When in academia, the mindset usually is that all good things flows from academia. It is a sort of a collective megalomania, seeing itself as the center of the universe. It’s an illusion that needs to be collectively upheld. A way to rationalize the sacrifices made: hard work with little reward and fierce competition.
Lemire has the privileged position of being able to criticize academia, without immediate repercussions. Although this is important, it is also a symptom of the hierarchical structure. A student saying the same things would be frowned upon.
wosined · 1h ago
I think the picture is a bit more complicated.
Some innovation comes from academia too.
Academia is important because almost all engineers are trained in academia.
It would be rather costly for industry to take an 18yo and
train him 6+ years just so that he can leave the company at the end. I don't think industry would like doing that.
nialse · 43m ago
Agreed that innovation comes from many places including academia. However, graduates are a byproduct of academia, not its produce. Academia needs enrich itself with sufficiently educated (and "adequately" motivated) future personell. It is not a vocational activity, it is a self-serving sieve, selecting for the traits needed for working in academia. If you ever wondered why university courses often contain elements which are not that useful for doing actual work post graduation, you might have the answer right there.
Lemire has the privileged position of being able to criticize academia, without immediate repercussions. Although this is important, it is also a symptom of the hierarchical structure. A student saying the same things would be frowned upon.