Pretty much everyone knows the feeling of dealing with people who have no idea what your profession is actually all about. Sometimes it even becomes frustrating to explain the nuances of your job over and over again. But if people will pay attention to this post, many won't have to do it ever again.
Recently, Portland-based icon designer Louie Mantia started a very informative Twitter thread, asking people, "What's something that seems obvious within your profession, but the general public seems to misunderstand?" Many people rushed to debunk the myths surrounding their professions, and their responses are both hilarious and eye-opening.
"I was inspired to ask that question because I too have felt like there are misconceptions about what I do," Mantia told Bored Panda. "Earlier that day, I posted about best practices in app icon design, and was met with a lot of pushback. I realized a lot of others probably feel the same way about their own jobs."
"I remember when I visited Buckingham Palace a few years back, there was an insane amount of people," Mantia added. "The police officers had to continually keep their cool while telling different people to stay in a certain area. They couldn’t get mad at them because every time they had to say it was to a different person." He thinks a lot of people can relate to that. "They might have to repeat something to [their] customer, but that customer doesn’t have the knowledge or experience about the other side that often. They need a short explanation."
Mantia thinks there are many reasons why such misunderstandings are common, but pop culture is the big one. "Hospital shows portray hospital jobs inaccurately. Law shows do the same. And any show that has ever shown someone pounding away at a keyboard has contributed to some incorrect views of hacking or programming," he said. "TV and movies can do a lot of damage in this regard. For example, Lee Unkrich at Pixar noted that voices are recorded before the animation. But because of Mrs. Doubtfire’s opening scene with Robin Williams recording a cartoon character’s voice after the animation was finished, a lot of people now believe that’s the way it’s done."
Continue scrolling to read the responses Mantia has received and upvote your faves! (Facebook cover image: Marina Kuperman Villatoro)
More info: louiemantia.com | Twitter
