this post was submitted on 03 Jan 2026
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Science Memes
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And they're saying that's you.
Well the meme is still stupid. :) Basically trying to say that only people who studied science are qualified to say they like science.
Their face doesn't go 🫤 at the sight of hard math & theory? The statement's that it does.
Maybe they're trying to say that science (at least, Phys) without advanced calculus is "just" outreach or popularization. And they're right, even if your sensibility can't accept it.
Does an F1 driver need to understand and utilize advanced calculus on the track to do well? I feel that concepts like grip/slip, aero, centripetal force, and weight transfer are intimately linked to an intuition for physics, even if they aren't being understood at a calculus-requiring level by the driver.
Yet, I would struggle to call that situation "outreach" or "popularizarion." I would still consider the driver's understanding of physics as tangential to science.
IMO you need basic calculus to understand the laws of physics. Like at least to understand that the derivative is the rate of change, the integral is the area under the curve, the fundamental theorem(s) of calculus, and what limits are. You don't necessarily need to do δ-ε proofs, but at least the qualitative stuff is worth teaching.
I took algebra-based physics for my music degree and then calculus-based physics for my engineering degree. Algebra-based physics explained basically nothing for me and had zero impact on my understanding of the world. Calculus-based physics will stick with me forever.
Like I'm with you that outreach is important and should not be dismissed, but I really don't see the utility of algebra-based physics.
A F1 driver is not a scientist. And no, you're wrong.
I know they're not a scientist. But to say they have no grasp or interest in science would also be wrong, so I think the answer lies somewhere in the gray area, and not this black and white perspective presented in OP.
You can be enthusiastic and have a simplified-but-robust understanding of some kinds of science, that doesn't make you less of an enjoyer. But there are certainly people who only understand at a surface level, yet pretend to be immersed in the material and demand to be treated like experts.
Most F1 drivers have no education beyond high school. Lance Stroll barely has a grasp of grammar.