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We already produce way more PhDs than the economy can absorb; if anything we should either produce less PhDs or create a better job market for them. When I was
by michaelochurch 14y ago
We already produce way more PhDs than the economy can absorb; if anything we should either produce less PhDs or create a better job market for them.
When I was a kid and first learned about the Roman Empire and its fall, and of all the other historical empires that collapsed, one of the things that I wondered was how these people could be so "stupid". Of course, I didn't understand the day-to-day nuances involved. I saw these as personalized historic entities rather than complex patterns of behavior. I just couldn't grasp why such things would "allow" themselves to fall apart.
When I look at what has happened to the U.S. job market for scientists, researchers and academics and place that in the context of what we were as a society and what we've become... I get it. I now know what it is and what it looks like when a complex society "chooses" decline.
- throwaway1979 14y agoRight on. I was at the Smithsonian Natural History museum in DC a few days ago. They had an exhibit on pollution in the world's oceans. I was shocked at the reasons they gave to reduce pollution. To paraphrase: if we don't stop polluting, we will hurt the local economy, etc. My jaw dropped. That's the reason why we aren't supposed to destroy the oceans??? As a scientist, it is totally sad to see the state of research, and the standing scientists have in society. I don't understand why sane people would choose to get themselves into such career paths.
- cwzwarich 14y agoHistorically speaking, wasn't the temporary boost in demand for PhDs after WW2 the abnormality?
- michaelochurch 14y agoPersonally, I dislike the argument that recent progress is an "abnormality". A large middle class (post-1925) is an "anomaly". Slavery being illegal is, historically speaking, extremely unusual.