"But even were that so, let me offer you what remains the more poignant touchstone of moral correction for me: the thought of my father, a steel-worker who, for the decade and a half that I knew him, would rise at 5:30 am at least five and more usually six days a week and not return home until after 6:00 pm, often with cuts and burns on his hands and legs, and always with parts of his body still a little blackened with soot and filth, despite the shower he had taken. And twenty on day after day for years on end. To complain of my job would, to him, be completely absurd and even inconceivable."
- from Saturday's "Sour Leprechaun" post.
This is such total bullshit. My father worked in the same conditions most of his adult life, and he did so willingly to support his family. He had a high school diploma and a couple college courses at the local CC-equivalent before knocking my mom up and going to Vietnam (the order of those may be confused...but my family romance isn't at question here). I got an MA and then a PhD. I did many kinds of jobs while pursuing those studies so that I could use my meager stipend money on things like living and paying back credit card debt. I did medical experiments, helped with botanical experiments, and cleaned houses. I actually liked the latter and it worked around my seminar schedule really well. I did all of this in full knowledge that I was going into a profession that is often seen as a vocation because it pays so little in comparison to other professions.
Look, lawyers spend a fraction of the time we do in graduate studies (same with MBA's and, to some extent, with MDs, although they have residencies and whatnot) and yet stand to make a lot more money. They may work the same insane hours that we do and they may have serious professional stressors and bureaucracy to deal with as well. Again, did I say they make a LOT more money in general? Fine. So none of us is in this field for the money, unless we're idiots. We're in it for the love of teaching or research or both, or a belief in the power of knowledge and education.
But I can't believe you want to suggest that we can't complain about being paid a pittance and working under some shitty conditions at times just because we have some perks (yes, some days I DO work from home in my pajamas -- but I also teach nights and regularly work 70-80 hours a week no matter how I'm dressed or where I'm doing the work at). And tenure is a great perk. Job security is great! (Relatively) higher wages that come from advancement are great.
If we are increasingly faced with students who don't value education for itself but because "everyone needs a degree," and who are lazy and/or willing to cheat, then we have every right to complain. And as enrollments have risen in college programs in the last few decades, the instances of those kinds of students seem to have risen as well.
I don't see why whining about cheaters who expect the world handed to them on a silver fucking report card is a problem for you. If you think your job is cushy, then please, by all means, lean back on your cushion and enjoy yourself. I work my ass off to the point of exhaustion because I care about what I do. And I still think there are many unfair things about the profession that I deserve to be able to bitch about (you think lawyers don't whine?? you think doctors never let off steam??). Finally, if you haven't noticed, this is one of those few professions that require advanced schooling (seriously advanced--who else studies 5-8 years post BA???) where a single person cannot actually afford to have a child alone due to inability to pay for daycare on the average salary. Not to mention that the tenure-track is not very friendly to those who are primary child caregivers.
But hey -- who cares? -- why should anyone complain when they have such a cushy job!! I get to read books for a living and talk about them --shouldn't I be paying them for giving me that privilege?? (this is exactly the attitude that allows too many in the profession to be exploited...)
