To think that every person above age 10 at least should know that the moon affects the tides?

[HateSummer]

I was working with someone aged in their early 20's recently who had never heard of this and were really shocked. I was really shocked they didnt know.

Isn't this basic science taught in primary school? Along with the moon cycle and seasons?

I would have judged.
I once knew someone who thought sunset times could change like the weather. We were visiting once during winter and he actually said "the sun won't set until after 6pm tonight - I read it on Facebook"
It set a about 4.45 as usual

However I can see why city people wouldn't know about things like this

Why would a city person be less likely to know? They still live on the same planet don't they?

Still don't know.

Still zero fucks given.

Nothing terrible has happened to me yet.

Purplepicnic

In the city people are less in touch with the natural environment

I'm not the sort of person who revels in celeb culture and reality TV where having zero intelligence and knowledge of the worl around you is celebrated

Indeed. And it is that sort of person who thinks a scientist is an expert that should be mistrusted, and that science is some weird faith based on opinion, and that Brexit is a good idea, and that sex is a continuum....

The inability of so many people to take on basic information, and lack any sort of critical thinking abilities,.and revels in their ignorance makes me utterly despair about the future.

I think there is a tendency to think that science is uncool and it's fine not to know it. I think it's half the reason the world is turning into a giant shitfest.

I also used to know someone in her FORTIES (back in the 1990's,) who was 100% convinced that there was 13 months in the year

There are 13 Lunar months in the year and 13 prescriptions per annum if you take the same thing every day as each item is for 28 days.

Well it seems like an obvious thing to me. But I bet there are things that seem basic to some that you are completely unaware of. Something I noticed recently is not many people know how far away the sun is from earth, but to me it seems so simple because I learnt it in junior school. It's all relative. Unless they are an astrophysicist I don't see an issue in the slightest

The idea that science = geek = unattractive person still holds, and mn encourage it - where's the science topic at top level?

There's the ongoing silly idea that solar uv strength is related to temperature, the belief in superfoods, the one today about how dark it gets in a partial eclipse, the falling for the fixed model of energy costs..... The list goes on. Critical thinking and common sense are sadly out of fashion.

Someone referred to Mozart . I would also judge a European who hadn't heard of him. Not someone who could not perform his works.

I once knew a man, a graduate, who genuinely though the sun revolved the earth though. Ten people stood going shock while he indignantly said "what?"

Ah, but how do you know ?

This was before smart phones so we couldn't just google to prove him wrong, he just stood there shaking his head while we all drew diagrams on a blackboard and laughed at him.

Oh, I see, other peoples facts ...

Could you prove the Earth goes around the Sun yourself ? Especially if all you had to go on was the motion of the Sun and Earth and no other planetary bodies ?

22 year old here. I have no idea how the moon and tides are linked. In all my 22 years, never needed that information. Sorry!

I remember having a conversation with one of DDs 18year old friends about the tides on holiday a few years ago. She argued with me quite vociferously that tides were caused by the wind...
A student who went on to study a science subject at university...

I don't know why everything has to turn to be about judging someone on MN. Fwiw, this person is degree educated in a scientific discipline and will probably be pursuing a masters in the future, so they're not "thick" by any sense and I have no need to "judge" them.

People saying they don't need this information perplexes me. Why wouldn't you want to have a basic understanding in how things work in our world? I find people are losing their thirst for knowledge and it's quite scary.

No Lurking I can't do the mathematical proofs to demonstrate that the earth goes round the sun (I'm not an astronomer) but it's hardly new information Copernicus came up with a heliocentric model in the 1540s (ish).

I can't personally prove the maths that keep planes in the sky but I'm happy enough to believe my reading on the subject as well as the fact that I can see planes flying over head.

Similarly I'm happy to believe my reading on a heliocentric solar system as well as the evidence from astronauts etc

I believe other people's facts on all sorts of things Lurking don't you?

I would not judge, people know or don't know all sorts of things.
I am fortunate enough to live by the sea, so am aware of our tides, spring and neap, but although I was taught that the moon controls tides, I was not taught at school (or uni) that lunar and solar alignment have anything to do with the tides.

Why wouldn't you want to have a basic understanding in how things work in our world?

Can you explain how I need to know about the relationship of the moon to the tides?

I have lived 38 years not knowing, grew up, went to uni, got 2 degrees, travel around the world for work and paid off a mortgage.

In what way is my life fundamentally impoverished by not knowing?

I find people are losing their thirst for knowledge and it's quite scary

And you extrapolate this from some people not knowing about the relationship of the moon to the tides?

People saying they don't need this information perplexes me. Why wouldn't you want to have a basic understanding in how things work in our world?

Famously Sherlock Holmes was not aware of the Copernican system (to Dr. Watsons similar perplexity )

What difference would it make to me in my work if the Earth goes around the Sun, rather than the Sun around the Earth... he says exasperated with Watsons incredulity.

On a more practical note, the more you learn, the more you end up re learning, given the ever shrinking Half Life of Knowledge ...

trivial point in hand ... growing up, I was told stomach ulcers were caused by stress and bad diet, and definitely not disease.

It's accepted knowledge now that they are in fact caused by a virus (Heliobacter something ...).

And don't get me started on all the history we learned that is now plain wrong.

what are you getting at lurking ?

I wouldnt really judge someone for not knowing, but would kinda judge them if they didnt care if they knew or not.

There are lots of things I dont know and it bothers me, everyone should care a little about knowing basic scientific facts. My dh's nan was pregnant with mil at 19, she told us recently that when she was pregnant she had no idea how a baby was born.

My dh's nan was pregnant with mil at 19, she told us recently that when she was pregnant she had no idea how a baby was born.

Not the best example that, is it?

Knowing about reproductive facts is clearly pertinent to women as many, if not most, will give birth at some point in their lives.

Still waiting to hear what it is about the moon/tide relationship that is of such vital importance, it would be foolish/dangerous/life diminishing not to know about.

Did you read the paragraph?

I have lived 38 years not knowing, grew up, went to uni, got 2 degrees, travel around the world for work and paid off a mortgage.

Dont you just wonder about the world around you?

Kursk, I'm a 'city person' and understand 'things like this'. And 100% certain all my friends know too.

'City people' aren't only taught 'city things' at school, believe it or not. Science is science, wherever you're from.

I'm also very in touch with our natural environment as are many of my friends, I have friends who work in wildlife conservation, park rangers etc.. all living in london.

We had a thread like this fairly recently and it pisses me off that people think they should be the arbitrators of what other people know. Yes, I knew (vaguely) that the moon affected the tides, but I consider it a fairly useless piece of information. Not everyone has had the same educational experiences. And I can think about much more interesting things to learn about in my spare time.

I'll probably get flamed for bringing religion into this but I had a friend who taught in Catholic School and he had to be pulled aside to be told there was only one Mary. He had been telling kids that there were a million different Mary's....our lady of this and our lady of that. The headmistress had to call him in to explain that it was all the same woman

Sorry, science and religion don't mix but that always makes me laugh as the headmistress was apparently a right staunch catholic who was appalled he had gone through a catholic school and teacher training and still didn't know basic info

Dont you just wonder about the world around you?

Sure. I wonder lots of things. The relationship of the moon to the tides just isn't one of the things I wonder about.