I've been giving some thought to David Morrow's post about derumsfeldifying the profession – that is, about revealing the things we don't know we don't know about the profession. David suggested seeking out professionally successful philosophers and asking them to explain a few things they wish they'd known when they were younger. I still think this is a great idea. The trick, of course, is to actually hunt down big-shots who are actually willing to do it. If anyone (grad students reading this blog?) personally knows any successful philosophers who might be willing to do it, please do approach them!
It also occurred to me, however, that we might begin to derumsfeldify the profession a little bit ourselves. After all, many of us have been "out there" in the profession a pretty good while: we have readers and contributors who have obtained tenure-track jobs, published great articles (and books!), and so on. So perhaps we can share things we wish we knew when we were younger!
I guess, as usual, I can start things out. I suppose the main thing I wish I knew when I was younger is how important it is to develop relationships with people in the profession — e.g. faculty in your graduate school department, fellow graduate students, and people in the profession more generally. For much of my life, I was uncomfortable "putting myself out there." I would do my work mostly in secret, avoid interacting with my graduate faculty and advisors, etc. A lot of this had to do, I think, with philosophical insecurity. Some of it, though, just had to do with lifelong habits. I've always had a tendency to "do my own thing." But, the longer I've gone on — and I really have my wife to thank for this — I think I've learned that it's not a good way to go.
Although my data here are admittedly anecdotal, I've been struck, the longer I go on in the profession, by how much — and in how many different ways — professional relationships are important. Professional relationships are not merely important for "networking purposes", i.e. for getting better known in the profession (though I think they are undeniably important for these purposes as well). No, professional relationships are important in all kinds of subtle ways. First, professional relationships are intrinsically valuable. The more I've committed myself to fostering positive professional relationships — for example, by getting to know all of you! — the more I've come to believe that professional philosophy needn't just be about research and teaching. There are friendships to be had, not to mention great late-night philosophical discussions over cocktails, etc. — all of which make the profession a better place to be. Second, when things aren't going well philosophically, positive professional relationships can help you pull through. Third, professional relationships can really help one improve as a philosopher! It's hard to do philosophy well, period, let alone "in a vacuum." Anyway, these are some things I wish I had known sooner — but better late than never I suppose!
What things about the profession/philosophy do you all wish you knew when you were younger?
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