The Problem With Academia As Funnel

Many of us view academics as a funnel: 1000s of people start, but only a few people survive. In this view, the game is zero-sum: The more you take from me, the less I get.

(i) The more resources you get, the less I get.

(ii) If you get into this conference, I can't get into it.

(iii) If you get this paper published in this journal, the less room that I have to publish in that journal.

(iv) If you get that position at X university, the less chance I can get that position.

(v) Your ideas are better than my ideas.

Over the years, on the R3ciprocity YouTube Channel, I have began to notice the challenges that view of academia creates. One of the beautiful things with YouTube is that you can watch it anonymously in the middle of the night. This is the time when most people begin to worry.

I can see that many people are struggling with this funnel perspective of academia. Stress, anxiety, depression, and among things seem to be a running theme that get people emotional on my channel. Almost all of you who are professors and PhD students will intuitively understand this.

I am sure you have all dealt with it - no matter how prestigious you are. The clash of 'real-life' and academics is a very real thing, and most of us struggle with it.

I know that this silly little YouTube channel seems crazy to some of you, but it have really started to see some positive effects in other people's lives. He is the strange thing - the more I am open about these problems and challenges that we face, the more it is positively changing me.

I am beginning to view academia as a gentler place where people are not out to get your resources and beat you to the top, but rather that people are just as confused and anxious as I am. And, when people do things that may not be in our best interests, it's because don't know what to do.

I am also beginning to view academia, and the world in general, as a world of abundance. The more you give, the more you get. The more you love on people, the more exciting it becomes. Yes, I know this seems 'woo-woo,' granola-eating, sandal-wearing stuff. And, yes, as a 'business professor' who is suppose to think about competitive dynamics, profits, and stuff, it even sounds weirder yet.

But, you have to take a very long run view, where you can make a positive difference on the people around you and the greater community.

(i) If you don't have the resources that you need, then build them.

(ii) If you can't get into the conference that you would like get into, than build the conference that you really want.

(iii) If you can't get in 'that' university, than build the university and community that you really want.

(iv) If you struggle at getting into academic journals, than just write or create your own publishing outlet.

The more that you do these activities, the more fun and plentiful the world seems, and the less you see academia as funnel, but rather as a garden that grows ideas. A garden of ideas, where you grow and nurture people and new knowledge.