Professors quitting professing.
Excerpt:
Academe is a profession full of erudite free-thinkers who feel disillusioned by a toxic labor system in which criticism is not tolerated—so those who leave often relish the newfound ability to say anything they want (talking about “a friend” here). In its insularity and single-mindedness, academe is also very similar to a fundamentalist religion (or, dare I say, cult), and thus those who abdicate often feel compelled to confess.
That may well describe English, and Literature generally. The Humanities are much closer to a secular leftist religion than anything else. No orthodoxies can be questioned. So don't go into the Humanities.
But as you read the article, you'll note that a lot of those who "quit" didn't jump. They were pushed. If it makes them feel better to say, "No! I broke up with YOU!" then fine.
Nod to Anonyman.
Excerpt:
Academe is a profession full of erudite free-thinkers who feel disillusioned by a toxic labor system in which criticism is not tolerated—so those who leave often relish the newfound ability to say anything they want (talking about “a friend” here). In its insularity and single-mindedness, academe is also very similar to a fundamentalist religion (or, dare I say, cult), and thus those who abdicate often feel compelled to confess.
That may well describe English, and Literature generally. The Humanities are much closer to a secular leftist religion than anything else. No orthodoxies can be questioned. So don't go into the Humanities.
But as you read the article, you'll note that a lot of those who "quit" didn't jump. They were pushed. If it makes them feel better to say, "No! I broke up with YOU!" then fine.
Nod to Anonyman.
2 comments:
One of the "victims of corporatism" left UNM for a swish job at Google. I'm sure the pain was unbearable.
Hard to see that this will have much impact, given the huge pool of humanities PhDs looking for jobs (e.g. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/education/edlife/finding-life-after-academia-and-not-feeling-bad-about-it.html?hp)
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