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[twofish]

Again, I don't mean to minimize some of the real structural issues, but a lot of the time I think the biggest problem is academics themselves. A lot of people in academia are overly sensitive idealists who don't always deal well with setbacks.

I'd argue that this has something to do with the structure of academia.  If a lot of people in academia act in a certain way, the obvious question is why?

There is a fear, which is grounded in some reality, that any setback has the potential for being fatal.  Academia has a very strict "up or out" system, and once you are "out" it is practically impossible to get back in without doing something truly bizarre.

The other issue is that there is a perception (which again is based on some reality) that there are gatekeepers in academia, who you simply cannot maneuver around.  One final thing is that the way the system is structured, the possibility of getting kicked out is considered both frightening and shameful.

[tranquility]

*still based on fictional events of course*

Thank you to everyone who replied to this thread. It has really made me feel a lot better. Yes, I was pretty late to take the rose-colored glasses off, (I am not at all sure that that weakness is not related to a major strength though) anyway, you do expect some cronyism etc, I was not prepared for the degree to which things were false and punishing to those that didn't catch on very quickly...

histgradstuden, maybe you haven't exactly experienced the same degree of deceit that some of us have, or, maybe started early, or easily learned to be, a "player of the game"... but it's something I knew I was bad at, and would have already expected a person would need to be in business school, or a politician, but not so much in the more "homely" academic areas.

I was not aware the DEGREE to which hypocrosy would be required, largely because of the CONSTANT message that we must be authentic, direct, truthful, ask the difficult questions, etc, this is our JOB, I don't know about you but I get this message over and over and over and over and over from my school. It's hard to just KNOW right away that they really mean the opposite.

Oh, and the fact that when people get caught doing the status quo, everyone feigns absolute DISGUST about this terrible SINNER who has done such unethical things (the same things they're apparently doing too, but the "evil" guy got caught).

Talking to some friends studying in other areas, even at the same school, I get the impression this doesn't always occur, or, my friends are as naive as I was :) And actually, I know it's not everyone in my area either, but it's kinda odd isn't, it, the "MBA personality" easily dominates all the others....

Also, I've never had a job where I've had to deal with this crap. Perhaps it's indicative of my low status in those jobs though, because I didn't have to deal with this in undergrad either.

[tranquility]

OH! I have an interesting followup. Let's say, for practicality's sake, one decides to be an early bird and be skeptical about the reality of ethics in the future. Where does the practicality stop, and the paranoia begin?

There must be some kind of guidelines people have for when you can know someone's talking to you for real or for pretend. Any tips?

[drillers1]

OH! I have an interesting followup. Let's say, for practicality's sake, one decides to be an early bird and be skeptical about the reality of ethics in the future. Where does the practicality stop, and the paranoia begin?

There must be some kind of guidelines people have for when you can know someone's talking to you for real or for pretend. Any tips?

Dude, consider it vigilance, not paranoia.

[amlithist]

I don't know that being cynical and also wanting to change the world are necessarily exclusive.  I prefer to see the cynical side of myself as being willing to say "the emperor has no clothes," and on the tt, I DO say it, with full recognition of the political ramifications.  If the heat is too much, you find ways to be cynical to your heart's content--don't internalize it, but instead share it with like-minded cynics.  I have a good group of colleagues/friends and we regularly have b*tch sessions, which allows us to then put on the happy face when we need to.  But it doesn't mean that we happily fall in line will all the institutional BS--on the contrary, we see it for what it is and are actively working behind the scenes, under the radar, to bring about change.  But internalizing it would eat me alive, I think; I live for those moments I can grab a friend to go out for a smoke in a secluded area and b*tch to our heart's content--then I'm ready to go back inside and do what needs to be done.

And yes, my tenure is newly approved.  This isn't any great theory I developed, BTW--it's based on the advice of a number of mentors/friends/trusted colleagues.  What it comes down to is self-preservation, in a way.

[twofish]

Something that I mentioned in passing but is useful for me to manage cynicism is to volunteer to talk about my field (astronomy) to younger people (anywhere from elementary schools students to undergraduates). 

On the one hand this provides a boost of energy by reminding me about how and why I got into the field.  On the other hand, doing this in some ways increases my cynicism since it makes the academic nonsense more obvious.

One experiment that I'm going to try in the next few months is becoming a "street professor" (i.e. I'm trying to volunteer at a museum to walk around and answering questions).  If I get really ambitious, I might see if I can get myself hired to perform at kid's birthday parties.

[mountainguy]

Interesting thread. I have just two thoughts to contribute:

1) I've seen many people in my graduate program and in academe in general forget that there is a world outside of the ivory tower. During my first week of grad school three years ago, one of the older students in the program gave me a great piece of advice: "don't let grad school become your entire life." You will go crazy if you do. Find a group of people with interests outside of your field. For me, it's religious activities. For other people it could be something like sports, community service, gardening, anything.

2) The second thing to consider is what the exact source of your cynicism is. If it's the sense that things like tenure, teaching, and publishing are all political, then it is kind of a reality adjustment. But if you're cynical because of unjust practices in your current graduate program, you may be in a position to make choices about how to remove yourself from the situation. As an example, my MA advisor was a vindictive and mean-spirited person who delighted in making her advisees miserable. After nearly quitting academia, I decided to take a chance on a new advisor. He's far from perfect, but in comparison to what I was dealing with before, I'm much happier now than I was before.

[philoctetes]

Do not battle cynicism. Embrace it. Let it wash over you like a warm bath. Draw your strength from it. Smile on the outside, but inside give your inner cynic free reign. The true cynic knows that outward cynicism is counterproductive. That is the path of failure. Successful cynics hide their true nature, play the game, and are unfailingly polite.

[film_guy]

A variety of corruption and "unfairness" in my academic world is becoming more and more visible to me lately. There is strong pressure not to complain, pretend that the academic environment is wonderful, and that you're thrilled to be involved. Most, but not all, my peers have adapted to this, externally, but I don't know how they do it, emotionally. Unfortunately I'm not close friends with any of the successful transitioners.

Dude, welcome to the world, but I do know how you feel. I used to be cynical about corruption and unfairness, and then I learned to embrace it. Pretending that the academic environment is wonderful and you're thrilled to be involved in it (even if you think it's unfair and corrupt) is called playing politics, and you do it to get what you want and what you need. You've got to erase any other Pollyanna ideas right out of your head because it's only going to make you disgruntled.

Personally, I  think letting your ideals interfere with what you want to do is a form of self-destructive behavior. Ask yourself, "Am I here to change the world? Or to get a degree and good references?"  Be Zen about it. Accept the academic world for what it is. In fact, accept the world for what it is. We live in a capitalist, individualistic, Darwinian society, and the sooner you accept this fact and move on--the better off you'll be. If you can't accept it, then plan a revolution.

It's okay to be cynical, but don't let your cynicism get in your own way.

Good luck.

Great post!

[pyshnov]

I think you also need explanation WHY it is so. WHY people in academia are so much below your ideals.
I call them a marihuana generation of scientists. I believe that this drug produced effect that no one still appreciates.
1. It made people satisfied with dream, fiction and lies. I believe that most people do not see reality.
2. People suddenly started looking at their own self, but this was never before a proper object. The proper object was always your work and the achievements of others.   
3. The best feelings this people get are from various kinds of smart cruelty. It proves to them their own worthiness.
4. We live in the world of dishonesty and immorality due to the changes in personality induced by marihuana. But, this is not so striking as the  character of justifications that are being invented for dishonesty and immorality. These justifications, in real world, are obviously ridiculous, but they are accepted in the world of marihuana. This is one of the proofs that reality is conventionally rejected.
5. I believe that attention deficit disorder in kids is the toxic result of marihuana in mothers' bodies or in the air.

I could continue this list. The important point here is that people who used the drug went to academia in masses; they are by now in the high positions here.

I believe that this describes the major factor that led to the change in society that makes pure souls so frustrated. The effects of this drug can not be studied properly for obvious political reasons, but I think that what usually is called "awareness" ought to be there. One of the symptoms of the disease is the contrast between the rotten reality, drastic decline of intellect, disappearance of the middle class, etc. on one side, and the "positive" feelings of the entertained masses on the other side. Pathological mass obsession with games, especially, the games that substitute reality, is another proof.

[philoctetes]

Methinks the lady doth protest to much.

I think you also need explanation WHY it is so. WHY people in academia are so much below your ideals.
I call them a marihuana generation of scientists. I believe that this drug produced effect that no one still appreciates.
1. It made people satisfied with dream, fiction and lies. I believe that most people do not see reality.
2. People suddenly started looking at their own self, but this was never before a proper object. The proper object was always your work and the achievements of others.   
3. The best feelings this people get are from various kinds of smart cruelty. It proves to them their own worthiness.
4. We live in the world of dishonesty and immorality due to the changes in personality induced by marihuana. But, this is not so striking as the  character of justifications that are being invented for dishonesty and immorality. These justifications, in real world, are obviously ridiculous, but they are accepted in the world of marihuana. This is one of the proofs that reality is conventionally rejected.
5. I believe that attention deficit disorder in kids is the toxic result of marihuana in mothers' bodies or in the air.

I could continue this list. The important point here is that people who used the drug went to academia in masses; they are by now in the high positions here.

I believe that this describes the major factor that led to the change in society that makes pure souls so frustrated. The effects of this drug can not be studied properly for obvious political reasons, but I think that what usually is called "awareness" ought to be there. One of the symptoms of the disease is the contrast between the rotten reality, drastic decline of intellect, disappearance of the middle class, etc. on one side, and the "positive" feelings of the entertained masses on the other side. Pathological mass obsession with games, especially, the games that substitute reality, is another proof.

[storm]

I am going to print this out and hang it up in my work space. I didn't even ask the question, and I have been so benefitted by the wisdom and humor here.

Storm