presidents

It hadn't really sunk in that it is going to be the first time since 1952 that there isn't a current president or vice president on the ballots in November... Funny enough it hadn't struck me that it has been a Bush or a Clinton on the ballots (in the White house) since 1980. Granted, the Bush era has been very long, and the Clintons really only had 8 years in the house.

On the other hand, this borders to what has been said in certain circles about women rising to power in (Asian) countries where they have become prime ministers, like India or Pakistan, that those women are part of a dynasty. They are not, as in some cases with men who rise to power, alone and from a newer family. Rather, they are a daughter or wife to someone vastly important.

That said, they could still be good leaders and rise due to competence. That is not my point. The point is, maybe we just have to live with that the 'nomenclatura' (nepotism? birth right?) still exists (dispite all rumours and ‘truths’ about that we are all equal and everyone can become anything yadi yada). And maybe this phenomenon is ever so present in the world of science as well?

After all, look at the new up and coming professors around you/me/us. How many of them come from a family with either one or two professors in them? And again, that doesn’t mean I think lesser of them but I do think we should stop saying “everyone can do anything it is all up to you” since I don’t believe it is that simple.

But then again, I might be a tad bit of a cynic when it comes to looking at life and seeing structures?!