{"id":611,"date":"2010-12-20T12:50:10","date_gmt":"2010-12-20T20:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theamericancrawl.com\/?p=611"},"modified":"2010-12-20T12:50:10","modified_gmt":"2010-12-20T20:50:10","slug":"the-uncanny-valley-and-higher-ed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theamericancrawl.com\/?p=611","title":{"rendered":"The Uncanny Valley and Higher Ed"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Read this<\/a> today and can\u2019t say I\u2019m that surprised. It\u2019s an article that\u2019s pretty much circulated and discussed on an annual basis for the past few years.<\/p>\n

For me, I am reminded, when reading this, of the Uncanny Valley<\/a> \u2013 the concept that robots repulse us the closer they get to approximating human attributes (think Tom Hanks in Polar Express or Jeff Bridges in the new Tron). Though there is a larger argument about the capitalist underpinnings of the academy, I find it interesting how there is a building mass of individuals approaching professorship, despite the steep drop-off in terms of job opportunities. The analogy falls apart under scrutiny, but in general, it feels like becoming a professor\u2013like being human\u00ad<\/em>\u2013is the pinnacle to which grad students are reaching. However, the closer they get to finishing, the more repulsive the environment actually becomes: few jobs and underpaid temporary positions.<\/p>\n

Tell people this is awesome:<\/h3>