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December 31, 2007
Why Are Law Professors So Unhappy? -- Part Three
My post last Friday on Why Are Law Professors So Unhappy? -- Part Two has attracted a lot of commentary in the law prof blogosphere:
- Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA), Are Law Professors Unhappy? And, If So, Why? (Business Associations Blog)
- Peter Black (Queensland), Are Legal Academics Miserable? (Peter Black's Freedom to Differ)
- Eric Fink (Elon), Taking Stock, and Finding a Bull Market (Debris)
- Dave Hoffman (Temple), Bainbridge on Law Professor Well-Being (Concurring Opinions)
- Brian Leiter (Texas): Are Law Professors Unhappy? (Leiter's Law School Reports)
- Glenn Reynolds (Tennessee), Are Law Professors Unhappy? Not This One! (InstaPundit)
- Tom Smith (San Diego), Why Are Law Professors (and Everybody Else) Unhappy? (The Right Coast)
- Ilya Somin (George Mason), Are Law Professors Miserable, and If So Why? (The Volokh Conspiracy)
- Ilya Somin (George Mason), Some Evidence on Law Professors' Relative Job Satisfaction (The Volokh Conspiracy)
Much of the commentary argues that law professors have a great job and that most are happy with their jobs. I agree with both points -- my modest question is that, given how great this job is, why are some law professors so unhappy?
One possibility is that some may expect too much out of their jobs. Just as we can make idols out of our spouses, children, friends, fitness, houses, investment and retirement accounts, etc., pinning our happiness on our jobs is doomed to fail. My men's group recently read this great book on the proper place of work in our lives.
Another possibility is that this commenter is right:
Law professors blogging about their misery. Even your mother thinks you are a whiny little baby. Face it. Nobody cares. Suck it up. Life is tough. Wear a cup, and STFU.
And check out Andy Grewal's tax perspective.
Update:
- Kent's Imperative: The Miserable Professoriat
- Ilya Somin (George Mason), The Volokh Conspiracy: Law Professor Misery Roundup
- Jeff Yates (Georgia), Voir Dire: Caron's Roundup on Why Professors Are So Unhappy
December 31, 2007 in Law School | Permalink
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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Why Are Law Professors So Unhappy? -- Part Three:
» Carons wrap-up on why professors are sounhappy from Voir Dire
Is available on TaxProf blog here. As you may have seen his second post on this question generated a good amount of blog buzz. Below are the blog links that discussed the issue:
Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA), Are Law Professors Unhappy? And, If So, Why... [Read More]
Tracked on Dec 31, 2007 10:09:14 AM
» Carons wrap-up on why professors are sounhappy from Voir Dire
Is available on TaxProf blog here. As you may have seen his second post on this question generated a good amount of blog buzz. Below are the blog links that discussed the issue:
Stephen Bainbridge (UCLA), Are Law Professors Unhappy? And, If So, Why?... [Read More]
Tracked on Dec 31, 2007 11:16:52 AM
» Law Professor Misery Roundup: from The Volokh Conspiracy
Paul Caron of Taxprofblog has a roundup of the extensive commentary(including two of my own posts) stimulated by [Read More]
Tracked on Dec 31, 2007 12:30:21 PM
Comments
Perhaps because you do nothing and contribute nothing to society all the while fleecing your students?
Posted by: xoxo dood | Dec 31, 2007 1:04:58 PM
In any trade or profession, there are those who complain. Being a law prof sounds kinda cool at first blush. But you might have to grade puerile essays by 1Ls with liberal arts degrees who chose law school because they have no better idea how to earn a living. Even worse, you might have to write and publish articles in law reviews. Ugh. I'll stick with being a litigator, thank you.
Posted by: Jake | Dec 31, 2007 8:41:01 PM
