An important aspect of the availability of these PhDs is that there is investment in the humanities as a discipline area at a time when there has been such an attack on our validity. If individuals are part of that investment and development for only 3
years of their working lives that has got to be looked at positively, even if at the end of it they have to find work in a completely different field that is not their passion.
We live in a period of disillusionment and it is so key that we as active agents in the development of knowledge on history and culture do not think instrumentally about its study.
Anandi
'A PhD can "cost you time that might be spent developing a career?" Is that REALLY all our lives are about. What happened to living?'
What about being able to afford to live in the first place?
A PhD scholarship allows one to afford to live in the first place whilst studying for one's doctorate.
'I find it rather sad that you can't see anything outside of the sphere of work.'
Good intentions alone are not enough.
No, but it's nice to have some to start with.
"The words "passion" and "fulfilment" seemingly have no importance to you at all."
As opposed to unemployment, homelessness and - my personal favourite - malnutrition?
Those who can't get a job in academia end up homeless and suffering from malnutrition? To use your own words: citation?
Judging by all the stress, nervous breakdowns, general drama, poverty, and random disasters - not to mention poverty and poor job prospects - that I've seen befall other PhD students, I'm not sure 'happy' and
'fulfilling' are the words I'd use. It's not an extended sabbatical for dossers and dilettantes. It's hard work with little reward and often a lot of heartbreak.
I have yet to meet a PhD student or ex-PhD student who has lived the hard, unfortunate life you paint here. Random disasters? Surely if they were
random, then whether or no the person had studies to PhD level would be immaterial? And I don't think failing to get a job in academia equals a life of poverty. There are other career paths people can take if they wish to. But hey, let's go the
whole hog, and warn BA students that they might not get a decent job at the end of their degree, or A-Level students that they might not get a better job than those who only studied up to GCSE? Or stop learning altogether, just in case it causes a "random
disaster" to occur. Talking of which, it appears I have steam coming out of my ears - is this due to our heated discussion...or a random disaster caused by gaining a doctorate?!
Enough. I'm out of here. Good night.
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