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<p>I completely agree. The next logical question would be how to make math/science excellence just as popular as football or cheerleading? </p>
<p>Let’s keep in mind that there is nothing ‘natural’ about football or cheerleading sitting atop the status hierarchy. Football provides far greater social benefits than does, say, soccer… but only in the United States. In sharp contrast, soccer is the kingmaking sport in most of the rest of the world. Lionel Messi could likely walk through any American city without drawing any notice, whereas he would be absolutely mobbed if he did so in Europe or Latin America. By the same token, Aaron Rodgers could likely walk through most cities in Europe without drawing even a hint of interest.</p>
<p>What that seems to indicate that football is popular in the US because of prodigious marketing. The question then is, can we market science/math to be equivalently cool?</p>