As I read about the trials of academic-job hunting, I hear two seemingly contradictory messages. One message is the unrest and dissatisfaction with the lack of quality academic jobs, especially in the humanities. Letters on this subject at the Modern Language Association, of recently minted Ph. D's flipping burgers while teaching part-time for four different colleges. Over and over, the point is hammered home that there are not enough full-time positions out there.
Some graduate students sound ready to kill to get themselves onto the tenure track.
Another message, especially in a piece by Christine Martinelli, seems to run completely counter to the first. Despite the shortage of jobs, Ms. Martinelli says getting a job is not worth having to uproot. Having a tenured position is good, but not necessarily good enough to leave one's favorite city or circle of friends. More specifically, I think they both spring from fear of the unknown and the unfamiliar. To be honest, I don't understand this fear of the unknown.