Yes, that's right! You did not misread the above line, I started a job. I won't name names, or pay-rates. Suffice it to say that I secured a retail job that I don't really like, but am comfortable with because it is temporary, uninvolved, and non-committal. Those aspects come into play come January, because I will be re-assuming my old position at the University. Yes, this is a good thing. I will have said position until May, when I plan to graduate with my M.A. in Philosophy. This brings me to my next point.
I have certain places on the internet that I value for their ability to give me valuable knowledge on a regular basis. One site tells me how a grown man ought to dress, another tells me who's publishing which papers on what philosophical topics, and another tells me what the people I know are up to. The list goes on, but I won't bother publishing any more of my increasingly geeky trail of links. But there is one particular site that I perused today for the first time in a while, which really spoke to my recent productivity downturn (I'd link that phrase to a demonstration of said downturn, but you can't link to a lack of blog posts, know what I mean?). The site is owned and operated by one Merlin Mann, not to be confused with Manfred Mann. It's called 43folders.com (type in the address yourself, I'm tired of linking), and it's all about productivity and what's called "knowledge work". Now, I read this post today, and it changed my way of looking at things. If you have time, watch the video. If you have less time, watch the first 8 minutes or so, you'll get inspired enough. So what does this have to do with getting my M.A. in Philosophy? (Thought I forgot, didn't you?) Well, in case you didn't stop reading my blog to watch the video on the last link, the subject of the video is a little secret about how to be productive. The key is to not forget who you are.
I'll try to simplify as much as I can. Productivity is what we in the philosophical field call a "teleological" concept. It only has meaning so far as it is attached to a thinker (and in this case, a thinker who acts on thoughts) and a goal. No one is just "productive" full stop. A person is productive with regards to a certain goal. This goal is largely a product of, or may very well define who you are. Answer the following question: What do you do? The answer will most likely be a description of your profession or desired profession that you are trying to break into. I am a philosopher, that would be my answer. So, I am productive if I do the things that I set out for myself philosophically speaking. I have articles to read, papers to write, comprehensive exams for which to study. My being productive comes from knowing what I have to know, knowing what I have to do, and doing what I have to do. My NOT being productive happens when I forget that I am supposed to be doing philosophy. I can attest to this. I find myself on all sorts of internet oddysseys in which I am learning all sorts of facts that it was not my goal to learn, and in which I have no interest. Then I lose track of where I was when I was on task (if I was on task at all), and I am not productive.
This is not to say that you always have to be doing work that contributes to your life's work. Well......actually, let me rephrase that. You will find that as you start working more--I mean "heads down", 90 words-per-minute type work--you will find that taking breaks and having fun and free time is actually a vital part of your work. My work is largely based on theoretical frameworks, fleshing out arguments, cross-referencing, use of analogies, and so on. Long spans of time doing that work can make innovation and creativity slower to come. I have found that I am most productive when I can get up, do something else for a bit, and get back to work. But here's the catch; I have to fully participate in that break (whatever the task is). If I am talking to my lady, I have to only talk to her, not think about one of my argument's sub-arguments or try to remember why Scanlon takes reasons as primitive (it's roughly the same as resemblance nominalists taking similarity as primitive, don't worry!). This way, when I come back to the laptop and the books, I am fresh, and I don't resent my work for taking my attention away from the other things I choose to do. Much like the Offspring wisely said; "You gotta keep 'em separated".
So what should you take away from all this sludge? Know who you are, and do the things that you need to do. Don't forget that, and you'll be fine. It's simple. But as I believe I've said before, simple does not mean easy. I must also apply this to running. I am a philosopher, yes, but I am also a man training to run a marathon. So I need to focus on running when I'm running, and make progress when I must. In that vein, it's been tough. I did something to my ankle, and though I did 5 miles Monday and 4 and some change today, it's still keeping me from pushing hard. I'll accept that, it comes with the territory. But when I can push, I'll be doing just that.
Onward!
(This post is dedicated to KJ. He left this world too soon, for he wasn't done changing it yet. You are in my prayers, buddy.)
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