Go to any interview online with Neil deGrasse Tyson and he is introduced the same way, “celebrity astrophysicist.” Maybe you might see other titles such as “Director of the Hayden Planetarium” or even author. Obviously these aren’t wrong, but I think he isn’t credited for a MUCH more important job that he fulfills.

Science communicator.

Image result for neil degrasse tyson

Photo credit: Ray Routhier (Portland Press Herald)

I think we can all agree on a couple of things:

  1. Science is important.
  2. The general public isn’t literate in science.

The job of a communicator is simple: they make inherently complex or abstract ideas simple for the general public to understand. This can be done through many mediums. Netflix shows such as Cosmos (I highly recommend by the way), Late night talk shows, novels, and TV shows (who doesn’t love Bill Nye!) all bridge understanding gaps that exist between the general public and scientific community.

“This is great and all Adam, but isn’t this a blog about cubing? Why are you talking about famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson?”

To that I would say: Famed science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson* (didn’t you listen to what I just wrote?) And no. This is a blog about cubing in the mainstream, not cubing.

A blog about cubing would look like this:

Today I’m going to be talking about the viability of full ZBLL. Is CFOP or ZZ CT the future of cubing?

You have no idea what I’m talking about right? Seems maybe a bit abstract. You’d be right. Just like with science there exists an deep chasm between the general public and the cubing elite. And just like with science, the solution comes in the form of a communicator.

Consider this a help wanted ad:

Sub-20: An individual who can solve a 3x3x3 in under 20 seconds

Cubing doesn’t have a “famed astrophysicist/science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson.” This is a problem we have to address.

Competitive speedsolving is a quickly growing sport, and as a result you will only start to hear more about its popularity. We have “ambassadors” to cubing, people who make a living out of cubing and are actively spreading the word on the hobby, but no true communicators. Nobody is committed to the sole task of educating the public on what we do.

As a result we are left with an increasingly misunderstood hobby where ignorance leads to misconceptions, dismissals of the sport, and even reluctance to begin the hobby in the first place.

Within organizations of cubing today like the WCA (World Cube Association), there is no big rush to solve this problem, but it will only continue to get worse until it becomes a pressing issue threatening the growth of the hobby.

So then there’s me (hi!).

Will I serve the role of cubing communicator? Will this blog teach you the basics of cubing, maybe even how to solve a cube?!?!

No.

I am not the man for the job, but what I will be doing with the POP Culture blog is discussing common misconceptions and understanding barriers that exist between cubing and the mainstream. You may even seem some overlap with some of your own niche hobbies.

POP Culture is about the exploration of the understanding barrier, it is not about the solution to the understanding barrier.

So stay tuned. You may learn about something bigger than just cubing.