Perhaps you’ve heard it before – the common adage of legal professionals when they are faced with anything vaguely technical or scientific: “Well, I went to law school because I’m bad at math.” Despite its persistence, this joke has overstayed its welcome in the legal profession, generating nothing more than polite, fake laughter from listeners.
Elon Musk’s attempts at humor-driven fame have shown us, not everyone can be funny. Although everyone may aspire to possess a sense of humor, it’s a talent, like good looks, that not all of us are blessed with. Our beloved billionaire, not satisfied with his numerous achievements, spent $44 billion under the impression that his bad jokes weren’t getting enough attention on Twitter. Despite his numerous attempts to prove his comedic worth, including a stint hosting “Saturday Night Live”, Musk’s attempts at standup have proven less successful.
Much like Musk, many lawyers try too hard to be funny, attempting to sprinkle their career with humor. While practice can certainly improve comic timing, it’s critical to be authentic rather than veer into cringe-worthy territory. However, the ‘bad at math’ joke, a favorite among lawyers, needs to retire. It not only perpetuates a negative stereotype but simply isn’t funny anymore.
Contrary to this overused joke’s implication, practically every legal area involves some degree of math, whether it’s dealing with property division spreadsheets in family law, calculating prejudgement interest in civil litigation, or endless arithmetic in bankruptcy cases. Even criminal sentencing guidelines involve some degree of mathematical understanding, highlighting this clichéd jest as something that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
This joke not only provides a disservice to lawyers but also reveals an unsettling unpreparedness. Just as you would worry about a dentist joking about their lousy anatomy knowledge as they prepare to drill into your head, a mathematician-complaining lawyer should also raise red flags.
Mocking intelligence through ‘bad at math’ jokes supports the stereotype of the ‘lazy lawyer,’ further denting the profession’s image. Many lawyers have outstanding math skills and believe in the importance of scientific literacy, regardless of occupation. As Galileo quoted, ‘The Book of Nature is written in mathematical language’.
It’s time we allow the ‘I went to law school because I’m bad at math’ joke to meet its well-deserved end. A good sense of humor isn’t only about delivering jokes; it also involves appreciating others’ humor and occasionally cherishing originality. So let’s allow this trite jest to finally rest.
Article based on Jonathan Wolf’s column on Above the Law.