The Shadow Scholar →
Some of you will probably have already seen this, so I suppose I’m mostly just linking for posterity.
In the past year, I’ve written roughly 5,000 pages of scholarly literature, most on very tight deadlines. But you won’t find my name on a single paper.
I’ve written toward a master’s degree in cognitive psychology, a Ph.D. in sociology, and a handful of postgraduate credits in international diplomacy. I’ve worked on bachelor’s degrees in hospitality, business administration, and accounting. I’ve written for courses in history, cinema, labor relations, pharmacology, theology, sports management, maritime security, airline services, sustainability, municipal budgeting, marketing, philosophy, ethics, Eastern religion, postmodern architecture, anthropology, literature, and public administration. I’ve attended three dozen online universities. I’ve completed 12 graduate theses of 50 pages or more. All for someone else.
I have so many thoughts about this, but none of it organized and I don’t think I can really add to the nearly rioting commentary. I did attend the “live chat” session with Mr. Dante, which was naturally moderated, so it was totally civil and not totally enhancing.
I do want to note that I am unaccountably depressed by all the comments left by those who are too defensive to do more than express outrage at the author’s ethical standing, too aggrieved that they accuse the article’s author of fabricating the entire practice, too self-absorbed that they believe that their particular way of handling their courses immunizes them from such activity.
(and I’m kind of annoyed that we wasted a bit of time on questions whose answers were in the original article. come on, guys, did you read it or what?)
On my behalf, I had a few questions swirling in my head, but nothing that was phrased already and I knew the backstage was probably already being flooded with content… intelligent and otherwise, no doubt. Kind of like my brain on this topic right now.
