(Untitled)

[the_watchmaker]

as i move thru grad school, my prep for writing is getting more and more ridiculous. i've compiled something like 40-45 pages of research notes and quotations, mostly single-spaced - which is more than i'll actually have to write between my 2 papers. it's so much that it isn't even functional or reasonable in any way for me to work from these notes

Comments

I was right

[magicgravel]

I was right: grad school is an exercise in meaningless busywork. Nearly any academic paper more than 3 pages long isn't worth reading.

Re: I was right

[the_watchmaker]

i wouldn't call it 'meaningless' or 'busywork' - i mean, i chose the topics myself. this is mostly just a post about my own sort've method in tackling these things and how (counter)productive it might actually be.

i mean, i could talk about graduate school and 'meaningless busywork', but these papers wouldn't be part of that talk.

Re: I was right

[magicgravel]

it is a necessary rite of passage for gaining the prestige requisite for a white collar job, whether that white collar job is producing more academic tripe or glorified clerical work.

Re: I was right

[the_watchmaker]

'producing more academic tripe or glorified clerical work' - okay, i'll bite. what's the alternative? soul-numbing, mindless 'busywork' making money for someone else while my own interests and brain atrophy?

(btw, who are you, anyway?)