realise at first. Yet, with time they will realise your value, as engineers always tend to think logically, making them prioritise relationships and family.
Do people think engineers are weird?
Some people can find engineers weird. Why? Maybe they do not understand how engineers think; why would they? We tend to be very specific and take many things very seriously.
This is what society generally thinks of engineers:
- We love nerdy stuff and can not stop talking about Starwars, Marvel or DC.
- People think you can fix everything but can not fix how you dress for different occasions. Which is not always true.
- People think you are more like a technician, but technicians think we lack the know-how of things and just book smart.
- Businessman thinks we do not know how to run a business, but without us, there will be no business to run.
- We sometimes come out a little strong or arrogant, usually not on purpose, when we try to prove a point.
- People think we can not communicate well, but the truth is we just speak in a more sophisticated language.
So, after all this, you do not think you are weird? Engineers will always be misunderstood from time to time, and that is okay. Yet the truth is that people who go into engineering are among the happiest people. Maybe it has to do with making cool things or changing the way people live; either way, do not let people’s opinions get in the way of your success.
You are a nerd, which is not something to be offended by. This guy is a nerd, weird and also the richest man alive, somehow.
