The BYU Mathletes rap video portrays a world where brainy number-crunchers are treated like sports star royalty.
Brigham Young University (BYU) students Sam Dittmer, Hiram Golze and Robert Yang collectively created a music video to pose the question of what life would be like if the super smart were as popular as the super sporty. The trio spit geeky rhymes on a basketball court about the life of a math superstar. The video was created to commemorate the three students placing in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition.
While the video is mostly a gag, it does raise an interesting point about the way society places more value on athletics than academics. Although the BYU Mathletes rap video seems ridiculous, if the brainy nerds in the video were replaced by brawny athletes, it wouldn't be that outlandish.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Celebrating Academic Achievement
- Opportunity for companies to create platforms or events that recognize and celebrate academic success, similar to the way sports achievements are honored.
- Blurring the Lines Between Academics and Pop Culture
- Innovative strategies to integrate academic subjects into popular culture mediums, such as music videos, to make them more engaging and relatable to a wider audience.
- Promoting Equal Value for Academics and Athletics
- Initiatives to shift societal attitudes and promote equal appreciation for academic achievement alongside athletic prowess, encouraging a more well-rounded view of success.
Sectors Adopting This
- Education
- Opportunity for educational institutions to develop creative ways to engage students and make academic subjects more appealing and exciting.
- Entertainment
- Potential for entertainment industry professionals to collaborate with academics to create engaging content that combines knowledge and entertainment in innovative ways.
- Sports
- Opportunity for sports organizations to support and promote academic achievement alongside athletic accomplishments, fostering a culture of well-rounded excellence.
