Is anyone else completely disillusioned with their immediate social world?

[Writer]

I am at the moment (but what else is new?) School is great, but the expectation that I am destined to become a professor - and nothing else - is bugging me somewhat. As is the complete avoidance of practically applying any of the great material we're reading, and the refusal to see how we should engage our brains more toward solving problems in the greater world than to building careers for ourselves by catering to the attentions of fellow academics. Anyone else feeling rather disconnected with their environments? Questioning conventions? Wanting to send ripples through the status quo?

[LynzM]

1. Only always...

I'm a hippie-at-heart but also a geek, working in a cube building databases, dreaming of building an off-grid house with a big farm, playing my banjo, wanting to save the world.

http://xkcd.com/137/

:hug:

[Writer]

2. The cartoon is spot on.

Fuck this shit is right.

[Skittles]

3. you need a vacation

"As is the complete avoidance of practically applying any of the great material we're reading, and the refusal to see how we should engage our brains more toward solving problems in the greater world than to building careers for ourselves by catering to the attentions of fellow academics."

Dude, when you need to take a breath while reading a sentence, it's too fucking long. I won't even get started on the content.

[clyrc]

4. Well, yes

I live on a University campus in the United Arab Emirates. When I first moved here 6 years ago, I was so excited and I thought it would be wonderful to be surrounded by intelligent, interesting people. For my first 6 months here, I had friends and I participated in the community quite a bit. Gradually it came to me, after observing the monumental egotism, pettiness, and shear back biting meanness, that although most people here are undoubtedly intelligent, smart doesn't always mean kind or even interesting. I've had people, who acted friendly enough to my face, lie about me and my kids. There are a few people who wanted my help with something, so they befriended me while they needed me and then pretty much ignored me afterwards. The last time I went to a Christmas party, a professor laughed in my face when I told her I was fairly educated, although I only have a BA. She was drunk, but still.

Add to that the fact that I live in the Middle East, and we are all a bunch of expats who have to be careful, with each other and in general, and seriously I want to mess with the status quo. I've pretty much taken to hiding in my house, though. I get upset and angry too easily, and I just don't trust these people anymore.