Like I said I have never thought of this before but I can see it now as I am looking through the recent issue and I have to say that Discover Magazine they definitely have an undertone of education, but more specifically that you should become educated within the realm of biology, science, quantum, astrophysics, etc, basically everything that has to do with science, and this undertone is most definitely one of arrogance, as if saying that if you don't know about these things, or don't have books about these subjects, then you really shouldn't be reading this magazine.
What is interesting to note about the values portrayed within this magazine is that all scientists are either very fit males, or quite (wouldn't say very) skinny, large breasted females. I say this only because when they have an interview (it is usually 5 to 10 questions asked by the reporter) they also attach a picture of the person being interviewed, and 9 times out of 10 they are the above build, portraying that in order to be a leading scientist in a field you should be good looking as well. These interviews are with people that are on the "cutting edge" within their fields, that is why I said that in order to be a leading scientist you should be good looking. I have subscribed to this magazine for the past 6 years and I can only think of maybe 3 or 4 people that didn't follow the above guideline.
I would most definitely have to say that the values do conflict with what actually happens in the field. My wife (being the exception to this rule! >.<) has a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry and when I would go do "sit-ins" in her classes, man, I don't mean to sound brash, rude and a jerk, but the ladies and gentlemen in her upper division classes were something that you joke about, living in the basement doing experiments with house cleaners. Now, I have talked to a couple of said people, and they will be the next cutting edge biologists/chemists, they absolutely, 100% know their stuff, in and out, front and backwards, but as Discover portrays, they are not the material that are sought after, unfortunately.
But how do they seem to be authoritative? What is it that they use to make it seem as if they are the ones who are the experts within these fields? The one thing that sticks out like a sore thumb when reading the articles, and even looking at the advertisements is that they use the top and leading people within the fields that they are discussing through the issue. For example, last months issue they interviewed Julian Barbour about his views that Einstein was a great physicist, but he did not go far enough into his research with his theory of relativity. Julian Barbour took Einstein's theory and based his work and experiments off of that and found that there is too much missing within the theory to be applied to everything. He does conclude that the theory holds up on Earth, but within space there begin to be holes apparent, and exceptions that shouldn't be there. Going to the experts of each field and utilizing them in their interviews as well as articles they write, citing each one of them.
But visual stimulation is also needed to ensure that people know that your publication is legit, and not some tabloid that is read only while you wait in line at the check stand at the grocery store. The covers are adorned quite simply, with usually a picture of something that pertains to the main, or longest, feature within the magazine. For example, the issue I mentioned above had a picture of Albert Einstein upside down, claiming that Julian Barbour was taking Einstein's theory and turning it upside down and exposing how it does not cover all things, and how there are holes within the theory itself. Along the sides there are the titles to other smaller articles that can be found within, as well as who the featured interview is for the month. It is a quite simple design, allowing the reader to pick it up and know exactly what will be discussed within the magazine. What is interesting to note here though, personal reflection, is that this may also be a downfall. I say this because if the reader looking at the cover does not find any of this interesting, they may just put it back down and not buy it, again this is a personal interjection and do not know if this inhibits their sales from month to month, or how it impacts what they put on their covers.
The interesting thing that I find when I read discover is that I only skip 2 different pages, and they are actually back to back within the magazine and those are the advertisement pages. Their advertisements are interesting in that on the front of the first page is an advertisement for Encyclopedia Brittanica. I find this interesting, but not a shock, for the simple reason that this is a scientific driven magazine and to find an add for an Encyclopedia does not really come as a surprise, but what is interesting is the price. The price is at roughly a hundred dollars per book, so suggesting that it is a pricey purchase, but should bring you closer to understanding what you have just read if you do not fully understand it. The back of the first page, front and back of the second pages of advertisements are for various items, one being a massive weed whacker that has wheels, one for funding for corrective surgeries of people with cleft pallets, there is even one for a mirror for women to help them see their faces better to put make up on, the reason it helps them see better is that it has a ring of LED lights around the rim of the mirror, appealing not only to men, but to women who read the magazine as well. So the advertisements are not gender restricted, meaning only advertisements that appeal to only men and there are no advertisements that appeal to women, this is not the case there are about equal amount of advertisements that appeal to both sexes contained within the magazine.
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