4 ms·
I agree with point #1, but disagree with point #2. Academic research is not a place to go for extrinsic motivation. If you're not primarily in it for love, you
by ISL 4y ago
I agree with point #1, but disagree with point #2.
Academic research is not a place to go for extrinsic motivation. If you're not primarily in it for love, you're going to have a bad time.
An example: Who has heard of the Wolf Prize in physics? It is in the set of prizes known as "second prize to the Nobel Prize", yet essentially nobody outside of the field will react with, "Whoa, she won a Wolf Prize? She must be really good."
Even in the well-resourced research groups, researchers will be find much better extrinsic reward outside of academia. Advancing the boundaries of our understanding is priceless intrinsic motivation for those who can find a way to stay, but doing so requires substantial sacrifice -- more than many of those in academia realize.
- BeetleB 4y agoExtrinsic here means "extrinsic to self", not "extrinsic to academia". There's plenty of "extrinsic" motivation within academia. When you go to top universities, you'll find plenty of academics who are extrinsically motivated: * Number of research papers * Cumulative value of grants * Awards * Titles. This was insane. Apparently being a Fellow of the IEEE wasn't enough, so they actively sought becoming Fellows in adjacent societies.
- zekrioca 4y ago> Extrinsic here means "extrinsic to self", not "extrinsic to academia". There's plenty of "extrinsic" motivation within academia. Yes, I've also understood it this way.