3 ms·
Do I miss quitting astrophysics? Hmm, which do I miss? -- The once-per-year job cycle where if you don't find something you like, you have to wait another yea
by supernova87a 6y ago
Do I miss quitting astrophysics?
Hmm, which do I miss?
-- The once-per-year job cycle where if you don't find something you like, you have to wait another year to land your next soft money position?
-- The lack of perception of fairness or clear criteria for how the top fellowships are awarded?
-- The feeling that you're in an endless apprenticeship model like a pyramid scheme where only by the top people leaving do you get a chance to have some responsibility, better pay, freedom?
Hmm. Turns out I don't miss it so much.
- kergonath 6y agoIt’s funny how you can substitute many research fields instead of “astrophysics”. Well, did I say “funny”? I meant “utterly depressing”. I’m in because I don’t think I would like any other job better, but I have a lot of sympathy for people who flee this broken system.
- supernova87a 6y agoOk, to be fair I will tell you what I do miss: -- Seeing an amazing world I would never have seen through conferences, observing time, telescopes, etc. -- Being able to read what I want, explore what I want, in the hours of the day I want -- Being able to do something to the end, fully and well For sure, sometimes I wish to go back to those positive things. But right now the reasons I left continue to outweigh the reasons to stay/go back.
- rusticpenn 6y agoReminds me of my Engineering PhD/ postdoc.
- fnord77 6y agocapitalism doesn't have much use for professions that don't make someone rich
- godelski 6y agoResearch has made a lot of people rich and let average people have luxuries of royalty and royalty have what was unimaginable. The problem is the roi takes awhile and people would rather have their marshmallows now than more later. "Capitalism sucks" is just a nothing statement that is politically charged and doesn't approach the nuance of conversation we come to HN for nor is it helpful in finding a real solution to modern problems. It is only social signaling, which is actively discouraged here.
- z3ncyberpunk 6y agohow dismissive and reductionist. most of the HN crowd are appallingly blind to their consumerist, bourgeois, proselytizing. capitalism does suck and parasitic corporate boot lickers are the last thing the world needs
- fctorial 6y agoThey should publish a magazine.