I was wondering about the phrase "it's not rocket science." Surely there are more or equally complicated occupations/professions than that. How did that particular one get chosen?

I might start saying, "It's not nursing."

Yes, yes. But...why just rocket science? There are a lot of complicated professions out there, like, as they mention, "brain surgery."

Perhaps I asked the question poorly. I wasn't really wondering when it first originated, but instead why that one occupation? Why not corporate litigation, for example? That can be extremely complex.

The same goes for the phrase, "it's not brain surgery." There are a lot of intricate surgeries (retinal, vascular, Whipple's procedure, etc.) so why that one? Similarly, there are a lot of complex sciences so why rocket science?

As that article says, in the 1950s, when that phrase originated, "... rocket science was generally accepted as being intellectually difficult and outside the capabilities of the average Joe ..." No doubt they could have picked on another field, but rocket science happened to be the one that entered general use. In that era, rockets were probably to the forefront of people's minds, with the escalation of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear weapons. Additionally, there were the hoped-for peaceful uses of rockets for interplanetary travel a la Flash Gordon.

Similarly with the negative version, "brain surgery". During the 1980s there were several well-publicised advances in brain surgery; of course another occupation could have been used, but that one happened to catch folks' fancy.

Ah, well. The whole "rocket science" thing has always irritated me. I am much less irritated by the "brain surgery" reference, but then that's likely because I am in health care.

Something like "It's not garbage collection" just doesn't cut it.

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Originally posted by Proofreader:
Something like "It's not garbage collection" just doesn't cut it.

Depends... There's a lot or rocket garbage in orbit, and somebody's gotta go pick it up!

Coincidence: One of the people I met upon arriving here in Muncie is an old rocket scientist who worked for none other than Werner Von Braun. Further coincidence: An aero engineer friend's son just enrolled in the Air Force Academy. Part of the curriculum is introductory aero engineering, and the final project in the class is the design and construction or a rocket-boosted glider. My friend's son has yet to let on that he was the Junior division national champion in rocketry. This could get interesting!

I think the History Channel is going to have a program about launching anvils into the air. Blacksmithing in orbit?

quote:

Originally posted by Proofreader:
I think the History Channel is going to have a program about launching anvils into the air. Blacksmithing in orbit?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmh-0rDZZnY

quote:

Originally posted by Proofreader:
I think the History Channel is going to have a program about launching anvils into the air. Blacksmithing in orbit?

I believe Warner Bros has already covered this subject amply

How I miss those old WB cartoons! Good stuff!!!

Somehow "It ain't semiotics" just doesn't have the same ring either.

I couldn't get your article to open up, Proof, but was about to mention brain surgery before others mentioned that the article used that example.

Wordmatic