philosophysmoker-Mstarz

As has been noted elsewhere and repeatedly (and yearly), updates to the Phylo wiki seem to be both erratic and inconsistent, with listings sometimes moving back and forth between categories. This may just be SOP for wikis, what with trolls and mischief-makers being about. But, if you're fucking around with the wiki, please stop ruining it for everyone. If you're legitimately and honestly updating the wiki, please continue because you're awesome. If you're not updating the wiki (and you are legit and honest and have legit and honest updates), please do so.

That said, anyone else feel like they don't want to be the first one to post an update?

Does it seem like the PFOs are going out early this year, or is it just me?

~zombie

Awesomeness ensues.

http://chronicle.com/article/The-Document-an-Open-Letter/138937/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

~zombie

...but all it ever got me was down.



Sorry I haven't been around much lately. I've had some grading, then I had some family stuff, and I'm getting very close to the end of a project I've been working on for a very long time, and it has been getting almost all my spare attention.

How are you doing?

--Mr. Zero

There has been a request for an open thread in which to brag and bitch about the market, gossip about jobs, complain about the profession, ask questions, etc. Good idea. So let it be written; so let it be done. --Mr. Zero

Questions about CC jobs come up periodically, and in the current job climate, some philosophers who previously would not have considered teaching at a CC are probably giving those jobs a good, hard, longing look. My experience with CCs is pretty limited. (I took an art class at a CC once, and I'm a big fan of Community.) I applied for a few CC jobs in my last go-round on the job market, and found the application process to be quite different, and in some ways, quite onerous. I was in contention (early on) for one job, and remember having to respond to a lot of very specific additional questions with fairly lengthy written answers. As I progressed through different levels of the process, it seemed the search committee demanded more and more from me. Still, the particular school was in a desirable city, and I was willing. But I can't say I was heartbroken when I was eventually eliminated. So maybe a CC job wasn't for me.

Here's what I've gleaned about CC jobs from fellow Smokers:

• The teaching load is relatively high, with the usual expectations of service.You should really, really love to teach.
• The students are far more diverse socially, economically, educationally, and in every other way, than the typical four year college student.
• There is generally no research requirement for tenure.
• The pay is equivalent to (or better than) four year college salaries.
• Expect a multidisciplinary atmosphere.
• It is not at all unusual for CC jobs to require a PhD these days.

Those in the know are invited to correct any inaccuracies. This is an open thread for those of you who have questions about CCs, and those who have experience and answers.

~zombie

I haven't ever been excited about the start of job market season. And I've been progressively less excited each year for the past few years. But I was still kind of surprised to discover how much I'm not looking forward to being on the job market again. I started getting my materials together and it just hit me. Like a black rock in my guts. Ugh.

When I finished my dissertation and started teaching on the VAP circuit, I sort of thought that if I was a hard worker and did what I was supposed to do--if I did a good job teaching my classes and published a lot--then I would eventually snag a TT position somewhere. I didn't think it was a guarantee, or anything. But based on what happened to people I went to grad school with, and to people whose degrees are from departments similar to mine, I thought I had a decent chance. I was trying to be realistic about it, but I was also at least a little optimistic, insofar as that's a possible combination. And so, although I wasn't in love with it or anything, I didn't have too much trouble getting myself motivated to go on the market in the fall.

But the past couple of years have been different. Although I believe in what I'm doing, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished, I'm not getting the results I want. It keeps happening, and the job market keeps not bouncing back. It gets harder to get myself moving on all the shit I need to do before the JFP drops. Blah.

Anyways, here's some Cake for your enjoyment. I hope everyone's prowess is potent this year. Especially mine.



--Mr. Zero

View from the seminar room at the University of Houston, submitted by Cynthia Freeland. Thanks for submitting, Prof. Freeland.



Also, I'm sorry I've been tough to get ahold of for the last few weeks. I had a suckier-than-average spring-semester finale, and then Mrs. Zero took me on a little vacation so I could recharge my batteries a little. So I was away from our secret hideout for a while. But I'm back in residence here at Smoker HQ (Branch Zero), and so if you have been in touch with me about a post you'd like to see, or something like that, you'll probably hear back or see it this week.

Yours most sincerely,

Mr. Zero

So, it seems as though enthusiasm for the contest format of the View From Your Window series has waned significantly. And I include myself here. Going forward, I'm just going to tell you where the photos were taken.



Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA. Submitted by Nicholas Havrilla and Angela Coventry. Thanks for submitting, and keep 'em coming!

--Mr. Zero

I wanted to say thanks to the people who expressed sympathy, support, and encouragement in the comments to my recent post on being out of the hunt. I am, obviously, pretty bummed out. But as I say, I'm still getting a lot out of professional philosophy and I'm not at all ready to throw in the towel yet. I still find teaching to be highly rewarding, I still enjoy the writing and research I'm doing and feel that the project I'm engaged in is interesting and worthwhile, and I still find this blog to be a rewarding experience--I feel like we're doing some good here, and I'm proud to be a Smoker.

So anyways, I wanted to take a moment to say 'thanks and good luck' to all our readers. So here goes:

To all our readers: thanks and good luck!

--Mr. Zero

Questions have been coming up in various threads about waiting for offers, giving up on waiting for offers, giving up on a job in philosophy, etc. Some of you might (must) be getting offers, and have questions about accepting them, asking for more, etc. This is an open thread for such questions. Ask 'em if you got 'em.

Maybe this has been around before--it seems vaguely familiar. But anyways, I saw this here a couple of days ago and was inspired.



--Mr. Zero

Merry "an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer" Day from all of us at the Philosophy Smoker.

--Mr. Zero

--Mr. Zero

The great Modern Jazz Quartet with the definitive version its signature piece, "Django." From the European Concernt. If you don't have it, get it.

--Mr. Zero

--Mr. Zero

via Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.

--Mr. Zero

I thought this was funny:



From xkcd. The alt text reads, "Socrates could've saved himself a lot of trouble if he'd just brought a flashlight, tranquilizer gun, and a bunch of rescue harnesses."

--Mr. Zero

Via The Malcolm Gladwell Book Generator:



--Mr. Zero

As most of you are well-aware, my taking two minutes to create this post is going to be the deciding factor between whether or not I succeed in all my future philosophical endeavors. I'm fucked.

I hope the two minutes you take to post a comment telling me that I'm history's second greatest monster doesn't ruin your career also. I mean, one of us *has* to get a job.

This is an open thread.

--Jaded Dissertator