Why are student spelling bees (pointless exercises in rote pattern spewage) so popular, whereas student math contests (multi-faceted competitions measuring deep knowledge and understanding) couldn’t  buy an audience with love nor money?

Because most people can sort of spell, but can’t do any math beyond two-digit multiplication - that’s why. Blame those humanities majors who run the world!

This thought comes to mind with the annual media orgy over the National Spelling Bee, which has one Nashua kid into the fourth round. (Here’s a slightly skeptical look at the event, from Daily Beast.)

As a good Granite Geek reader, I’m sure you’d rather watch something like the state Mathcounts Competition, but I don’t see it going on national TV.

(Having said all this, I do recommend that you watch the documentary Spellbound, about the national spelling bee. It’s a brilliantly funny and insightful movie. I wish Mathcounts could get a similar film made.)

Tags: spelling bee;mathcounts