Aptitude drove interest for me. I went to a Catholic high school as a non-Catholic and exited as the top theology student in my school. When looking for degrees from there, I had no interest in a religious oriented career, so I picked the next closest analogue to me (political science). Honestly no real interest in politics, but it was again something that came naturally to me. Never really care for philosophy while I was IN school, but now it’s something I read out of interest.
I always revered science, thought it was cool, just couldn’t wrap my brain around it. I feel it’s my aptitude towards the soft stuff that gets in the way of the hard stuff. I keep wanting to ask “why” and keep getting told that, at one point, it just is because it is, and that’s unsatisfying to me.
“This is the mitochondria”
“Why that? What not something else?”
“It’s just what they decided was the mitochondria. That part’s not important.”
“…but why?”
Asking lots of questions is a good method of actually understanding something. I don’t like to accept answers I don’t understand. I can’t apply a principle I don’t understand, and if I get the answer right, it was because I blindly followed a process. What do you think the chances are I know how to figure out a similar problem down the road if all I did was follow the process? Not very good. If I understand the principle I have a real good shot.
This is getting far away from the downside of being jacked.
Engineers can be quite cocky, and arguing with an engineer is like wrestling a pig in the mud. After a long while you realize there is no winning, and the pig is enjoying it.
Common problem for sure. I sit at 6’3 with large shoulders and 50" chest. Most shirts in the XXL range that fit are only wider than the XL - not any longer making it look like all my t-shirts are 3 inches to short. Clearly, XXL is intended for short out of shape folks.
At least you have the Tall option in alot of clothes. I typically have to buy pocket less shirts and I usually get my dress shirts tailored to fit in the waist.
I fucking hate engineers, and I’m one. Usually each discussion with a new engineer tiresomely ends at this:
Let me explain you with this handy PowerPoint why I never had sex and why all women are whores. But they’ll come crawling when I start earning high six figures
I’m not jacked. 6’4" and I think my chest is a 44 based on my last suit. I think a large shirt would fit me best now that I’ve lost weight but it’s too small in the shoulders. XL and XXL fit better in the shoulders but they’re too wide.
Slim fit dress shirts are great except they’re tight on the arms.
I think clothes that fit well just can’t be bought off the shelf.
In general, most of us can be hard to get along with.
I am convinced that a lot of engineers have a touch of Autism Spectrum Disorders (high functioning, my wife says it’s likely I have Aspberger’s). I know for sure a lot of my college professors do. Part of that is thinking that one is always right.
The good news for me at least is that my wife has taught me some social skills and I have come a long way from where I was in college. Also, the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know very much about a lot of engineering.
One interesting thing I have noticed is that a lot of engineers I know marry either teachers or nurses (or other medical professionals).
I have ADHD, but my brother has Autism. ADHD is not on the spectrum, but is related genetically. I read a study in which if ADHD is present in an older sibling, the younger siblings are about 4-10X as likely to have either ADHD or Autism. I haven’t read it in a while, so detail might be a bit off.
My fiancee is in Occupational Therapy. So both of your hypothesis work in my case.