The point of philosophy – or arguments at any rate – is to get to the truth, right? Do you not continue to seek the truth? i think you do.

I find your post refreshing. I am an M.A. candidate at “a top-ten” terminal M.A.program. What does this mean? Nothing. Nothing at all. I am surrounded by hopefuls and takers – both students and professors. Most have never had the chance or the need to work, I mean REALLY work, a day in their lives. No shovels. No long days at the office. If they have, I haven’t noticed. And yet, they are there, aspiring philosophers – or professors, or whatever. Aspiring leaders. Aspiring to whatever. And at what cost? To what end? Why? It is a question I ask myself. It is a question they seldom ask. See Socrates on this point.

It is likely that I have had more jobs than even you. I can tell you that the most rewarding of all has been teaching philosophy. But I can also tell you this: I wouldn’t trade a job in the bay area making decent money and a chance to surf my weekends away for any tenure track philosophy job in BFE anytime, anywhere. I assure you that your intellectual endeavors are just as meaningful there, where you are, as anywhere. And that is why you are a philosopher king, in my mind.

To be sure, there are great philosophers and there are perks. And, to be sure, this year, I will send my applications out to graduate schools. But I promise you this, my friend: I will be giving the facts a long, hard stare because a priori analysis will never be as warm as a San Francisco fog bank.

Love P
p.s. Go Bears.

Thanks for your sweet comment. I wouldn’t sweat it too much. I know that you were just trying to help, and I can completely understand why further education would seem to you like the best solution to almost any life problem. The fact is, the bright lights of the ivory tower (sorry, metaphor police) saved your life–very arguably literally. (For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ll need to read http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Promised-Land-Lillian-Faderman/dp/0299200140).