That's comforting, a bit. I suspect that the key to beginning to appreciate the beauty of 'chemistry' prolly begins with several hours of (brilliant!) lectures, demos of - the Periodic Chart; how prescient was Mendeleev - the chart even predicting the [holes]: missing elments! IIRC #43 called (uninspiredly) Technetium (Tc) was the first one as verified the correctness of the model. The valence numbers would appeal to a numerologist's heart too, the series 2:8:18.. describing and explaining how the shells of electrons are filled.
Everything around us (that we think we 'see') derives from these few magical relationships. Sad when a new group gets their driving licenses (after which.. most thought ceases? for a lengthy period) before - grokking this stuff.
Anyway.. there have been some great Showmen around. One comes to mind - he would dress in the costume of the period (of some great Chemist, Physicist) and do a demo lecture - to give the flavor of what was known/ not yet known, and how they reasoned about his New Theory (and rejected and dissected) etc.
Methinks that great ideas deserve great theatre: folks remember and generate that Interest essential for moving further. Bland techno-texts cannot catalyze this - only great teachers. The Biznesss Model ever believes: a spreadsheet can measure anything 'important'. And currently: These pipsqueaks Rule all life on the planet.
{sigh}
Ashton
Hell, mere brain chemistry explains autistic Billy! - and look at what He's brought us (to). Now as to Ashcroft's brain chemistry? Think: Control.. of All. As raison d'etre.