Oliver Bateman Does the WorkVerified account

One of the best academic scams is all these "assistant director" and "editor" positions that pay jack squat -- less than many companies pay phone support temps -- but let the position holders continue to have the privilege of "feeling smart"

A lot of academia is just a big ruse, letting you think "ah I'm underemployed or actually paying money to be here, but it's okay, I'm smart! I'm not like those jocks!"

To the extent that revolutionary pedagogy is transmitted to the underrepresented via the formal academy, it is almost by accident and only through the capacity of the learner, which could also be learned for free in community centers run by radical outsiders (or on the net)

I entered academia, as classmates know, so I could have a five year paid vacation to use the "cadillac" health care to get lots of procedures done + ignore the assigned reading to read the hundreds of books I wanted to read, during the last period of true free time I'd have

I was never disillusioned, though editors may have made me say as much in various essays just to frame the piece, because I was never 'illusioned' in the first place. I've always worked 9 to 9 and I expect to work that way until I expire, even if others shouldn't have to