What I dislike about the academic advice which has been forced upon me over the years is that it was advice to lead the life this man describes. I have also been instructed to say no a lot – no to the more creative, interesting, or challenging research, teaching, and service assignments and projects because these, according to my advisors, were not those which would lead me “up and out.” What I have most disliked about this advice have been the threats with which it has always been delivered. “We know who you are and what you are and are not capable of! Do as we say or it will be the end of you!”
“Advice” in my experience is never conversation or support, it is a strategy for undermining, destabilizing, and terrorizing people. “You will not be able to do this correctly, so I am going to explain to you how to fool people into believing you have” was the deep structure of the advice forced on me.
It has always seemed very strange to me that the more one advances, the more it is assumed one is incompetent and needs advice – advice which is, essentially, advice on how to fake progress. A friend informs me, however, that the reason for this is that most people at a certain point hit their limit and need advice on how to fake progress so that they can advance further. Perhaps it is that when I got to those points at which people tend to hit their limits, it was assumed that I would, too.
My own judgment, when I am not too beaten down to follow it, has always turned out to be the best. This is because I have excellent professional training although people in my graduate program claimed (and I disagree) we were given none. Perhaps what they meant was that we were not given enough advice on how to fake progress.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 