(no subject)
The more I do and learn the less certain I am of almost every situation I face or as Jeff put it "I felt the smartest I would ever feel before I entered grad school."
The idea of teaching at the collegiate level continual attracts and repels me. Of course it's easier than most corporate/gov't work, is rather secure (assuming you get a position) and entails teaching a subject I love, but the downsides aren't quite so obvious. I'd have to teach college students. Ok, not so bad, but then let it sink in. I'd have to teach college students, people who perpetually sleep in, skip class, ask idiotic questions, raise politics when inappropriate and fail to initialize political debate when appropriate, a group where the majority refuse to participate and only a handful give a damn. At a college, my peers are 20 somethings who know jack shit and an assorted group of 35-50 year olds (erring on the older side) with tenure. How am I suppose to have any sort of meaningful socialization? From where would I pull new friends? Can I withstand the onslaught of continually teaching the same 5 or six subjects while juggling the demands of research required for tenure as well as the interpersonal politics within the department (conflict vs. functional, qualitative vs. quantatative, etc.)?
I think more and more of doing corporate work or governmental work, especially since urban problems and city issues interest me as well as consumer habits. I think that ideally I'd get paid to study buying habits or the way people live in their cities and use its resources. Being in the private sector would give me a much better income once I'm settled in and provide a lot more structure than a college position (which is both good and bad). I need to ask around and see what information I can gather.
Sometimes I dream though of being a true professional and combining my MA in Soc with a MBA. It might be hubris, but I think my mind is pretty sharp and adept at analyzing business opportunities so I think by combining the two areas I could probably finagle my way into some interesting places.
It may sound a little lame, but earning enough money to live the sort of life I'd like to live is important to me, as important as being responsible persuing a better world. I'm very curious into how that balancing act works.
One of my current thoughts of research is into the job application process. It seems to me that many job types that are classist are also listed/shown as available in classist ways. For instance, typical blue-collar or service-sector work is listed in the newspaper, but the traditional intern at big corp or some such is listed only by word of mouth and social circle. In this way maybe classism and a lack of social mobility is not because there aren't people working to move to upper levels, they just don't have access to the job openings they need because they can't move in those social circles (also explains why so many idiots enter into higher tiered jobs). I wonder if research would prove this true or false, I suspect there is at least some level of truth to it, but who knows.
I continue trying to improve myself, I've lost only 1/2 inch off my waist and no weight, but have put on some beginner's muscles. I can actually finish my sets now which makes me happy, I really wish I had more time to devote to exercise. Waking early, going to school and then coming home only inspires me to relax especially when walking to the apartment gym entails braving the freezing weather. Games, tv, books, socializing, cooking and exercise; they're all competing for my leisure time. It'd be nice to have a solid core of friends up here to play some outdoor sports with so I could combine the exercise and socializing at least.
Ah well. Time to turn in and get some sleep. Lots of strange dreams lately. I wonder where I'll end up. I know what I want to try and I hope I really get the chance even if it doesn't work out because I know that making the attempt will have been worth it.
The idea of teaching at the collegiate level continual attracts and repels me. Of course it's easier than most corporate/gov't work, is rather secure (assuming you get a position) and entails teaching a subject I love, but the downsides aren't quite so obvious. I'd have to teach college students. Ok, not so bad, but then let it sink in. I'd have to teach college students, people who perpetually sleep in, skip class, ask idiotic questions, raise politics when inappropriate and fail to initialize political debate when appropriate, a group where the majority refuse to participate and only a handful give a damn. At a college, my peers are 20 somethings who know jack shit and an assorted group of 35-50 year olds (erring on the older side) with tenure. How am I suppose to have any sort of meaningful socialization? From where would I pull new friends? Can I withstand the onslaught of continually teaching the same 5 or six subjects while juggling the demands of research required for tenure as well as the interpersonal politics within the department (conflict vs. functional, qualitative vs. quantatative, etc.)?
I think more and more of doing corporate work or governmental work, especially since urban problems and city issues interest me as well as consumer habits. I think that ideally I'd get paid to study buying habits or the way people live in their cities and use its resources. Being in the private sector would give me a much better income once I'm settled in and provide a lot more structure than a college position (which is both good and bad). I need to ask around and see what information I can gather.
Sometimes I dream though of being a true professional and combining my MA in Soc with a MBA. It might be hubris, but I think my mind is pretty sharp and adept at analyzing business opportunities so I think by combining the two areas I could probably finagle my way into some interesting places.
It may sound a little lame, but earning enough money to live the sort of life I'd like to live is important to me, as important as being responsible persuing a better world. I'm very curious into how that balancing act works.
One of my current thoughts of research is into the job application process. It seems to me that many job types that are classist are also listed/shown as available in classist ways. For instance, typical blue-collar or service-sector work is listed in the newspaper, but the traditional intern at big corp or some such is listed only by word of mouth and social circle. In this way maybe classism and a lack of social mobility is not because there aren't people working to move to upper levels, they just don't have access to the job openings they need because they can't move in those social circles (also explains why so many idiots enter into higher tiered jobs). I wonder if research would prove this true or false, I suspect there is at least some level of truth to it, but who knows.
I continue trying to improve myself, I've lost only 1/2 inch off my waist and no weight, but have put on some beginner's muscles. I can actually finish my sets now which makes me happy, I really wish I had more time to devote to exercise. Waking early, going to school and then coming home only inspires me to relax especially when walking to the apartment gym entails braving the freezing weather. Games, tv, books, socializing, cooking and exercise; they're all competing for my leisure time. It'd be nice to have a solid core of friends up here to play some outdoor sports with so I could combine the exercise and socializing at least.
Ah well. Time to turn in and get some sleep. Lots of strange dreams lately. I wonder where I'll end up. I know what I want to try and I hope I really get the chance even if it doesn't work out because I know that making the attempt will have been worth it.