tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250713400045458826.post1760819178429489794..comments2022-08-07T16:00:37.776-04:00Comments on Clio's Disciple: Pollyannaclio's disciplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13640279322691564414noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250713400045458826.post-31574645050192213222010-03-24T12:33:14.710-04:002010-03-24T12:33:14.710-04:00This struck a chord with me, too.
All I can think...This struck a chord with me, too.<br /><br />All I can think to say is that if there aren't some of us who are hopeful, nothing positive will ever be done...<br /><br />More people should embrace their inner Pollyannas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250713400045458826.post-35189529657676784282010-03-16T13:06:18.205-04:002010-03-16T13:06:18.205-04:00Yes, exactly!
I really value the institutional kno...Yes, exactly!<br />I really value the institutional knowledge and experience of the old guard, but some of them can be extremely negative. No doubt they have their reasons.<br /><br />The colleague mentioned here doesn't really fall into that camp, but does have a rather pessimistic bent.clio's disciplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13640279322691564414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6250713400045458826.post-17079225679724986542010-03-13T15:01:04.952-05:002010-03-13T15:01:04.952-05:00This struck a chord with me. Obviously I don't...This struck a chord with me. Obviously I don't know your institution or the problems that it's going through, but one thing that I've noticed at Field is that a lot of the old guard--who are largely excellent in ever so many ways--have a deep-seated paranoia and conviction that things *are* going to hell in a handbasket. They are, in fact, quite surprised by how well a few things have turned out recently, but some of them still trot out the occasional dire prediction ("The president is surely going to chastise us at X meeting and issue a pay cut!", for example, when in fact X meeting is to tell us how our financial situation is actually improving, thanks in part to the faculty's recruiting efforts).<br /><br />Now, I think that a lot of the older guard has some good reasons for pessimism, given Field's history. But academia can foster a culture of whining and anxiety (as can other workplaces, I'm sure), so such pessimism is not always to be taken as truth. And really, if only for your own sanity, I think that it's important to maintain SOME kind of optimism! --As much as I do enjoy a good whine.heu mihihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08529298049179816825noreply@blogger.com