The Paris olympics raised a question in my mind: "Are scientists being evaluated in a way similar to sportsmen?"
During Olympics games, sportsmen compete with each other in front of people of the society from different backgrounds and finally, one sportsmen or team wins the game. Usually, sportsmen have ages lower than 30 and even some are teenagers. In contrast, scientists do not compete in front of the society and they can not win the Nobel prize (highly-valued for scientists similar to Olympics for sportsmen) at young ages.
Feature Sportsmen Scientists
Getting the highest-valued prize: At young ages At older ages
Professional career: Retire at mid ages Retire at old ages
Way of exposure to society: Direct with fans Indirect without fans
Given the difference I think sportsmen and scientists work differently, but live the same:
1- Sportsmen reach the highest prize at young ages, but can not continue their sport until old ages, in contrast to scientists. Both can reach the highest prize in their most ready form.
2- Sportsmen are richer than scientists at their climax, but are concerned about their future.
3- Sportsmen are directly seen by the society, but scientists indirectly through their inventions. Both help the society and both are liked by the society although in different ways.
Placeholder text by Space Ipsum. Photographs by Unsplash.