7 thoughts on “There’s Still Time”

  1. LOL! Time is not more or less valuable at any particular age. If so desired, you could pursue it part-time, right now.

    But, isn’t a PHD just a certification of a genre of knowledge. If you already have the knowledge, you gain little more than a title or recognition. Is a title or recognition what you seek?

    Or, was your purpose to mock a degree as such that a person can simply be ‘awarded’ one?

    KAS

  2. Hi Kas, no the interest is genuine – I try not to mock (at least not without smileys, or clear cues). Boring I know, but irony is a dangerous game I find by electronic communication. Often ends in tears.

    The recognition is a minor aspect, practically it may help to get an occupation that makes following the interest easier afterwards. The major aspect was the doing it for real full-time with some supervised structure and critical interaction and a clear goal, to provide the discipline of achieving some worthwhile writing. Of course citations and authority do have some value, whatever the quality of the written content, in spreading the value of any ideas contained. Like everything the point is to improve the world. Writing uread is called therapy at best, madness at worst.

    I’ve blogged for 7 years now, part-time, and successfully did a Master’s degree on a part-time basis too, but the pressure I think is too great to do justice to the kind of writing I have in mind, with the kind of full time job I currently have, and the quality of family life achievable. (And I can’t give up the day job quite yet, thanks to financial commitments.) Sponsorship suggestions gratefully received.

  3. Ah. I see. What may I ask, do you intend to write? I too, am a slow pursuer of an education as well as knowledge (it’s a steep climb, I know :). I am three courses shy of my associates right now and do find the 1-2 classes a semester demanding, with work and life in general. I know that classes at the PHD level are even more demanding and challenging; so, it makes sense that you want full devotion. For me, it’s a delicate balance of not taking from any important category while consecutively running out of available hours (usually, I sacrifice sleep ) I also would like to continue my education, though I consider outside knowledge ventures and in school education of equal value and effort. Had I not joined the military, I may have succeeded in furthering the degree with far better success. But, you do as you can, when you can.

    I absolutely enjoyed your statement “Like everything the point is to improve the world. Writing unread is called therapy at best, madness at worst”

    I had a professional poet tell me something of the same meaning once, regarding poetry.

    Though, I feel that writing can also be an outlet for learning or enlightenment or exploration. But, your statement more readily applies to non fiction as I perceive it.

    Anyway, I popped in here today to share with you an article I read that you may find of interest;

    http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/080510_power.htm

    It is an article discussing a study in which they evaluated the effects of position in an organizations ‘chain of command’ to individual employee performance. I thought I had read some management or organizational posts on your blog (could be wrong, if so, disregard)

    Good day!

    KAS

  4. Hi Kas, yes I think we understand each other.

    You’re right – “therapy or madness” has a nice ring to it, but it is too glib – as you say there is learning value in just writing out your thoughts for yourself …. in reality that’s the main reason I blog; the therapeutic madness element is incidental – honest 😉 – and the interaction with readers, a much welcome bonus.

    If you read my MBA dissertation and my manifesto … you will see that my whole driver here came out of management of organizations – which I’ve broadened over time to “governance” in the widest sense – but it is still very much my agenda. So I will follow-up your link.

    Writing projects – several in mind – three that are reasonably well developed.

    * A “rhetorical novel” embodying my agenda – if I have the skills (need to practice, but several plot ideas in the melting pot.)

    * A “learned text for a broad popular audience” embodying my agenda – which something I think I could do, and maybe the best place to start (see my threads with Chris Wilson – “Caveman”)

    * An “edited on-line magazine” project – effectively a better organised version of the blog and a number of discussion fora I frequent – collaborating with a number of other blogging / corresponding “friends”. Something constructive / synthetic, not just critical / analytical – aka “Joing up the dots” or “Knitting Fog” (First time I’ve made that public beyond a few such “friends”. Thanks for the opportunity. All rights reserved.)

  5. I read over your manifesto and find that I have little understanding of it, even after second/third review. :). Forgive my ignorance, as I am unaware of the theory’s you reference, as is obviously a hindrance on my comprehension. Thoughts I took from it though; that organizations operate based on a theory of irrationality with only a 32% chance of a right choice being implemented in a corporation. Components of irrationality and chance make more decisions in business than reason. Information technology is woven into the theory portraying faults as it is programmed/modified/maintained by humans and other negative’s of humans affects in organizations (with an ‘s’ – a play or organisms?) But, you present no solution or progression? Is a manifesto a statement of the problem only? What of facts, not being factual (I could not grasp what you meant by this)?

    *A “learned text for a broad popular audience”
    embodying my agenda – which something I think I could do, and maybe the best place to start (see my threads with Chris Wilson – “Caveman”)

    I really like this idea, as I enjoyed your Caveman threads. Also, being an author is rarely a retirement maker, and choosing a topic that may have a broad audience is far more likely to pad the wallet; then a genre heavy book.

    *An “edited on-line magazine” project – effectively a better organised version of the blog and a number of discussion fora I frequent – collaborating with a number of other blogging / corresponding “friends”. Something constructive / synthetic, not just critical / analytical – aka “Joing up the dots” or “Knitting Fog” (First time I’ve made that public beyond a few such “friends”. Thanks for the opportunity. All rights reserved.)

    I think that this is a great idea, many a people are finding success and better publicity (possibly padding your credentials as an author for one of the other two ideas) Also, this being a collaborative project, with a larger reader base, could also generate a good profit as well as build upon network relationships that make your books, when published, all the more marketable.

    Thank you for sharing!

    KAS

  6. Hi Kas,

    Whether by Manifesto you mean
    http://www.psybertron.org/?page_id=1552
    http://www.psybertron.org/manifesto.html
    Then yes both are starting points, statements of the problem(s) – no attempt at solutions. The latter is a brain dump from before I started the blog, the former is a dense summary in one paragraph. I would only expect you (anyone) to pick out the key words / subjects / issues as being of interest.

    The conclusions / suggested solutions are in the body of the blog – but evolving and without clear or consistent structure – apart from cross-linking – hence the need for a writing project to crystallize / organize.

    BTW note the word “seemingly” irrational. I’m not recommending irrationality as an alternative to rationality, or subjectivity as an alternatve to objectivity. I’m suggesting that enlightened rationality is not really what it seems. (See the footnote on every page.)

    The spellings with “s” and/or “z” just reflect that I’m a Brit – used to spelling with “s” but occasionally remembering to use “z” for the US context. No master plan there.

    Profit is not the issue, nor needing to make enough to retire on. The issue is just funding responsibilities whilst doing the writing / research project.

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