The Church of Academia

Posted by jgrant, 2009-11-02 19:32:35

From the horse's mouth no less :

Since it is the system that ratifies the product—ipso facto, no one outside the community of experts is qualified to rate the value of the work produced within it—the most important function of the system is not the production of knowledge. It is the reproduction of the system. To put it another way, the most important function of the system, both for purposes of its continued survival and for purposes of controlling the market for its products, is the production of the producers. The academic disciplines effectively monopolize (or attempt to monopolize) the production of knowledge in their fields, and they monopolize the production of knowledge producers as well. This is why, for example, you cannot take a course in the law (apart from legal history) outside a law school. In fact, law schools urge applicants to major in areas outside the law. They say that this makes lawyers well-rounded, but it also helps to ensure that future lawyers will be trained only by other lawyers. It helps lawyers retain a monopoly on knowledge of the law.

The article accurately describes the chronic situation which has long shared similar qualities with those of the zombie spiritual supermarkets.
It's encouraging and surprising to hear that a tenured professor from Harvard is actually calling the system on it's flaws. One has to wonder if and when any of these kinds of articles(which ironically seem to be popping up via the system itself) will bring any schools back to a prime directive of knowledge(and possibly wisdom) ?

You may be interested in these too (some written by professors) :
"Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age" (Dr. George Siemens)
"The Disadvantages of an Elite Education" (Dr. William Deresiewicz)
"Why I am Not a Professor" (Dr. Mark Tarver)
"Class of 2009" (Bill Maher)
"Why I left Math" (Ben Tilly. A grad student who unregretfully gave up on his Math PhD)
"The Heretick and the Holie"


Let's finish with this gem, shall we ?

Their Way
words by Bob Blue (copyright 1970)
music by Paul Anka (“My Way,” copyright 1969)

I came, bought all my books,
lived in the dorms, followed directions.
I worked, I studied hard,
met lots of folks who had connections.
I crammed. They gave me grades,
and may I say, not in a fair way.
But more, much more than this, I did it their way.

I learned all sorts of things,
although I know I’ll never use them.
The courses that I took
were all required. I didn’t choose them.
You’ll find that to survive,
it’s best to act the doctrinaire way,
And so I buckled down and did it their way.

Yes, there were times I wondered why
I had to crawl when I could fly.
I had my doubts, but after all,
I clipped my wings, and learned to crawl.
I learned to bend, and in the end, I did it their way.

And so, my fine young friends,
now that I am a full professor,
Where once I was oppressed,
I’ve now become the cruel oppressor.
With me, you’ll learn to cope.
You’ll learn to climb life’s golden stairway.
Like me, you’ll see the light, and do it their way.

For what can I do? What can I do?
Take out your books. Read Chapter two.
And if to you it seems routine,
don’t speak to me: Go see the dean.
As long as they give me my pay,
I’ll do it their way.

~Elizabeth Block