[Arkanosis]

> I do think restricting it to academic addresses is a huge mistake

I have to agree. I'm no academic for almost 10 years, now, yet I've spent the last three years working with academics on my free time and it's really frustrating how hard it is to work without a “proper” affiliation. I've had to create my own “lab” (it's just a name, and it's only me) to have my name on posters, but I'm still unable to get access to some services because, well… because I'm not paid for the work I do, I guess.

[Kalium]

The academic world seems collectively addicted to credentialism and status. A friend of mine recently went from being a grad student in academic geology to private-sector geology. She's experiencing some pretty severe culture shock.

She's getting paid a reasonable amount. She gets paid overtime. Her opinions are given weight. Her physical needs are taken seriously. She gets credit for her work. She is, in general, treated as an actual human being capable of having expertise and bringing value.

The total result is that she's spent months going "WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME THE PRIVATE SECTOR WAS AWESOME?!"