3 ms·

I’ve worked in industry as a software developer, run a consulting business, founded a startup with seed funding, and been a TT professor. Only the last of these

I’ve worked in industry as a software developer, run a consulting business, founded a startup with seed funding, and been a TT professor. Only the last of these jobs required me to edit a document while my wife was in labor (a thing I have yet to live down.) The challenge in academia is the essentially unbounded nature of the work, and the fact that you’re constantly competing with what appear to be major stakes. Also: my friends in industry have hobbies that don’t involve their work. Even the ones in FAANGs. Seriously I don’t even understand the concept: does going to the gym count?

version_five 4y ago
> required me to edit a document while my wife was in labor Not to be a jerk but, the only thing that required that was you. The big thing I learned in management consulting is that the sun always rises tomorrow no matter what you do. People attach urgency to things, but unless you're a doctor or deployed military or one of the other rare instances where life depends on what you are doing, it really doesn't matter if it's late or not done, and it's important to prioritize the things they do matter.
- matthewdgreen 4y ago
  My wife is happy to tell me I’m a jerk (over that one), so don’t feel bad about that part. But in this instance I had a camera-ready due with a hard deadline and nobody else was available to submit it. I guess I could have put a year’s worth of research at risk, but that’s much harder than you think (for what it’s worth, labor lasted a long time and had a lot of ‘down time’. But it’s a choice I still regret.) Add to the list of challenges: in industry you usually have a pretty deep bench to back you up, and in academic projects you may be one out of one or two contributors.
kergonath 4y ago
> The challenge in academia is the essentially unbounded nature of the work, and the fact that you’re constantly competing with what appear to be major stakes. The thing is, the stakes really are not that high and as academics we are too often complicit in letting the situation fester (and administrators are guilty of putting insane pressure on academics and pushing them to overwork). We ought to take a step back and see what’s really important.

version_five 4y ago

> required me to edit a document while my wife was in labor Not to be a jerk but, the only thing that required that was you. The big thing I learned in management consulting is that the sun always rises tomorrow no matter what you do. People attach urgency to things, but unless you're a doctor or deployed military or one of the other rare instances where life depends on what you are doing, it really doesn't matter if it's late or not done, and it's important to prioritize the things they do matter.

matthewdgreen 4y ago
My wife is happy to tell me I’m a jerk (over that one), so don’t feel bad about that part. But in this instance I had a camera-ready due with a hard deadline and nobody else was available to submit it. I guess I could have put a year’s worth of research at risk, but that’s much harder than you think (for what it’s worth, labor lasted a long time and had a lot of ‘down time’. But it’s a choice I still regret.) Add to the list of challenges: in industry you usually have a pretty deep bench to back you up, and in academic projects you may be one out of one or two contributors.

kergonath 4y ago

> The challenge in academia is the essentially unbounded nature of the work, and the fact that you’re constantly competing with what appear to be major stakes. The thing is, the stakes really are not that high and as academics we are too often complicit in letting the situation fester (and administrators are guilty of putting insane pressure on academics and pushing them to overwork). We ought to take a step back and see what’s really important.