Perception vs. Observation

[Ron Gatrelle]

----- Original Message -----
From: <mbpi at juno.com>
To: <LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2001 12:48 PM
Subject: Perception vs. Observation


> Greetings, all!
>
> I'm going to break the current thread of topics to make a reality
> statement (!)
>
> I've spent the last two months making "morphologically correct" butterfly
> cookies to sell at a Christmas Bazaar at a "world class museum," with
> MacArthur Scientists in employ, to boot.
>
> What I discovered was this:  The few "scientific staff" that went through
> the Bazaar were probably the most "unobservant" bunch of individuals in
> the lot of people that showed up (!)  How they "discover" a new species
> in a tropical Rain Forest, is anyone's guess...  My display was
> overwhelmed by tables of huge, packaged "gift baskets" of cosmetics and
> other various sundries, which were noticed, but not necessarily "bought."
>  My "gems" which were "works of art" in themselves, were barely noticed
> (!)  The scientific staff walked right by without even looking (!)
>
> Oh, I sold a LOT, but not to the scientific staff:  I sold to the
> "business staff" who recognized a good thing when they saw it (!)
>
> As far as I'm concerned, this was a pretty SAD commentary on the
> scientific community in general, coming from both a trained artist and
> biologist in my own right.
>
> Small wonder it took them so long to find a "new species" of butterfly in
> Ireland.  I believe that OBSERVATION is the key to new discoveries...a
> sadly lacking commodity.  It may be subtle, but it is THERE if you are
> "open" to it...binoculars, knowledgeable comparisons, or even
> "microscopic"...if you must.
>
> I'm afraid that I am thoroughly disallusioned by you all...
>
> M.B. Prondzinski
>

Mary Beth -- They must have all been lumpers.  A good splitter (how many
spots are on that wing) with a sweet tooth to boot, would have "collected"
the whole lot.  Do you take mail orders?

Ron


 
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