My relatives [from extended family] often ask strange, mostly amusing questions about my job. Most of the time, these questions are asked out of formality with little interest in hearing an answer.
But one question stood apart. This relative, a bureaucrat who wrote motivational psychology books, asked, "I don't understand your job. Do you study Mathematics for the sake of beauty or as a duty?" At that time, I was a PhD student and came up with a lame answer about research being beauty and teaching work, duty.
I am still not sure I have an adequate answer. Sure, it is beauty that attracts many to science, but is it entirely what keeps one on it, day after day, year after year?
But one question stood apart. This relative, a bureaucrat who wrote motivational psychology books, asked, "I don't understand your job. Do you study Mathematics for the sake of beauty or as a duty?" At that time, I was a PhD student and came up with a lame answer about research being beauty and teaching work, duty.
I am still not sure I have an adequate answer. Sure, it is beauty that attracts many to science, but is it entirely what keeps one on it, day after day, year after year?
3 comments:
I think the answer should be beauty, with the added understanding that beauty often comes with a baggage. So, if turns a bit unpleasant (almost never ugly), then you stick to it, not because you don't have any other options, but you know this is how life is, no matter which beautiful thing you choose.
Doing something for duty isn't a cool thing anymore. Either you are in with passion or you are out.
Great answer! In fact, as a self reminder, I think I am going to pin this on my desk.
I think once you do something professionally, as in for money and not as a hobby, there is bound to be some drudgery. Ideally, the fun outweighs the drudgery.
People don't understand that the job of being a university professor involves a lot of what all white-collar jobs involve: paperwork, meetings, dealing with difficult people and situations, politics. The upside is that you have the creative and enjoyable parts, such as thinking about interesting problems of your own choosing and advancing the state of the art, teaching and advising bright young people.
In many fields (mine included), professors are paid less than the people of comparable training in industry. Academics are willing to trade some income for the freedom of being own boss much of the time.
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