Today was another reminder that there's a grand chance that I may not make it in academia. I realize that there are hierarchies and untouchables and ultra secret magical powers that I'm supposed to pretend don't exist . . . and it all just makes me think that I may have gotten lost in a world where I don't belong. Here's why:
1. Why are things like discrimination based on race or gender illegal, but discrimination based on other elements (even when blatant) can sometimes be strategically overlooked?
2. I know I'm not a professor yet and I know I don't have tenure, but that doesn't mean I walk around with my eyes closed. If I see something that's unfair, even if it doesn't have to do with me, I'm not going to stand for it. Isn't that what responsible, caring people do? Isn't part of collegiality looking out for each other?
3. When did the word "service" become an obscenity? Am I not providing the world a service by educating its young people? Am I not helping others to expand their horizons and the opportunity to explore new cultures? So why is the service I provide less valuable than the same service provided by someone who teaches a different discipline? It's not, but how do I prove that?
4. Respecting your elders and standing up for what is right can be mutually exclusive. Just because someone has been around for a long time doesn't mean that you shouldn't discuss decisions that you feel are unfair or made in error. Everything is negotiable, is it not?
5. I don't roll over and die in anything that I do. Why do you think I'd do it for the one thing I'm most passionate about?
Comments? Advice from my more worldly, seasoned, and experienced friends and colleagues? All thoughts are welcome!
