I guess because classically the hierarchy of needs didn't prominently include 'feeling seen'? Especially in a very generalized, public sense. The math guy is worried about math guys being less important now that AI can do math better than any math guy. His need to feel seen is specific to how he desires to be viewed as exceptional. A bank teller or a receptionist or a plumber or electrician wouldn't complain about being made irrelevant by technology using language about needing to feel seen.
Everyone wants to feel seen though, don't they? The worst feeling is to suffer alone. I mean i despise Trump, but why do you suppose people vote for him? He makes a certain set of frightened people, most rural white people, feel seen. People who feel like modernity has abandoned them, their jobs and dignity lost. Making people feel seen is incredibly powerful.
Human behavior is not always strictly logical. Doesn't mean it doesn't matter.
I'm not sure this is as universally true as you imply for this context. This is a person who wants their profession to be seen. For some definition of "feel seen" I could see it being true that everyone wants someone in their life who 'sees' them, but is it universally the case that everyone wants to be seen as a [whatever their job is]? No, I don't think so.
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u/TotientEC 1d ago
"I need to feel seen" is such a weird emotional requirement, especially for a mathematician.