I have only watched a handful of episodes, at the behest of my Chinese friends. (I had never heard of it before they introduced it to me. Apparently, a large number of Chinese people watch it.)
its characters are excellent examples of high intelligence hampered by immense irrationality
Throw in emotional suppression and lip service to rationality, and you have a recipe for Hollywood rationality.
I agree. Sheldon seems to be the kind of character that perpetuates the myth: “People who are extremely intelligent and/or rational are unfeeling, boring, and don’t understand social norms.” Which is funny considering Sheldon seems to act unreasonably fairly frequently.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them suppress emotion, ever. They’re rather more emotional and expressive than the average TV-show character, to say the least.
Also, again, Sheldon does have some basis in real people who use their immense intelligence to justify themselves and make themselves out to be right all the time.
I have only watched a handful of episodes, at the behest of my Chinese friends. (I had never heard of it before they introduced it to me. Apparently, a large number of Chinese people watch it.)
Throw in emotional suppression and lip service to rationality, and you have a recipe for Hollywood rationality.
I agree. Sheldon seems to be the kind of character that perpetuates the myth: “People who are extremely intelligent and/or rational are unfeeling, boring, and don’t understand social norms.” Which is funny considering Sheldon seems to act unreasonably fairly frequently.
Sheldon is not unfeeling so much as callous; he feels very much when it comes to him. He’s also hardly boring.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them suppress emotion, ever. They’re rather more emotional and expressive than the average TV-show character, to say the least.
Also, again, Sheldon does have some basis in real people who use their immense intelligence to justify themselves and make themselves out to be right all the time.
True, they don’t seem to suppress their emotions.