Hello, I’m a math undergrad from Azerbaijan. Before choosing my major, I decided to advise with some professors from a regular Azerbaijani university( neither the best one nor the worst one), and they told me not to choose math and choose engineering instead and started to complain about how journals didn’t accept their works( it becomes understandable when you listen to their arguments). My dad, who is theoretical physicist tells everyone(mostly colleagues) that I chose CS or IT instead of math, implying(i guess?) that CS and IT students are more intelligent and know technology. I think, for him and his co-workers a guy with a computer is a smarter a guy! When it comes to saying that I’m math major, he says that I chose this program exactly because of him and underlines my successes instead of my degree program. Like, he tries to hide it very hard.
At schools, students also disrespect teachers including math teachers. The situation in universities( at least in mine) is better but still. The fact that secondary-school students and professors themselves don’t consider people with math degree seriously is devastating. Moreover, I noticed that most of the people don’t appreciate smart people at all, especially at schools.
How is the situation in your country, and why do you think it is that way?