tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286689135158213019.post6809093950723236783..comments2021-05-27T12:53:57.147-07:00Comments on Martin, is the computer off?: Amateur Astronomy and the Demographic Time BombUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4286689135158213019.post-69178581233118984492012-10-16T00:13:12.116-07:002012-10-16T00:13:12.116-07:00If people are interested/keen, they will come. A ...If people are interested/keen, they will come. A prime example that I know of would be Newbury Choral Society. With the exception of 2 girls about my age (poss a bit younger) who sang in the soprano section and who I never spoke to, EVERYONE was well into middle age and beyond. Some were certainly very elderly. But because I have an interest in choral singing, it never bothered me that I'd be the youngest there. In fact it was nice to have "older" friends who took me under their wing!<br />The thing with astronomy is that kids aren't really exposed to it in school very much. At secondary school it might consist of a 3-week unit once a year or so. Certainly not enough to get a real interest going. To develop an interest in anything, people need regular exposure and a chance to try it out for themselves. <br />Singing is easy, you've got everything you need in your neck. But astronomy often needs quite large sums of money behind it, as well as a desire to spend that money. But you won't have that desire without kids in school learning that there's something to be interested in in the first place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com