[Marxism] Re: Graduate Programs in World Systems Analysis & History

[Brian Shannon <Brian_Shannon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Isaac,

I never pursued an academic career, although I had the background for
it. Instead I dropped out of law school in my last year and although I
made moves towards returning a couple of times, never got back to it. I
certainly do not advise anyone to follow my downward economic
trajectory.

Having said that, and assuming that the economics make sense in your
personal situation, I hope you consider deferring graduate school for a
year or two while you take a job (or several) as a factory worker. And
it would be best if you did this away from home.

I am sure that you have had several jobs as a h.s. student and college
student, during your school year and summers, too. But I don't mean
clerking or working at Walmart or MacDonalds, but a factory job on or
close to an assembly line. Of course, high-paying union jobs are the
best. Unfortunately, they are rare, but there are plenty of low-paying
non-union ones.

I predict that I will get some flac on this list for this suggestion,
so let me make it clear that this is a personal statement. It worked
for me. What sustained me for so many years, including a long break to
raise a family, were jobs in food-processing plants, canning plants,
and as a foreman's assistant at a GM assembly line (not a worker, of
course, but probably the most eye-opening job that I ever had).

None of these lasted very long, but I have drawn from them ever since.
Whatever you learn in academics will be enriched by experience in the
flesh.

Brian Shannon


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