Accounting for Humanity

Jeeves, be a good old boy and pass me my pipe and that PhD would you?

This week has been enlightening. My eyes have been opened to some surprising views and opinions concerning research and PhDs and, as a result, it has left me somewhat without a clear direction for this week’s post. Thus, we will have to forgive any rambling (I will edit where I spot it).

Originally, I planned to write about the eternal struggle that is my literature review; however does one master the balancing of analysis and review and, how do I stop trying to answer my research questions using the literature? I will figure it out eventually though I am certain we will discuss here in due course.

So, what happened that set the blog ship off course? It was an interesting comment (or a series of comments) that caused me instead to question what is research and where does it fit in the big picture of careers and work?

What is research?

As noted in one of my earlier posts regarding historical research, to me research is the process of understanding the world around you. That could be in terms of time, location, culture, condition, or circumstance; the point is, after you have extensively studied a scenario, you learn invaluable knowledge that can be used to better the world around you. This does not mean that ‘everything is broken and needs to be fixed’ instead, it is quite the opposite, research can also help us to discover that we are doing some things ‘right’ (though how frequent this may be with humans is perhaps debatable). The outcome is that, either way, through research we find valuable knowledge to guide us forward in our existence.

For my own thesis, I am contributing knowledge to the field, I am not boldly proclaiming to have the solution to an age-old problem; I am saying that with this knowledge we can better understand how to tackle the problems that may arise in the future. I cannot stop society choosing to ‘replace’ humans with computers and robots should they choose to do so however, I can say ‘here are the factors we have to explore to find a solution that works for society’. Not only can this provide insight and ideas, it will guide future research and allows the knowledge cycle to continue.

Thus, it was interesting this week to hear research described as a ‘self-indulgent’ practice. I note that I do not wholly disagree with this viewpoint; I accept the reality that there are few endeavours in this world that are truly selfless however, research serves to improve far more than ego. As noted above, the knowledge that research can provide is invaluable. It is true that as individuals we can gain a certain advancement or privilege in the world by being the holder of unique or specific expertise however, we would not describe practical skills as self-indulgent thus, why attribute this negative connation to a skill that involves the mind. Would you call me self-indulgent if I chose to dedicate my life to mastering excel? Not likely (as a side; excel experts will always hold the utmost admiration in my eyes, anyone that can make a macro behave as intended is truly a gifted individual)

I acknowledge that there is a stereotype linked to academics, and indeed the vision of a privileged white male spending his days in a grand library “researching” does sound wholly self-indulgent although, this is not what most researchers are. Researchers are people who acknowledge and utilise their own unique skillsets and expertise to both help build themselves a rewarding career and contribute to the betterment of their world.  In reviewing my own abilities, I see that I do not have what it takes to be a CEO or manager of a company or corporation, to be a gifted surgeon, or an exemplary athlete; I am someone who excels at gathering, analysing and implementing knowledge with great dexterity. This is a skill with all of the same mastery and benefit of the other examples I listed and as such, why should I not use this skill if I can help both myself and others? It is not ‘wrong’ to want a rewarding career for yourself.

Extending the problematic connotations of this idea of research being indulgent is the implication that research is thus, not work. The indulgent researcher again is our aging white man, perched in a velvet armchair in his mahogany and gilded library, pipe in hand and peddling away at some ‘research’ to pass the time. There is such a thing as leisurely research certainly (after all I have spent most of my life studying ancient history for ‘fun’) however, research is also work, and at times it is just as gruelling as any other career. Having worked in a centre focused on dementia research, I could see first-hand that research is not a trivial nor meaningless activity, hearing the tales of those living with dementia is most certainly not indulgent behaviour (in fact it is the exact opposite when you consider that you choose to listen to something exceptionally difficult to help someone else feel valued and heard) and certainly it is not ‘fun’ for anyone involved.

It is true in academia/education, such emotional trials may not be faced, but the challenges do not ease. Understanding and determining how best to use the knowledge gained is a challenge in itself, and clearly, there is a very challenging viewpoint to overcome in proving the value of your knowledge.

In short, a PhD is the beginning of something both wonderful and complex. It is a wonderful thought to make a skill that I have refined throughout my life and thoroughly enjoy into my career however, it is clear now that the road ahead will not be simple. As a researcher, I must bridge the gap between academia and industry to show that knowledge is as useful as ‘figures’ when measuring success. I have chosen to dedicate my future to accumulating a wealth of knowledge on specific subjects so that there is a source for such knowledge when industry and society needs it. Further still, I want to take this knowledge to industry before it is ‘needed’, to work with them to build or prepare for a better future. There is no better solution to a problem than mitigation and, if I can help mitigate the risk of industry forging ahead into 21^st technology without a plan for humanity then I will consider that a ‘win’. If that makes me ‘self-indulgent’ then I suppose you had better ready my pipe and slippers…