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complex fields that are mastered in adult life on the other hand are viewed as not alienating peers but winning over competitors

so math more easily maintains an unassailable pedestal of respect precisely because it feels unattainable which is bc there are fewer attempts to bridge the gap

fields that DO attempt to bridge this gap create a feeling of inferiority in the other and thus suffers backlash for trying to be helpful

it’s like in a japanese anime when the scrappy kid goes against all the geniuses and wins. the crowd doesn’t believe in the kid so he has an attitude of “i’ll show you!! magic powers of grit and friendship!!”

the crowd NEEDS the scrappy kid to lose because that would validate the idea of “genius”, an uncrossable gap vs feeling that they are just actually so far behind wasting their potential

if u’ve ever tried teaching someone sth that has this “classical” kind of sacredness like math or piano u can get a sense (esp in adult learners) that their brains shut down before even starting

they don’t want the skill gap revealed and so they never improve. they cling onto the sacredness because they don’t want to approach it

this kind of “respect” is actually disrespect. like those who holler under the banner of “Science” yet have never thought for themselves. they simply want association with what they perceive as power. they want to use the sacredness like a blackbox weapon over others