6 ms·

The competition might be more akin to humanities careers like writer, musician, or artist rather than industry. But stability and money on average is still bet

by j7ake 4y ago

The competition might be more akin to humanities careers like writer, musician, or artist rather than industry. But stability and money on average is still better in academia than being a musician.

light_hue_1 4y ago
> But stability and money on average is still better in academia than being a musician. That's just not true. The average person in academia is a grad student. Their stability is low, they generally depend on one person who can easily take advantage of this. And unfortunately this often happens. And their pay is extremely low, below a living wage. The next most common position are itinerant teachers of various kinds, adjuncts, course support staff, etc. These positions are also paid very poorly and have no stability. Also if you're fired, for any reason, even if your department is abolished (which happens!), that's it. Now you need to move maybe across the country. So not only is your pay abysmal, at any moment you could lose your family, friends, etc. Even if you are tenured. Yeah, you have a job for life nominally. But, what if one of your fellow tenured professors turns out to be a verbally or even sexually abusive creep? Well, your options for moving are slim, and again, it means losing all of your connections and local life, for some unknown location at a roll of the dice. If you're lucky. Also, at the average university, in say, the average humanities department, a tenured professor after 20 years makes less than an entry-level CS grad at Google. No. Academia is neither stable nor well paid, with only some exceptions.
- j7ake 4y ago
  I am comparing the stability and pay to a musician. You seem to be comparing with industry. A PhD has 4-6 years of guaranteed employment. Most entry-level musicians would love to have 4-6 years of guaranteed income.
  - Nebasuke 4y ago
    It's only guaranteed employment in certain countries. I completed my PhD in the UK, and I got funding that just about covered living expenses, and this is normally only for 3 years (13.500 pounds a year). The 4th and last year, normally reserved for write up, you normally get nothing (I managed to get 1/2 year extra funding). Even worse, any month longer than the 4 years and you start paying fines to the university if you still want to finish. Also, my status was that of a student, not employment. No pension or other benefits.
    - j7ake 4y ago
      I’m convinced that there is no western country worse for doing a PhD than in the UK.

by j7ake 4y ago

The competition might be more akin to humanities careers like writer, musician, or artist rather than industry. But stability and money on average is still better in academia than being a musician.

light_hue_1 4y ago

> But stability and money on average is still better in academia than being a musician. That's just not true. The average person in academia is a grad student. Their stability is low, they generally depend on one person who can easily take advantage of this. And unfortunately this often happens. And their pay is extremely low, below a living wage. The next most common position are itinerant teachers of various kinds, adjuncts, course support staff, etc. These positions are also paid very poorly and have no stability. Also if you're fired, for any reason, even if your department is abolished (which happens!), that's it. Now you need to move maybe across the country. So not only is your pay abysmal, at any moment you could lose your family, friends, etc. Even if you are tenured. Yeah, you have a job for life nominally. But, what if one of your fellow tenured professors turns out to be a verbally or even sexually abusive creep? Well, your options for moving are slim, and again, it means losing all of your connections and local life, for some unknown location at a roll of the dice. If you're lucky. Also, at the average university, in say, the average humanities department, a tenured professor after 20 years makes less than an entry-level CS grad at Google. No. Academia is neither stable nor well paid, with only some exceptions.

j7ake 4y ago
I am comparing the stability and pay to a musician. You seem to be comparing with industry. A PhD has 4-6 years of guaranteed employment. Most entry-level musicians would love to have 4-6 years of guaranteed income.
- Nebasuke 4y ago
  It's only guaranteed employment in certain countries. I completed my PhD in the UK, and I got funding that just about covered living expenses, and this is normally only for 3 years (13.500 pounds a year). The 4th and last year, normally reserved for write up, you normally get nothing (I managed to get 1/2 year extra funding). Even worse, any month longer than the 4 years and you start paying fines to the university if you still want to finish. Also, my status was that of a student, not employment. No pension or other benefits.
  - j7ake 4y ago
    I’m convinced that there is no western country worse for doing a PhD than in the UK.