I’ve worked in both camps (private sector -> academia) and what I witness on a daily basis in an academic institution is usually grounds for dismissal and either civil or criminal charges elsewhere. The level of corruption and deceit displayed by academics never ceases to amaze me. I would never encourage a student to pursue an academic career. In fact, I am notorious for turning my students to the “dark side” where they have the opportunity to do good and useful work and to create real products and services that improve and save the lives of others.

If the work of academics had to undergo the same scrutiny that the ideas of a any business does when raising money in commercial markets (loans, not grants), the vast majority would be out of work because the few of them can answer the simple questions as to who buys their product (other than the taxpayer).

Anyway, I like to think of it as a hypermutile closed Darwinian system.

Ciao Baby!!
Luv, Blader
aka, your 5th reader

Or that choosing to teach at a community college because you like serving low income/struggling students means that you weren’t “good enough” to work at a “real” university.

It’s crazy. But a lot about academia is crazy, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon