I left academia. Here's why.
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- čas přidán 12. 06. 2024
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Sometimes people ask me about why I got a PhD in philosophy - and, more often, why I left academia and ended up as a CZcamsr. I thought I'd tell you that story. A few things we cover: my start as a philosophy student, my decision to transfer PhD programs, leaving academia, whether or not I regret my PhD, and how I'd advise future students of philosophy based on my experiences.
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00:00 - Introduction
01:08 - Getting started in philosophy
02:07 - My dream was to become a professor
04:15 - Factor
05:50 - Starting graduate school
09:14 - Transferring to a new program
10:30 - Academia is in crisis
12:56 - Getting a job as an academic
17:54 - Getting a job outside of academia
19:11 - The quick summary of why I left
19:26 - What I miss
21:56 - Making this CZcams channel
23:49 - Let's answer some questions
24:11 - Do I regret getting my PhD?
25:23 - Please don't go into debt for a PhD
26:41 - Advice for potential students
29:07 - Should you go to graduate school in philosophy?
29:39 - How do you leave academia?
32:04 - Wrapping up
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Link to your dissertation?
Given the deterioration of academia by the far left, is anyone surprised ? Was the movie 'good will hunting' related to Boston Uni ?
@@Matlockization I read your comment and I think that you are dum as ass. Concatenate for fun!!
as long as human mind does exist then you don’t need academia anymore! many irrational thief apes don’t use academic references anymore because the reference became human thoughts (they steal and pollute human thoughts), take a look at Bernardo the thief, Joscha the thief, Vervaeke the thief,…. etc
10:00 The British do not face a crisis because they have been practicing theft for centuries. They have institutions dedicated to fraud, deception, and theft (they live on the tragedies of humanity since several centuries ago). Why don't you also practice theft and fraud?
I'm adjunct faculty and it's exhausting and demoralizing. The worst part of the whole thing is I'm good at teaching. I've won awards for my teaching. Students tell me years after we've been in class together that I inspired them. And the university doesn't care. Because teaching isn't valued by the administration. Students will be pay the same amount of tuition regardless. I don't bring in grants. And that's what matters. It's exhausting. I can't pay my rent in teaching awards and kind words.
=(((
That’s so sad. I hope you have an option of continuing to teach in other avenues, especially if teaching lights you up
Please get out
You have to go where you can teach, where you are valued for your teaching. Maybe a prep school or high school would be better b/c no grants are expected, just teaching. I mention prep school cos i imagine it pays higher
I have a friend with a PhD in Philosophy. After a post-doc and several years as a part-time (contract) professor she left to do an MBA degree. It was two years full time, but she ended up in investment banking and today is perfectly happy with the choice.
I was in a PhD program for mathematics, and the first day I was there the Dean of the department told us how incredibly difficult it will be to get a job as a professor when we are done. He said they get literally hundreds of applications whenever they have an opening for 1 tenure track position in the math department, and priority will go to someone with a robust record of publications. I saw a lot of older class mates who were finishing their programs struggle to find work in academia, other than adjunct roles or roles outside of academia. I got the masters degree and left for an industry job. One of the best decisions I've ever made.
Maths Phd is a great degree when looking for a job. Philosophy jobs are pretty rare, look before you leep folks.
Nobody cares if you have autism...I'm not going to cry for people with PH.D's. My dreams have died as many times as i have crossed into the 3.75 spiritual dimension in a single night....calculate that. if you need help with the math consult Heather O'Rourke.
Departments do not have deans. They have chairs or heads.
"Grieve for the life they weren't going to live." Perfectly encapsulates my college experience
Welcome 🙂...
Same here. I went in as a physics major and was so quickly disillusioned by academia. It’s not what everyone thinks it is.
I finished my undergrad and never looked back. It was difficult to realize I wouldn’t be living the life I expected, but my life now is far better than my life would have been in academia.
@@isaiahmumaw good luck my friend some of us fight for life
I got a PhD in Philosophy of Religion from King's College London. It was (and is) a top program. I had multiple peer reviewed publications, even serving as an assistant editor for a Routledge philosophy handbook. I had a strong beat on a JRF (like a superstar postdoc) lined up at Oxford and was on track to finish my degree on time. Then... a family member got sick. I had to pause my PhD (put in an interruption of studies) in order to take care of and be with this family member through the end of their life (about a year and a half). I came back and finished the PhD, but that was it. I was now damaged goods. I was out of the academia loop. I adjuncted at a community college for a few years, and picked up part time teaching at some graduate schools as well. I was rated very highly as a teacher, but eventually, I just wasn't making enough money to support a family. I left, moving into another area of public service, where I have been incredibly happy. I grieved the loss of my academic life. I also felt like a failure. As I looked back on my choices, I do not regret a single one. I did everything right, but because of life I was kicked aside. I hate that this is how academia is (I was a *good* teacher and *great* researcher), but I don't regret my choices at all.
@treymedley I went to KCL for a graduate degree in philosophy too. My experience there completely dissuaded me from pursuing academia. I did my undergraduate in North America, I loved it, and maybe in another life if I had done a graduate degree state-side I wouldn't have abandoned that career path. Now I work in tech! I'm curious, what area of public service do you work in that you enjoy?
It be brutal out here yo brotherman
Fact is there are WAY more PHD's in the arts than there is any academic use for. But you aren't exactly clear what the loop is.
You sound like a huge success in terms of academia, career, morals, and life. Well done, sir.
You are not damaged goods. You are compassionate, loyal, and dedicated. It is their loss. May you find another way to infuse your life with the good things you remember fondly from academia!
Jared you have 221k and counting subscribers and almost 10m views on your videos. That's 10 million times that people wanted to hear what you had to say, and 221k people that want to make sure they don't miss out your opinion and presentation of interesting material. That's a tremendous succuss by any measure, never consider yourself a failure. There are probably tenured professors all over this country, including the most prestigious schools, that wish they had the reach you have. Looking forward to more of your videos and would love to see some long form philosophy videos.
brilliant observation!
Long form philosophy videos by someone with a philosophy degree would be great
+
You might be interested in this podcast hosted by Peter Adamson, called "History of Philosophy, Without any Gaps", which are long-form, comprehensive, and very clear scholarship. It's still stuck in the classics, of course, so not the place for 20th century thought at the moment, but I'm a fan.
@@Eta_Carinae__ Thanks for suggestion
@@Eta_Carinae__ I found it a year or two ago and have been listening to it off and on. Every once in a while I look ahead to see where he's at... man he was not kidding when he said "without any gaps"
@@Eta_Carinae__ I am unable to find it on CZcams (atleast not in single playlist) can you suggest where i can get in a more feasible way?
I got my undergraduate degree in Philosophy and I'm now the head of cyber security architecture for one of the top 15 financial institutions in North America. I am 100% positive that my degree directly contributed to my entry into Cyber Security in addition to the successes I've had throughout my career. While it may not be obvious, what I learned in pursuit of degree (topics like logic, argumentation, and ethical reasoning) have served me extremely well over the decades. I would certainly be an advocate for the notion that a degree in philosophy can be rewarding outside the world of academia.
Wow. You should be proud of yourself. I'm thinking of doing my phd, but now I think I might change my mind 😂
For my undergrad, I did a dual major: music and philosophy. I had considered grad school and philosophy and law school. However, now I do technology consulting focused on cloud computing and data engineering. I think that a music degree: especially music theory and composition has very similar underlying thought processes to technology work.
I don’t know if this is sarcasm or a real story (not an English speaker).
Haha I need to talk to you. I studied political philosophy went into tech marketing and I’m now trying to transition to cybersecurity.
My undergrad was in Latin and Ancient Greek language and literature, and I was admitted to a highly ranked PhD program to work with a specific scholar on Roman comedy, but at the last minute I decided not to go, for many of the same reasons you describe here. Classics departments are being shuttered left and right (or merged with philosophy or religion departments!), and I would have been signing up for a life of instability (with little control over where I would live) and relative financial precarity. I also dreaded the idea of ruining my love of Latin literature by entering into a dysfunctional relationship with academia.
That was about 15 years ago, and it has proven to be the right decision for me. Unfortunately, several of my old colleagues are now out of work, and many of them are burned out or disillusioned.
I still read and translate Latin, but I do it out of fascination and passion, not because I'm desperately racing to stay relevant or pump up my publication list. My career thus far has been varied (and weird!) and interesting, and I have had amazing experiences I never would have had in academia.
I have a feeling that you too will look back in 10 or 15 years and be glad you made the choice you did. Among other things, you're bringing philosophy to more people as a youtuber than you ever could as a professor at a university.
Great move. Classics is a dead discipline. I have two friends whose departments were closed due to a lack of students. That was as tenured professors. Both ended up being moved to other employment by their universities. But both hate what they teach and the type of research they do. But they feel stuck since it is hard to move to another Classics department.
I know another Classics PhD who eventually went to law school and is happy as a lawyer. But that involved more student debt in getting the JD degree. Plus she was in her 30s before writing the bar. All of this cost her the opportunity for marriage and children.
So what did you move on to when you didn't take the academic path?
@@peke1822 I work in sales and marketing. The transition was not easy, but it is a lot less stress since the job is consistent and I am not worried about getting work contracts renewed.
@@peke1822 I went to law school, worked in contract and tax law, then later left to work in the publishing industry. A couple years later, I opened my own business. I now also serve on the board of directors for a non-profit that provides adult education to new immigrants and low-income people (GEDs, ESL, that sort of thing).
Thank you for this video, Jared. Witnessing the corporatization of higher education in the United States -- along with the drastic increase in administrative positions and administrative pay -- has saddened me as an educator. I have heard administrators refer to students as customers, and I have heard students say things like, "I paid for this course, so why can't I have an A?" To me, the decline of higher education has much to do with the fact that profit has replaced learning as the primary reason for its existence. Prioritizing profit is the reason we have a horrifically exploitative system where adjuncts are barely surviving in the hope that they might be one of the lucky few to get a full-time position. Twenty years ago, I would have advised students interested in a career in higher education to go for it. Today, I would not.
Clearly, those people, the student-customers, are not interested in learning, so of course they don't want to pay for teaching. They're paying for the diploma and the prestige of that institution. Unfortunately, the majority of people don't want to learn or work in general and it has been mostly society or government that in the past imposed learning and gave some authority to teachers and professors. Nowadays, many people are willing to teach as adjuncts for almost no pay and universities are not really motivated to pay people more on their own. Let's be honest, how many people look for ways to pay less for products and services?
And with no external authority to impose actual learning, it's up to the market to regulate itself. What we see is that those who want to really learn will pay for it and go to insitutions or individuals that really teach, including an online class or private tutoring, and in time university degrees will become less and less valuabe, with the private sector not making them a requirement in time. For most young adults college has become just a second high school, a way to postpone their teenage years without having to get a job because they get loans and money from their parents.
This comment makes me glad I bucked the advice of people I was studying under in academia 20 years ago and got out because I thought I could intuit what was already happening / on the horizon. It seems my guesses from that time of life were mostly correct. But I wish it were different.
On the other hand, just because you are interesed in researching or even purely learning something doesn't mean anyone should pay you for doing it. I don't see any problem with wanting something in return. So what are your contributions to society? Why should society pay you for doing what you do? You're not just asking for attention. You're asking for a salary, for money, which has to come from somewhere. So all that "corporatization" can't be that bad.
Interesting. It always irks me when I hear medical doctors and psychotherapists referring to their patients as clients. It’s about the same as customers. The appropriate language needs to be applied or those professionals should be referred to as traders.
@@SculptExpress-gv8jp Well, they are clients. Unless they pay, they cannot benefit from their service.
My father, with a doctorate in civil engineering from a prestigious university and a post-doc in marketing (!) went into the private sector in the late 90s. He published far more, at an astounding rate, after he left academia. His prestige became such that he was able to pick his own academic job a few years later.
I'm a huge fan of alternative/parallel academies. Glad I found your channel.
But academic life was very different like even 15 years ago than it is now, even more different during the 90's
@@peke1822 more competitive now you mean? I would guess.
@@peke1822 The foundational principle is still the same: publish or perish. It does not matter how or where you do it, and if you can make more money in the private sector, even better. What's competitive is to do it in the preset way of looking for a tenure-track job first. If you find an alternate path that is not saturated, you don't have the same stressors, obstacles, and competition.
@@quietudreparadora Publish or perish indeed. When the historians of posterity, if there is any posterity at the rate we're going, try to make sense of the past they will look back at late-capitalism western academia as the true engine of modern society's self-destruction. It seems like it's reaching a breaking point, what with the replication crisis rampant, even in the hard sciences, and every Tom Dick and Harry on the block getting their PhDs in.... whatever. Philosophy in this case. And of course no academic jobs for the boys left that aren't monopolized by what appears now to be a fully gamed academic employment prestige pyramid. And the universities just keep pumping out these random suburban schlubs who we're now supposed to regard as serious scholars, no matter the skyrocketing tuition, and no surprise American society not to mention the biosphere itself, appears to be collapsing under the weight of it all. And all because of the deathly shame of ever being reduced to the despised peasant underclass of real work. And I would definitely say CZcams is pretty much totally saturated with philosophy channels as well.
The university system needs to go. It never needed to be open to the general public. People would be so much happier....
Great video, Jared. I left philosophy in 1997 for much the same reasons you left, though I had the additional consideration that my dissertation was going nowhere. And twenty-seven years down the road, I still miss the things you miss: the seminars, the symposia, and just the community of people engaged with ideas.
Yep. I miss the relationships I had through academia. Going to conferences to see old friends. The flex time you don't get in real jobs. But I don't miss the BS.
I want to see a video on the scam and racket of academic journals. Super interesting. This is one of my favorite channels right now and I’d love to see more long form philosophy content
CZcams is full of those. Just put your request into the search bar and you'll find them.
Hey man im 32, studied chemical engineering at a big 10 state school. Got a chance to take an ancient greek philosophy class and it changed my life. I love love LOVE Plato and would love to see more videos about some of your favorite dialogues. Keep up the good work.
fascinating story for me who knows nothing about academia. I run a plant nursery and read books. Best wishes on continuing to do what you love.
There are many paths through life, and it sounds like you have chosen a nice one.
A plant nursery sounds very lovely, I’ve never even heard of that before.
Sounds like you have a great life! I salute you! I worked for the usual number of years, mostly as a high school teacher, which is brutal! I managed to get old enough to retire and changed my life to embrace my two favorite things: plants and books. I have a large, varied garden to spend time in, and am a member of several serious reading groups. Life is good!
Your life sounds amazing 👍
Man I want a life like you someday
My advice: post the type of content you’re genuinely interested in. I most appreciate how candid you are in these videos because it’s stuff you honestly care about. The philosophy of language sounds like a great place to start. I wouldn’t overthink your “vision” for the channel or else it will turn into a schtick that you probably won’t enjoy doing anymore.
I totally agree
Agree! I always love when CZcamsrs I follow post on random topics that actually come from the heart, as opposed to sticking to a "brand"
i think one of the factors contributing to this is that now that getting a degree has become the “default” path for most people, it has turned most universities into “degree factories” instead of places that really value education
everything has to be vocational, it all has to contribute to your ability to get a job or else it’s considered a naive endeavour. they are hyper focused on “hard skills” because that’s what you can put on a resume. i’m a political science major and my resume is mostly “i know how to work with quantitative data and do long form technical writing” - despite me thinking by far the most valuable skill i learned being understanding institutional logic and the workings of major projects. those, however, are nebulous and may not have immediately apparent use value.
it creates this death spiral where students are there cause they think they need it to live, profs are only there to chattel students through the program, and administrators boom because those are the people that make the higher ups feel important.
You spoke things I have felt and thought so much. I did my PhD in English Literature and grieved when it became apparent that an academic career would never materialise. I also miss conferences and research, and just having conversations with fellow researchers. I have just decided to start my own CZcams channel, which I how I found yours. Thank you for voicing what I have experienced. It’s the first time I have heard anyone else’s experience. Keep up the great work, love your channel!
This comment lead me to your channel and wow. You have earned another subscriber. I hope you find a better place here on CZcams than you did in academia. You certainly have a place here I think 💙
@@TiNBoY63 Thank you so much! Your comment made my day.
I took a very similar path man. I was particularly touched by the part where you talk about grieving for the life you're not going to live, and not having people around to talk to about the things that interest you intellectually. Great video, and thank you for sharing.
I backed out of academia when I was working on my Ph.D. dissertation in philosophy, and, yes, I definitely went through that grieving period, and still go through it at times, about the life I wouldn't be able to live. However, I backed out because I met my wife and started having a family, and I just couldn't dedicate the time needed to do the research and hold down a full-time job to support my family, so I do not consider that a bad thing. I got into philosophy in undergrad (I changed from a business major) because I loved it and I loved seeking the truth; philosophy changed my life and my world view. Even outside of institutionalized sophism, I am still able to read, discuss, and seek out the truth, as my humanity was not revoked with my enrollment in my program. Even if my day-to-day job is not at a college every day I continue to live a life of a philosopher and seek to understand myself in/and the world. Whether I have a Ph.D. or not, the joy I get from having meaningful conversations with others is not lessened or magnified by it, only my opportunities to be put in those situations to have those conversations.
@@Notmyname979 I am a manager at a software company.
@@Notmyname979 After grad school I took a lower level position at a company doing analyst work and did well, so I got promoted to a management position. I was then able to make a move into another company to a non-management analyst position, where I excelled and worked my way up the corporate ladder into another management role. In business, a lot of times, it isn't what degree you have, it is the traits you have (e.g., being thoughtful, analytical, eye for detail, good communication, etc.). Philosophy helps develop a lot of those desirable skills, which really allows a philosophy student to in excel various industries one wouldn't normally think of.
Thank you for this video, Jared, and for your other work as well. I hope you keep the channel going!
I'm a PhD "affiliate" faculty, nearing the end of my teaching career. For me, not having to attend meetings was a bonus, helping to make up for a substantially lower salary than my tenured colleagues. It also helps that I've had a life outside of academia as well. But when a student asks me about whether they should do graduate work in philosophy, I always ask them, to begin, "Have you had a recent mental health examination?" 🙂
I bailed 30 years ago when some of the trends you discuss were already underway. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Nice to hear the issues explored by someone vastly more articulate than I am. Cheers!
This was the case ten years ago too. I loved university, but even in undergrad I was seeing the writing on the wall with how my younger professors were being treated and never really considered going for a PhD. It isn’t the job it used to be sixty years ago.
Love these types of videos, its really interesting to hear an honest perspective with no bs. Glad you chose CZcams!
Thanks for the honest video!
It really resonates with my personal experience of getting a PhD
I wish you all the best!
I think a potential area for videos to explore is how philosophy connects with contemporary discourse, current events, etc. I think people often fail to see the connection. For example, how systems logic is related to computer science or AI, or how protestant theology informed modern liberal ethics, or the relationship between the current political discourse and its philosophical origins. I think people don't see the connections there because they're not often explained.
It’s because in the US high schools kids are not having any discussions or debates. They lack to connect things, and worse their critical thinking is barely developing. My very smart nephew hated the high school for an overwhelming amount of testing, lack of interactions, lack of exchange of ideas. He succeeded in getting himself into a very good university and hopefully he’ll be able to use his mind.
Interesting! I am doing a history phd in Sweden and I believe the situation isn't quite as dire here. All phd programs are fully funded so working conditions are much better overall. But my (honest) advice would be to only do a phd if it's the only thing you're good at that can give you an income, hehe.
Checks out. I spent several years as a postdoc adjunct. Love many things about the life, but have been happier since stepping off the track. English PhD, 18th/19th c, now a software dev. The underlying skill set isn’t so different. I miss teaching the most. Thanks for sharing your story!!
Sort of the same here. Got out of grad school a little sooner than you (after M.A. before PhD), found my way into tech in the nineties. Had several years of very stressful but extremely lucrative work. I put myself permanently ahead, at least financially (but other ways too), with my decision to leave academia.
i was literally journaling while watching the video because i saw your journaling videos 7-8 months ago. i honestly want more of that stuff
Very relatable. I have a PhD in anthropology and was enrolled in a prestigious programme in Europe. The state of universities over here is similar to the US. Just instead of being forced to move to a different city, we're forced to move to different countries in the Post-Doc treadmill. I'm glad you found something that fulfills your intellectual muscle. I also left academia about 2 years ago and am still going through the grieving stages, but happy about the decision.
Alot of wisdom in this video. Thank you for sharing.
Jared, thank you for sharing this post. You experience echoes mine; I left academia after completing my doctorate in philosophy of religion in London around 25 years ago, for similar reasons to the ones you describe. I can attest to the grieving process; when asked whether I miss it, I tend to say, only every hour or so, which is only partly a joke. Looking through the comments it's clear there is no shortage of people who share this experience or something like it.
What you are doing, and I hope will do more, is building an online community of people who can continue to explore philosophy outside the academy, which is very valuable. I've continued to study since leaving, though not to write; I am beginning to change that now, and to develop the scope of a research project, as I'm coming to think that the study of philosophy will be more rewarding for me when directed to an end - that is, when I have a particular research project in mind. (Though, that may or may not require actual writing.)
I wonder whether the internet/social media is a platform for something going beyond simply a community of people with this shared interest - to enable them to *collaborate* actively in philosophy (or in any discipline) in a way analogous to the academic setting - rebuilding the academy outside the academy, as it were, with a slightly more open nature and set of conventions, without compromising academic and intellectual standards in so doing. Do you have any thoughts about that and how it might work?
Thanks for being open and vulnerable. It's very refreshing to see. I'd love to hear, in the future, you discuss philosophy around education or learning.
Hey man, I appreciate the video, it was interesting to hear your reasoning. I work as a professional in public libraries, and the bit you mentioned about certain departments facing budget cuts, lay-offs, and only hiring part-time and contractual staff really hit home for me. Lots of parallels there, unfortunately. I’m glad that you found a way out of your situation. Thanks for the great content you put out, regardless of its frequency
Absolutely go more in depth on philosophy topics. The more philosophy available for free on the internet the better because like you said the racket keeps people away from knowledge.
Could you possibly consider adding subtitles? That would be really helpful for non-native listeners like me.
The automatic ones work well I use them
Automatic transcript works too... cut 'n' pastable too.
my brother in christ click the CC button
The CC bitton at the top right of the screen will turn on the captions 😊
Thank you for sharing your story. I found your voice so calming, even if you were talking about triggering topics for me. I am a PhD candidate trying to finish my degree. I fell out of love for academia a while ago and feel like I have lost so much of my precious time in it... I got sick as a result. I have been actively working on side projects that will help me work elsewhere but in research at universities. I think keeping those options up is so important!
Jared, this is a phenomenal video. I'm nearly done with my BA in history, and I also had dreams of working in the academy. I've slowly come to realize that I don't think I'm cut out for it, plus the chances of success in that field are so dismal. It's been a very bitter pill to swallow, and honestly kind of depressing. So i'm looking into other things I could do with this degree. Thank you for your advice and honesty.
Start a history CZcams channel
I would enjoy longer philosophy videos. Your approach and chosen subject matter to each of your videos always keeps my engagement. It often takes me down a new rabbit hole of exploration as well. Congratulations on your new home with the family.
Thanks for this video. We would all love long philosophy vids. Thanks for your insight into academia
Hey dude, tons of respect for the honesty you put in doing this video, you really seem a nice person, we dont get that fake feeling that we get from seeing other vlogers and influencers.
Thank you for sharing Jared ❤
yes, I would enjoy long form philosophy videos very much! Your channel is a great source of and joy and food for thought (and bills for books too :D )
I stumbled across your channel searching for videos about books and ideas. And I'm a fan. I am in academia, and have gone through some of the challenges you described, and have had nearly identical conversations with my own students. Thanks so much for your candor and for your spot-on observations. I look forward to what comes next with your channel.
Thanks for introducing me to the writing of Ursula K. LeGuin. I might never have picked up her books if it wasn't for your recommendations. I appreciate your book reviews and journaling content.
These are the same problems that we face here in the Eastern hemisphere. I am from India and let me assure you that getting into academia and staying there is close to impossible. Plus getting a P.hd will send you into an existential crisis
PHD aka permanent head damage
PhD in India is close to actual suicide as you can.
Would love to see more videos of this kind where you just ramble on! It's different from your usual videos, but I did enjoy it quite a bit.
Jared. I am from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I had to leave academia for similar reasons. This video helped me a lot. Thank you.
You've pointed out the reasons I didn't return to school to get my masters/PhD. Great content. Looking forward to more videos!
Definitely here to engage with your thinking, brother! I am so interested in the theology of language and how it interacts with a philosophy of language. Absolutely love these topics.
Blessings on you, brother. Thank you for your content!
Finishing up my first year as a tenure track professor at a junior college. Honestly love it, introduction classes are fun if you make them fun, I think more PhDs should take this sector seriously. (Not for nothing, but the pay is also not bad at all - even better than some liberal arts).
PS my college is two hours from Austin, if you ever wanted to be a guest speaker!
I came here to say something similar (I am at a small private university, also about 2 hrs. from Austin!). There are something like 3000 schools in the nation, so many people just focus on those 100 or so "big" schools as the only option. My school is smaller than many high schools. Getting tenure was basically a breeze (love teaching and don't be a jerk) and there is none of the "publish or perish" mindset. It's a pretty great option. Our applicant pools have shrunk since covid. In all fields we are seeing around 10 applicants for searches, a couple of those aren't really qualified, so it's not as nearly as competitive as it once was. Still, I get that its not for everyone and I'm glad there are non academic options out there across the disciplines.
As a PhD in math who worked at a two year college for about a decade, I agree both with the assertion that teaching the intro classes can be fun and that more PhDs should take the sector seriously. I found it to be an interesting and challenging job not so much because the math was difficult but because the task of helping students connect with the material and open doors to a different future for themselves required flexibility, depth of subject knowledge, and close attention. I have also taught intro classes at large institutions and that was NOT fun for me, so...mileage can vary on that depending on your environment.
Things I think need to be considered before embarking on such a career:
* First, these jobs do not normally give you time to continue the sort of research in the field that a tenure-track job at a research institution would, and you need to be okay with that. Research is not considered part of your job and is not directly rewarded. That has benefits and drawbacks.
* Second, these jobs are very teaching-heavy. If you don't love teaching, you're not going to love being at a junior college or community college.
* Third, if you start out with an attitude about the type of students you're going to encounter in the job, you're likely to be unhappy. These students have to be met where they are and, as does everyone else you encounter, deserve to be treated with respect.
I just wanted to be up-front about those aspects of it because my experience with people who earn PhDs is that they often don't earn those degrees because they're excited about teaching.
@@amw6846 a lot of great wisdom here! For sure, if your interest is solely in research, a 2 year is not the way to go. I guess I was one of the weirdos who got a PhD for the purposes of teaching 😂
I can only speak to my experience, but in graduate school, I taught intro classes at an R2 “good not great” research institution, and when I compare their students skills to that of my current two year, I don’t see a lot of difference. This isn’t a critique at all of either student set, but I had tons of invested students at each and a good amount “give me the credits so I can leave” students at each, too.
@ProductionsFromBeyon thanks! I absolutely had great students at the two year college. Math is weird because most places require a certain amount of teaching the courses for students deemed not ready for college-level coursework, and there are a lot of different ways that's handled. Some of those students at the low end are really low. Also, students weren't required to pass ESL benchmarks before taking math courses.
That said, the math chops of students who were taking a given course were relatively comparable to those at other institutions. They tended towards more varied backgrounds, which I found made teaching more interesting.
Your channel has been a gift. I became interested in philosophy at age 45, after 16 years of teaching community college English. I love my job, but I suddenly wanted to learn about the voices that inspired and shape many of the voices and ideas I appreciate. Your channel has been a great resource and encouragement as I began my self-study. Keep up the good work. Many of us are taking notes. And blessings to your family in your move.
Love your work! As a philosophy undergrad myself, I've always been fascinated by the historical aspect of philosophy. A series where you explore how different ideas influenced each other would be really cool!
Wow, a great video that many people (students, faculty, and admin, politicians etc.) should all hear. So many great points made not just about academia but also student loans, the motive to work hard as an undergraduate, and hiring in general. But I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised since it’s coming from a philosopher.
I found that my reasons were very similar when leaving the university (mathematics). But you can always do what you love even if it’s not your official job. I still research math and that’s the real reason we started academia in the first place: for the joy of it as a hobby.
UNLV issues Las Vegas residents library cards on request and lets them check out books, etc. In 2012 residents with a library card had full access to their online holdings too, but several years ago they reduced that to a single terminal that only offers partial access (this is for the general public, so there is no log-in). I've found interlibrary loan through the public library (Las Vegas-Clark County) to be the most useful resource of all.
So glad the algorithm recommended this video to me. Jared I too had an extremely similar story to yours (albeit in the UK). And I even made a channel for the same reasons. I don’t regret my decision either. I am so glad to hear that I am not alone! I will watch more of your videos and subscribe. Congratulations on the success of your channel!
Such a great and honest video.
Hi Jared, nice video and I appreciate that you shared your background.
I’m the type of person that is interested in the person and their background so for me it was enjoyable to hear.
You are a soft spoken man which I believe is a huge benefit in your field.
I’m a 63 year old widower studying philosophy and so I look forward to your book recommendations as well as your natural talent for teaching.
Congrats on your new home and new family.
Dang, really relating to your journey. I'm currently transitioning out of a career path I though I'd do for the rest of my life. I truly think this new path I'm on will be better for me, but I also have this voice in the back of my head saying it was a decision based in fear.
As for video ideas for the channel, I'm currently watching and enjoying John Vervaeke's 'Awakening From the Meaning Crisis' and I would love getting content like that but with your unique perspective and voice
I am almost an associate professor in Sweden (it will be in autumn), I can say that in Europe universities are in crisis too...but here in the nordics, despites highs and low the situation is not so bad. (Ok not perfect...but I cannot complain). About PhD...here in Europe we got paid. Here in Sweden I had 2500 euros (netto) per month. This allowed to me to have a "normal" life. Plus books and travels expenses.
Yeah, this is very specific to the Nordics I think but not the case for the UK, Germany or France. I know a lot of people who moved to Sweden or Finland because you guys still have jobs and something like security when you're in the humanities or social sciences.
Your long form stoic videos has been some of my favorite content you've produced thus far! Long form philosophy essays have been of much more educational benefit than my current undergrad philosophy program because your work is superb!
I’m a grad student in psychology with a focus on language, specific to abnormalities arising whilst in psychosis-tangentially related.
Just want to say: I appreciate your content and especially this video.
Very well articulated and lots of "food for thought", but I wouldn't expect any less from you.
I think you are on the right track for content and I actually really appreciate the tangential information like journals and academia, but I understand that identifying with a specific theme could boost your channel. I listen to increase chances of new ideas that I have not heard of. Deep dive Dopamine.
Enjoyed this chat!
Thank you, Jared, a lot! It was not the video that I expected to see from you, but definitely the video I would love to see from you.
Thank you for giving an honest account of your experience, to help others who are about to take, or who are already on this path.
Very passionate and moving and practical. You have helped an immense number of people.
Well done, Jason, a very balanced, fair-minded and accurate overview of the situation facing aspiriing academics, particularly in the Humanities. I am an Emeritus with a daughter heading to grad school in English in the Fall. I am pleased of course but concerned about the state of the profession, which is as important to civil society as it ever was, perhaps more.
thanks for sharing your story
Congrats on your baby and your channel is awesome.
Jared, Appreciate your transparency about your education & experiences. In the early 80's when I was college, I discovered the downside of the academic life as well. I had a couple of close friends-one a Professor of Latin & the other Religious Studies-- their lives were always uncertain and it was difficult for them financially with 2 young children. They strongly advised me against the academic life, which I took to heart and pursued a different path.
Long form videos on Philosophy would be excellent. I enjoy the intersection of literature and art with Philosophy. In addition, History of Philosophy as well.
You may say this video is rambly, but it is such an honest, candid, analysis of career in academia. Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely valuable insights and wisdom
Thank you for sharing. I'm a physicist and I can relate very well to some parts of your jouney. I am still in academia, but it has been a constant struggle. I wish you and those on your side the best.
Thanks for this video, Jared. I usually never comment on CZcams, but this topic hits close to home, as it’s something I’ve grappled with personally for a while. I’m also a Texan (who recently attended a conference at Austin!); I recently graduated with my degree in philosophy and a minor in chemistry, and I happened to get accepted to a master’s program in philosophy in the UK, which I’m incredibly grateful for. I’ve always wanted (and still to some extent want) to obtain a PhD. My academic moves so far have been geared toward that: conferences, a published paper, etc., but I’ve always been skeptical and weary of doing so for the reasons you mentioned. As much as the rhetoric from my family annoys me, partly as a consequence of my youth (“you have to earn a ‘living’ somehow!”), deep down I know it’s largely correct. Luckily, because of a scholarship, I don’t have any student debt from my undergraduate degree. So funding any future endeavors in grad school would be slightly easier. Still, it pains me to see how the pursuit of knowledge has been barred from those who want it the most. I’ve always wanted to do research in academia, but over time I’ve realized how exceedingly hard it is to do so in comfort and security. Thanks for opening me up to what else is out there. PhD or not, I’ll keep your experiences in mind.
as i grow older i get more interested in learning at least an introductory level of the philosophy of (e.g., language, music, science, etc.)..
thank you jared for all you do. society these days needs more wisdom and you among others help expose a lot more people (laymen) to the world of ideas, to think deeply, slowly..
I think you should continue to make videos on whichever subjects you are most passionate about. I think it always shows as it does in this video. I have a question... you mention missing out on the Academic journals that are very expensive. Do the new ideas that come out in those journals correspond with what the public observes as new ideas, on say platforms such as youtube? I like to think about philosophy, and what will be remembered from today's so called Philosophers after they and we have passed. Love your content, thanks!
Jared, I don't have any formal training in Philosophy. Your channel was one of the first that got the ball rolling for me, so thank you. I think in depth philosophy content would be great. Personally, I would enjoy getting a comprehensive understanding of the arguments of philosophers that shaped the course of history. Their ideas make up the symbolic world we live in, and that's amazing!
What a great channel. So happy to have found it.
More long form philosophy please. We'll be here. Thank you for your videos
Thank you for this video. I've never seen your channel before, nor am I in philosophy myself, but I've recently been put in a situation where being in academia has become untenable for me. A lot of people I've listened to on this topic before approach it with a kind of glib doomerism--"Academia is completely broken! Leave now and you'll never regret it!" which I always found unhelpful, because I--and every academic!--am here because I love the subject I study, and I love teaching it to others. How could I not regret leaving? So I really appreciate you admitting that there are things you miss, and that there was grief for the life you thought you'd have, and that you did have to overcome the feeling of failing, but that it was the right choice anyways. You've given me some hope for my future. Thank you.
Thanks! I look forward to your new videos!
Hi Jared. I enjoyed hearing about your career decisions, disappointments, and successes. I am one of your subscribers who is older, not oriented to philosophy, and not a college graduate. My son-in-law has a PhD. He currently teaches a few counseling education classes at a state college branch. Not his dream job and his degrees came with huge debt. As for myself, I am in a life transition due to the death of my spouse 6 months ago. I guess more accurately I am in a life crises as I am trying to heal from trauma and navigate grief. Your videos have given me a lot to consider as I struggle to accept my new realities.
I commend your decision for a more secure livelihood. An idea for your channel would be to stream panel discussions with other philosophers about a particular topic. It might give you miss from academia and giving the audience insight into those robust conversations.
ya as a philosophy BA graduate- pls make videos exploring philosophical topics youre interested in!! long form stuff (30-40min) is the sweet spot for youtube
i love the stuff that other channels like formacapes do
I just want to say how much I appreciated watching this video. I have a PhD in English and work as an adjunct at three different colleges. I don't regret my time as a graduate student (and I second what Jared says about the importance of actually liking the experience and NOT going into debt in the process), but I do have to admit that I am rather dissatisfied in my current role in life (for me, grading a lot of student papers is the worst). (Knowing what I know now, I'm not sure I would have tried to get a PhD in English although it was a very happy time in my life during that process.) I am glad that you were able to find a way of life that works well for you and your family. For several years, I did work in a non-academic job (while also teaching night classes), but it was in the housing industry (low level structural design of roof trusses) and that business went under during the housing market collapse in 2008. In regards to your plans for future videos: do whatever you like. I like your content a lot and have watched many of your videos. Just from my own perspective, though, I tend to avoid videos that are longer than about 30 minutes. It's too much of a time investment for me. I like watching a variety of different content, and if it's more than about 30 minutes that uses up too much of the limited time I have to watch. It could just also be my diminished attention span that can't take much longer than that, and I start to lose interest quickly. Anyways, again, thank you for the personable nature of this particular video. Whenever we can share our stories with one another, good things usually result.
Thanks for sharing, Jared, I suspect this video is more valuable than you're giving it credit for. I have a similar take on teaching and Special Education, after almost 30 years of teaching. I"m retired, now, and enjoy ideas, writing and reading - very much. I think - even if you didn't become a prof', that all the work you've done has also been a great exercise regiment for brainbox. Seems like you slid into tech with a fair amount'f ease and - I'm sure contributed to an important conversation, visa vie, AI. Again, thanks for the chat, it was a good one.
I’m very happy to hear you talk about this. I always felt like I related to you on the front of leaving professional philosophy for a steady life. I wanted to go to grad school so desperately as an undergraduate and thinking that I was going to go back to my Alma mater to teach alongside my old professors (and honestly I think they thought so too).
I went absolutely against that and joined the military instead because I was going to get free grad school if I enlisted and went back to Texas. I still intend on doing that, but I look at my friends who went straight for that path and see them struggle with the job availability and insecurity. Some of them got their terminal masters and just decided to work regular corporate jobs. It felt pretty terrifying that I was so close to living in poverty when now I have a house with expendable income.
Even with that, I still feel like I’m losing out on something I love very much. I still think I’m capable in philosophy to do more, and me being outside of academia has gave me the feeling of being wasted, that I could’ve done something. However, I always seem to come back to your videos and think to myself that not only is it alright that I didn’t immediately pursue graduate school, but also that I can still participate in something I love just like I was having these long intense conversations about ideas that we found important to discuss. That reassurance drives to feel good about the work I did and to keep talking with people like-minded who think these ideas are worth talking about.
I’m happy you’re thinking of longer form videos, and I’m even happier and grateful that you take the time to make these videos. Helping a lost philosophical soul like myself find something to get him to feel the ways he did just talking about good books with friends is something you can especially feel proud of. I’m anxiously waiting for your first long-form video about philosophy. Hell, I would love it if you did one about a fantasy series or book as well.
I'm a high school senior, and this video was really great. For so, so long I've felt a sort of dedication to academia- I was precocious in philosophy prior so it always felt like...the path for me. Reading journal articles is how I spent 80% of my free time, but honestly at this point I'm wondering if I even wanna go to college...thank you for giving me much to chew on.
I'm a cs student that have always wanted to read philosophy but find it to complex and also was hard to read a whole book of idk 200 pages. this year i wanted to start reading again like when i was a kid and read in a week 3 harry potter books. in this time i found your channel, learning how to read and enjoy it more, getting more out of the books and starting a small background in philosophy, just as a hobby. knowing you left academia shocked me a little but at the same time i understood, because i want to be a professor in my area too. it's awfuly paid where i am from (greetings from Chile!) but is more of a calling than a choice for me, it comes from my heart. still teaching, sort of, in your youtube channel is a wonderful news. kkeping up with that fulfilling feeling. it inspired me a lot and made me think of my future choices: trying to make a living and somehow still teach, give back to my peers an fellow coleagues. an equilibrium is hard but hard work (smart work, actually) makes it possible. your video gave me the hope to feel its possible. thank you, for your content and for sharing this :)
This video was made for me. Thank you for the advice it has cleared up a lot in my mind now. I think you are doing a great job with this channel teaching people about how to read and write better I think that is really awesome, keep it up.
hey jared, recent philosophy phd here (also with a relatively new kid, also married to a philosopher!). a lot of what you said really resonated with me, especially as someone on the job market with philosophy of logic as an AOS, desperately trying to avoid falling into an adjunct pit. i too have been thinking about making philosophy content on YT as a way of staying involved in some way with my passion independently of my job prospects in academia. maybe i’ll pass along all my good video ideas to you so they’ll see the light of day since i doubt YT is really in the cards for me
Philosophy of logic is brutal right now, from what I can tell. (When I listed my AOS, it was always language, logic, and metaphysics.)
just found your channel today and loved your talk.
Wonderful, insightful perspectives. Thank you for sharing your journey. I had a similar experience in a different field (theology). My son is very interested in philosophy and plans to pursue it in college. I've forwarded your video. I think he'll find it very valuable. I'm subscribing to your channel and look forward to learning more from you. Thanks!
I am in seminary. I would love to hear your thoughts on the philosophy of religion, what theologians you have read and enjoyed, what your faith life is like, those kinds of things. Obviously there are significant intersections between philosophy, theology, and ethics, so maybe you could talk about that too.
Excellent Video!
I'm just finishing my PhD and am facing similar questions. However, I had begun teaching at JC prior to beginning my program and was able to keep teaching there while also teaching at university, and doing course work, research, and dissertating. (I do not recommend this strategy.) I'm not sure if I'll find a tenure track job (I'm in California) but in my experience, adjuncting is fine at university level. (They're called Continuing Lecturers here. The have a union and health care, but are still underpaid.) There's a bit of room to inject lower div courses with your own stuff. Please keep producing great content. I'd love to see your expertise brought to bear on in-depth philosophical questions / papers / thinkers.
Thanks for this video, I’ve always had an interest in attending university and even more so in teaching. However, I always stopped myself during the application process when I’m reminded of how slim the chances are of me finding a job that will pay a respectable and meaning wage. I personally love history most, and enjoy sharing it with others, but I’d rather make enough money to provide for my family.
My best wishes for you and your wife through this transition and I hope you only continue to find new and creative ways to tap into that philosophical side of life!
Additionally, I think a collaboration with Parker Notes here on CZcams would be awesome! He’s had a couple interviews with philosophers from several backgrounds and different expertises and it’s always super interesting to see the dialogue between him and others. I think you two would have a really fun conversation!
Hi man. As an engineering student that has interest in philosophy the videos you make are a cool company for the long studying sessions. Glad that you found a space in CZcams to keep sharing this passion. Keep it up