Nietzsche is most famous for being the philosophy that inspired the Nazi scourge. That, was an unfortunate misinterpretation of him (not the least of Nazi crimes), because Nietzsche has actually given a very accurate description of who his reader – that Hyperborean fellow most suited to understanding him must be like.
The conditions under which any one understand me, and necessarily understands me – I know them only too well. Even to endure my seriousness, my passion, he must carry an intellectual integrity to the verge of hardness. He must be accustomed to living on mountain tops – and to looking upon the wretched gabble of politics and nationalism as beneath him. He must have become indifferent; he must never ask of the truth, whether it brings profit to him or a fatality to him. He must have an inclination, born of strength, for questions that no one has the courage for; the courage for the forbidden; predestination for the labyrinth. The experience of seven solitudes. New ears for new music. New eyes for the most distant. A new conscience for truths that have hitherto remained unheard. And the will to economize in the grand manner – to hold together his strength, his enthusiasm… Reverence for self; love for self; absolute freedom of self…
Very well then! Of that sort only are my readers, my true readers, my readers foreordained; Of what use are the rest? – The rest are merely humanity. One must make one’s self superior to humanity, in power, in loftiness of soul, – in contempt.” – F. W. Nietzsche
Thus, the Nazis were merely – pathetically human.
Nietzsche is also known, mostly for saying “God is Dead” and talking about Übermensch – the Supermen. Thus, his followers are atheists and huge arseholes – you can’t become superman in a day, but you can easily become a giant douche.
Nietzsche claims, that there is a will to power, which he believes is the main driving force in humans : achievement, ambition, the striving to reach the pinnacle in life, these are the various manifestations of the will to power.
The will to power can be called the instinct to power. It can even be construed in evolutionary terms – as the driving force behind the food pyramid. It is what makes the top athletes train for hours, inspires the concert musicians to perfect their craft and forces people to work multiple shifts in a day. Most people will agree. One species won’t!
This very special species is – the Grad Student. Devoid of ambition and infertile, it is a drone most often found doing indentured servitude in forced (mental) labor penal colonies – established and protected by common law – these are called universities in the common vernacular.
These “Grads” as they are often affectionately (or jeeringly, can never tell) called, have an incredible daily hours : pay ratio – such as to make even the burger flippers feel happy.
However, the grad doesn’t mind his shit pay or his long hours, for he has a secret – and a dark one at that. Over a sufficiently long time frame it evolves into a Professor. The jailed become the jailor!
The grad works at this pay in depressing conditions, which will affect his mental health – most (numbers as high as 90% are regularly quoted) suffer from depression, are less likely to be in stable relationships or job satisfaction.
The kicker – Most grads confess not liking their research area, doubting their graduation chances and even job prospects (post graduation), if they even manage to graduate.
What is the angle here? For grads are researchers working on some really cutting edge technologies, they are collectively at the apex of human technological advancement. How can they be so – content? It doesn’t make any sense until you consider a question – who decides to become a grad student and why?
A grad has already completed sufficient education to be employable. Yet, he foregoes that chance at “real” employment instead to slave away at nothing in particular. If you look at Ph.D enrollment figures, they are increasingly all over the world, while Science (and Research) budgets are being cut. What is the play, one has to ask, since this is a crisis just waiting to happen. Or, if you ask the folks working multiple adjunct positions – it has already befallen.
One thing, we can immediately see – is if a person is a rational agent and always seeks to maximize his benefits. For this agent, the opportunity cost of a Ph.D. is gainful employment. Maybe, that option was simply not there! The grad was Unemployed.
Grads always say that they have a fascination for such and such a field. That they want to advance the state of science and do “Research”. The grad was Naive.
The grad was wholly unprepared and didn’t know what hit him. The grad was Uninformed.
The grad sees a chance of being employed and becoming a professor eventually – the grad is Mistaken.
There are many other factors that I am ignoring here – these seem to be some of the common ones that I have seen. The common strain is that a Grad is somebody who has difficulty making the jump from Student to Employee. Their certain meekness of character is a defining characteristic of the Grad. The Grad is too weak to effect change – remember his dream employment is the Tenure. He is too scared to take a risk, or state his views or even to have a mind of his own. A lot he will advance the State of Science!
The Grads’ will to power is akin to that of a Student (after all, he lugs around books and copies all day). He seeks to please his “Sir” or “Advisor”, and the relation is often more akin to a Feudal Lord and Serf than an Employer and Employee, though they should be seen as coworkers in the project of advancing the State of the Art.
There is a very large homogenizing potential field – building CV’s, citing each others, handing over your research and patents to the Institute (who really doesn’t contribute all that much).
1) ALL ACADEMIC RESEARCH IS DONE BY GRADS.
2) ALL MONEY IS GOBBLED BY THE INSTITUTE.
3) THE GRAD IS ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FINE WITH THE STATUS QUO.
There is a tendency for Grads to realize something is wrong, it happens, very spectacularly is some cases. Grads don’t even know how to write a letter of resignation! It is seen as a mark and symbol of failure and humiliation! You are forever branded a dropout! The grad pats himself on the back – I am strong, I preserved.
But is it really necessary? Can it not be made more streamlined?
1) SHOULDN’T PROFS BE CHECKING COPIES AND QUIZZES? WHAT DO THEY DO ANYWAYS?
2) WHY SHOULD A GRAD HAVE TO DO TA DUTY IN THE FIRST PLACE? IS HIS RESEARCH OF NO CONSEQUENCE/IMPORTANCE?
3) WHY SHOULD A GRAD HAVE TO PAY TUITION, WHEN HE IS NOT TAKING ANY COURSES?
4) WHY IS HIS COMPENSATION SO PATHETIC THAT WORKING IN A BURGER JOINT IS MORE ATTRACTIVE?
5) WHY ISN’T THE GRAD NOT IN POSSESSION OF THE FREEDOM TO DO HIS RESEARCH HIS OWN WAY?
6) WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GRADUATE?
7) WHY ARE THERE NO JOBS NOR EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE PLACEMENT ON GRADS LIKE ALL OTHER STUDENTS?
The usual responses are:
1) This is how things are done.
2) Research is too important to be left to the Grads.
The grads need to realize that nobody gives you anything on a platter. The least likely being Nature divulging her secrets.
Organize and fight! Shed your impotence! Unionize!
DON’T CALL YOURSELF A GRAD STUDENT, YOU ARE A RESEARCH SCHOLAR! DON’T TRIVIALIZE YOURSELF! GROW A FUCKING BACKBONE!
Here is what I am going to do. I am going to take a step – a drastic one at that. I am going to talk to the Director of my institute and ensure that our stipends are released regularly and on time. The thought makes me quiver – what if I am thrown out?
Be like Oliver Twist my friends and ask for the second bowl of soup. For we are sure as hell not going to get it without asking!
Asymmetrical Thoughts 