Avaricious Academics

I read a letter in the newspaper today written by a former graduate of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM); on how proud S. Param (the writer) is of UPM's ranking. I was also made to understand how people, read researchers, work over there - the cohesiveness and the way people work over there. If I were to write anything about USM, where I'm at now, I'd have nothing except for castigation. I'm utterly ashamed to be in the same division with some of these "Dr's" who profess to be an expert in a certain field yet showing to everyone how low they'd slither on their bellies to gain accolades and mentions. On the outside, they'd don a crisply pressed shirt complete with a tie and then swagger along the corridor emanating the "worship me" aura.

What a snob! Before I press ahead further, let it be known that I'm one pathetic fool who live life guided by naivete and prefers to give everyone he meets the so-called benefit of the doubt. Yes, although I may be stereotyping a large population of academics I still treat everyone as people to be trusted, hearsay notwithstanding. Until and unless such lowlives prove to be really lacking in integrity. For the past 5 months or so, I've met, heard, seen, and lately experience for myself the scheming, the underhanded tactics and the lack of integrity thereof. All courtesy of learned men and women. They've somewhat succeeded in turning lexicographers into liars. I can't see the distinctions between a "white collar" or "blue collar" here. And I was a liar, too, when I was trying to impress upon my A-Levels students how the great minds in Science gave us what we have today. Perhaps I ought to add that such philanthropy only occur in some place, some people.

Oh yeah, I've been harping on this issue of the [perceived] divide between two social classes and one might get the notion that I'm just envious of them. Well, no. I've been fortunate to rub shoulders with some of the distinguished people in society yet amazed by their meekness and simplicity.

Back to USM, which for your information, is being transformed into the very first university in Malaysia to have a fresh coat of paint on every building in the campus perimeter. And I haven't even touched on some ridiculous implementations made recently. It's work I'm talking about here. About how I could to lose my postgraduate candidature (if they've had their way) no thanks to the selfishness and paranoia of men and women called scientists/lecturers/researchers. And it's a joke and a waste of fund to see them go abroad and smile saying, "Hey, look here. This is what we've been doing and we're dying to share it with you guys". I said it's a waste since the only reason they're at international conferences and exhibitions is to bask in the limelight pretending to be a scientist so committed to disseminating knowledge. Such narcissistic souls. And here I am thinking I'd further my studies in peace and not get embroiled in all these antics. Three years as an undergraduate and I realized I'm half full compared to counterparts from another country; hence the decision to study.

Call me foolish or emo (seemingly the cool word nowadays) but I think every person with sight needs to behold the rot in, foremost, the education system in the country and then the research world governed by pseudo-researchers cum bureaucrats. I dare not call myself a scientist. This is what education here does to you. You are what they say you are. You have no voice. No mind. No convictions. You are stringed to their hands and then dance to their tune. I've said this before in a post somewhere and I'm saying it again: To the academics, if you feel you've been swiped, then know that the prefix to your name carry no other meaning besides the word "pariah". Yes. You play God. You play the puppet master. You expect your subordinates and those occupying the lower stratum than you to grovel at you and behave obsequiously all the time.

Know that different people have different reasons for continuing what they're doing and that it takes a lot just to come up proposals guided by genuine interests and desire - unlike you, who think day and night of high praises and acknowledgment. It is stupid people like this that hand up their proposals only to be torn apart and extracted to complement your selfish desires. A suggestion: Clean up your act and learn to lecture well. Don't show off with your publications and lament how lame university students are when in the first place your reading from 5-year old slides. Now, to aid you on the road to rehabilitation visit the MIT website and look up the video lectures. I don't even know what we're doing in varsity and there you are showing how much breakthrough you've gained.

Let us digress and appreciate the following:

The people—could you patent the sun?

Attributed to Jonas E. Salk (1914 - 1995)
U.S. physician and virologist.

On being asked who owned the patent on his anti-polio vaccine.

I'm not that naive after all since I know full well how cursed we all are. The best example would be the elucidation of the double helix and the work that leads to it. Clues for you: Linus Pauling, James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin. Yeah, just let me be and don't barge in. Come viva voce, just come at me with your pathetic guns blazing. After all, a person perceived to be naive by you all wouldn't be able to defend the barraging since my I'm only guided by sheer interest and genuine desire to learn and share. I'm just different from you all, eh?

I know you're quietly saying, "This is the world, son. Welcome and live with it".

Then, before bow out let me say this again, "The world is such due to people such as you. So, don't be a coward and reason that way. Two wrongs don't make a right, idiot!"

There you go. The sights and sound of the first university to be granted the APEX (Accelerated Programme for Excellence) status and together with it, truckloads of paints in different colours. University par excellence? Not for the foreseeable 10 years. Not with such mentality. With the current trend and status quo with a body having many heads, it may well implode and kill the university. And you say I'm impertinent?