On 9/9/2010 6:17 AM, Wojtek S wrote:
> I believe this is true of most workplaces in the US - producing things will
> not get you very far, selling them will. I imagine that this is even more
> pronounced in the IT industry - there are many grunts extremely skilled in
> code writing, but those who make it salesmen who package and market other
> people's code. This realization negatively impacts my job satisfaction. I
> thought that academe offered a refuge from this neo-liberal hell, but this
> turned out to an illusion.
>
> Wojtek
This may surprise you, but I've discovered that working in community colleges in fact does "offer a refuge from this neo-liberal hell" in ways that research universities does not. Sure, you have to like teaching--and do it well with students with drastically different levels of academic preparation--but there is no "salesmen" dynamic. You teach your classes, develop curriculum, and serve on college committees, but you are not required to conduct research, publish, or procure grant funding. I know some faculty in research institutions can be a little snooty about community colleges, but if you want to circumvent the "publish or perish" bullshit, the community college is a good place to work.
Miles