Bad math brain

Click for larger version from Weapons of Math Destruction

Those clever folks over at Weapons of Math Destruction have stuck yet again with another witty take-down of mal-education in the mathematics area.

As much as I like this one, I think the image of the face for the child “on fuzzy math” should be different. I see fuzzy math and its cousins as resulting more in happy witlessness. That’s the idea: Make it fun and engaging; students’ll just figure it out magically…re-discovering everything from counting through Archimedian insights and onto the calculus. Shouldn’t those kids be smiling?

For those outside the US who are not familiar with the brain-vs-brain-on theme incorporated into this cartoon, here’s a hint: There was an advertisement that first appeared in the 1980s showing a man holding a chicken egg and saying “This is your brain,” then cracking the egg into a frying pan and saying, “This is your brain on drugs.” Here’s a link to a Wikipedia entry about the brain-on-drugs advertisement.

Oh Well…off to a thumbnail catalog from Weapons of Math Destruction for the big version of this cartoon.

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2 Responses to “Bad math brain”


  1. 1 KDeRosa

    The sad face is probably from the first day of algebra upon the realization that he’s in deep trouble.

  2. 2 JohnL

    That’s probably it, Ken. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.

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