Re: DINO Commercialization

[dunn1@IDT.NET]

Bettyc@flyinggoat.com wrote:
 
> Yes-the information in most exhibits is
> incomplete.  Has to be-not enough floorspace in ANY museum to hold all
> knowledge on a subject-don't be silly. 

(and)

> I know ANY exhibit is incomplete to teach people who don't have
> training to observe things.  Most 'normal' people don't. 

I've never claimed that the exhibit is "incomplete."  It's inaccurate 
and misleading.

By the way, I disagree that "normal people" are incapable of 
observing things.
 
> You think museums don't care?  

(big snip on how much museums and volunteers care)

Recall that my critique was of one "exhibit" at one museum.
 
> I was a volunteer docent for JP as well as Judy.  

You were a volunteer docent for Judy?  :)

> Did YOU got to the fossil cart at this exhibit and see the cart's info? 
> Did you see what casts they were showing people?  Did you see what other
> fossils the MUSEUM supplied to be handled by children?  Did you hear the
> docents passing on the crib-sheet information put together by the
> Dinosaur Society/and/or the museum to inform docents about the exhibit
> and for them to pass on?

Are you assuming that The Lost World exhibit is the "sequel" to 
the "Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park" exhibit because the movie TLW is the 
sequel to JP?  I've seen both, and TLW exhibit is substantially 
different that the JP exhibit.

Unlike at the JP show, I saw no docents and no fossil cart (the AMNH 
didn't have a fossil cart, but a recreation of a dig site with 
fossils) and I was there on a busy Saturday afternoon giving the 
whole exhibit a careful go-over.

> Did you talk to any of the docents or did you assume you knew more than
> they did?

Everyone who disagrees with you is not an arrogant prig.  I love 
talking to the museum volunteers no matter how much they know about 
dinosaurs because it's great (and unusual) to find people with 
similar interests in paleontology.
 
> > Becoming a huge billboard for exhibits whose *substance* amounts to
> > Hollywood product is the only solution?  They have no option but to
> > offer us this and this only, and if we gag on it the museum
> > extinction is our fault?
> 
> If you can spend an hour of your time countering what you refer to as
> misinformation, then would you do it? 
> I've done it.  

This doesn't really reply to the comment of mine that you quote, 
unless you're saying, "yes, museums have no choice but to 
display inaccurate movie props, and then rely on docents to repair 
the damage. "  

Your opinion seems to be that inaccurate, commercial dinosaur 
exhibits are perfectly aceptable because volunteers can clear up the 
errors.  I can't be the only person who thinks this is a questionable 
policy.  

Here's a fun analogy:

You would design and build a factory to build defective products 
because you feel that the defect is attractive to consumers ("that 
grinding axle sound on those cars is *bitchin'!!!*").  As the 
products rolled off the conveyor belt, you would have volunteers 
trying to tell the throng of consumers how to repair the defects.  
Some might even listen.  Many of course, as you say, like the defects 
(which is why they bought the product in the first place) and 
won't want to *hear* the truth.   Anyway, why should they when you're 
*producing* the product with the defect?

I come along and suggest that you repair the factory itself and you 
reply:

> IF YOU THINK THE INFO IS WRONG, BE THERE TO GIVE OUT BETTER INFO

I scratch my head and move along.

> Larry, I disagree with you about the efforts for education that went
> into this exhibit.
> I disagree with you about the support given by the museum to this.
> I disagree with you.

Then get to it -- advocate your positions.  Chanting convinces 
no one.
 
> Let's drop the whole thing while we can go back to acting like little
> ladies and gentlemen again, ok?

In one breath you've 1) continued the thread and 2) demanded its end.

Larry

"Atheism: a non-prophet organization"