Unsurprising news on the academic front
June 23, 2013 9:21 AM Subscribe
If I don’t succeed in academe, I’ll die!: Cary Tennis addresses a beleaguered and frustrated ex-academic. The comment thread is full of interesting advice. Yes, as usual it's a terrible time for would-be academics.
This post was deleted for the following reason: The Tennis column is a couple of years old, as are a number of the news stories, and we've had this conversation many times over; feeling like there is not really sufficient new ground here. -- LobsterMitten
Cary's answer is in the first link -- is that what you mean?
posted by shivohum at 10:03 AM on June 23, 2013
posted by shivohum at 10:03 AM on June 23, 2013
Because individual psychotherapy is great for solving systemic economic problems.
posted by RogerB at 10:04 AM on June 23, 2013
posted by RogerB at 10:04 AM on June 23, 2013
Because individual psychotherapy is great for solving systemic economic problems.
No, but it is great for people who've finally come to the realization that they've made a desperately bad career decision in the face of systemic economic problems that have existed for decades.
posted by deadmessenger at 10:09 AM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
No, but it is great for people who've finally come to the realization that they've made a desperately bad career decision in the face of systemic economic problems that have existed for decades.
posted by deadmessenger at 10:09 AM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think his answer is a joke.
And now you understand Cary Tennis.
posted by jeather at 10:10 AM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
And now you understand Cary Tennis.
posted by jeather at 10:10 AM on June 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
This makes me wish metafilter had a "hide" button, since I've seen this thread about eighty times already.
posted by raysmj at 10:13 AM on June 23, 2013
posted by raysmj at 10:13 AM on June 23, 2013
That was just horrendous. I read the columnist's answer, then read it again because I was sure I missed the part where he revealed that the main part of his "answer" was just for dramatic effect, and here's the "real" answer. Failed to find that point the second time, too.
Then the comments! Salon comments have a great advantage over youtube comments in that they're composed of full, grammatically correct sentences and they usually have a cogent point. But even so, in this case the content is just about as destructive and unhelpful as what you find on youtube. "Do another postdoc"? Sheesh.
The academic job market is bad. (Don't I know it!) There are many reasons for this, most of them beyond the control of young researchers: the level of funding of basic research, the way that that funding is distributed within the community, funding of higher education in general, etc.
But one of the reasons for the difficult job market is exactly this attitude: "If I don't become an XYZ, I'll die," nourished by a long diet on the advice "Follow your dreams." This works for many occupations, fill in XYZ as necessary. There are abuses because people are willing to take it. If you aren't willing to take it, there's an infinite line of people behind you who are willing to take it. Employers/hiring committees/tenure review committees aren't stupid---they know the score and they're not going to pass up the opportunity to get more work for less cost out of someone who's desperate.
So, that's the key, I guess: don't be desperate. Easier said than done. But if you can manage it it will protect you from being taken advantage of.
posted by ngc4486 at 10:14 AM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Then the comments! Salon comments have a great advantage over youtube comments in that they're composed of full, grammatically correct sentences and they usually have a cogent point. But even so, in this case the content is just about as destructive and unhelpful as what you find on youtube. "Do another postdoc"? Sheesh.
The academic job market is bad. (Don't I know it!) There are many reasons for this, most of them beyond the control of young researchers: the level of funding of basic research, the way that that funding is distributed within the community, funding of higher education in general, etc.
But one of the reasons for the difficult job market is exactly this attitude: "If I don't become an XYZ, I'll die," nourished by a long diet on the advice "Follow your dreams." This works for many occupations, fill in XYZ as necessary. There are abuses because people are willing to take it. If you aren't willing to take it, there's an infinite line of people behind you who are willing to take it. Employers/hiring committees/tenure review committees aren't stupid---they know the score and they're not going to pass up the opportunity to get more work for less cost out of someone who's desperate.
So, that's the key, I guess: don't be desperate. Easier said than done. But if you can manage it it will protect you from being taken advantage of.
posted by ngc4486 at 10:14 AM on June 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by thelonius at 9:34 AM on June 23, 2013