I don’t know if I can help. I had the job first, and then got the masters degree to make more money. It really paid off too.
With a philosophy degree, I suspect you need to make connections in the field and publish something really impressive and avant garde, leading the field in new directions. Think and study and research big and wide, out of the box, so to speak.
Contra you’re saying my name at the end of your posts to see if I really control+f.
You’re sick dude.
What does control + f do?
find.
I’m considering going back into Law, despite my rabid hatred for our justice system. Social work is still an option but I don’t think I could make any money doing it.
Sigh
I really don’t think you know what average means. At any rate over the last few weeks the idea of trying to teach at the university level has gotten less attractive, not because I wouldn’t like it (I’ve been a TA and enjoyed teaching undergrads just fine) but because it seems ridiculously unlikely to work out in this economy unless we get more funding for education, and given that in 4 years time we’ll probably have some suave republican cunt in office it won’t change any time soon.
I’m already a social worker, so if I just want a job I’ll do that. Doesn’t really satisfy my curiosity but I’m starting to think that philosophy can only be done on the side.
Some other options I’m looking at include Law, Medical Ethics (idk how to turn that into money), Human Resource Management, and getting a masters in philosophy and going from there.
Pav, I don’t read posts over 500 words, and usually only every 3rd or 4th word of each post that I do read. But because I’m an egomaniac, when I open a page I search it for my name. Contra always puts my name more than 500 words down into those books he writes because he thinks I wont see what he’s saying.
Captain, another video for you. I like this one even more. You should go to jdunderground
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE[/youtube]
I’m not a former med major, I have a philosophy degree. Over 3.5 GPA in major related studies or whatever. Took tons of law courses and all that, gotten the As and such. Philosophy of Law too, for what that’s worth.
Law was what I wanted to do before I got into philosophy, I would do fine if I went into Law. I just wouldn’t enjoy it as much.
So what then, Smears, is a good thing to do? Or is everything equally shit?
Everything’s equally shit. We have the same stats. I’ve always said if you’re not sure of what you wanna do, then be sure of what you don’t wanna do and don’t end up trapped.
Well there was a time where I was really into law, but I discovered I really just liked philosophy. I tried economics, and found out I really just liked philosophy (Marx, etc). In terms of what I want, I’d want to teach philosophy at the university level but that’s looking like it’s not gonna be feasible.
Sell cars.
I might do that down the line if it makes you happy, but for now I’d like to at least try to reach my dreams before giving up.
Just don’t give em any money. I have a few friends who along with myself have sort of started a club for people who will probably die in debt to the department of education. It’s not as bad as they make it sound. We get together and drink and do drugs and all and just mainly complain about economics, bitch with a sense of entitlement, and make up stories about how we’re all oppressed. It’s a good time really.
I currently owe around 26k or something. That’s not absofuckinglutely horrible but still more than 300 a month.
You can defer that shit, like, forever. Don’t sweat it, especially if you legitimately can’t afford it.
Myself, I dropped out of grad school and got into real estate. Working out so far.
Twilight is wise.
right now I make like 150 a week, so I’m definitely not going to pay them right now. Shit seems so hopeless these days, and I don’t mean for that 26k. That’s the least of my worries really, it’s the future I’m worried about.
I’m tellin ya man. If you wanna pay those loans off you gotta either be a slave, or find a sucker. When I say sell cars, I mean, you can sell cars, but it’s more of a metaphor really. It’ll all come to you. Don’t worry about what to do with your life. The feeling of having control over what happens to you in the world is an illusion. It’s an idealistic illusion dude.
I don’t really seek control so much as avoid crushing hopelessness
Okay, so face the fucking facts then, if that’s what you want to hear: A BA in philosophy is shit. Like, utter, worthless shit. A perfect example of Good Will Hunting’s “You dropped all that money on an education you could have got at the public library for a $1.50 in late-charges,” yeah?
But at the same time, all that shit they told you (or maybe you read) about a philosophy degree is true, too: the shit you learned and experienced chasing that degree are in fact real skills that every employer looks for, and more importantly, presumably, you’ve evolved as a person into someone who is ready for whatever you choose to do now.
In terms of “mainstream” what-should-you-do bullshit, your best option is probably law school. But that shit’s hard as fuck and lawyers are a dime a dozen on top of that.
I happen to agree with Smears. School is for suckers and so is working for someone else. Beyond that I have no advice. It’s your life. And I don’t mean that in a “tough shit for you, I don’t care” way; I mean, literally, this is your story and you’re writing it. No one can truly help you in the existential, life-mission sense of the term.
Best of luck.
Man if you read enough philosophy, you’ll find a way to convince yourself that hope and hopelessness are the same.
and if I do enough methadone I won’t even care about that much
EDIT: I wouldn’t trade my current degree (and the experiences and learning that came with it) for very many things. like I said, it’s the future I’m thinking about. law school looks like shit from what I’ve read the last few hours. I’m capable but not motivated enough to sell my soul in marketing just to make 50k a year in profits.