I think Americans are not going to be “real” best country, unless they realize the importance of “a clean and organized workplace”.

Everything is messed up, in small, and large scales.

I think my big issue with my own memories of academia, is that, it traumatizes me. Not that everything went terribly, no.

Lack of support, lack of being understood in the family or relatives, lack of grasp by the society on anything that I did, are some of the examples on how I suffered. My relatives did not have an idea of university, in general. Most of them either did not go to university, or chose a campus close to home. Some, left for the university in other cities, but they were supported hugely by the family members, and they had many cousins and siblings. Like, many. Each cousin checked in once a year, and they had only 200 days to go. The rest was checked in by siblings, nephews, nieces, neighbors, friends, classmates, people of the same town, far relatives, etc. They had hobbies. Life was simpler, and cheaper. They had money to get clothes, food, and have a decent life. Not all, I am talking about people I knew. By my time, there was nothing available. We had to get the family together, and were responsible for everything that was going on inside, and sometimes outside family.

In the past, people really needed only to focus on their own health, projects, and life. As a domestic, or an international student, I had to pay attention to many aspects, including how much I was going to be bullied and shamed by Iranians, in every single step. People think we forget, but we never do.

Not to mention, being treated like an alien. We had to figure out every step ahead, many times a week, month, and a year. It is hard to adjust to a new city nearby. Do you know how hard it is to get along with everything untried in a new continent?

And now imagine, while you do your teaching and research duties, you have to be trapped with people who have no idea of the world outside, have minimal social interactions, and are very proud of themselves for being that way. Their dreams are small, their world is tiny, and their biggest success is that they were able to secure a job as a graduate student / postdoc / assistant / staff / professor, in an enclosed container called academia.

It is too traumatic. That’s why people who have choices, or are on edge and think they can handle it better outside, quit.

And it gets easier. When you work 40 hours as 40 hours, not 10 hours as 80, in a safe, loving, smooth environment, life gets better.

Academics are losers, at lest in Europe, Canada, and in the US. It sucks to be them.

I personally disliked being in a dormitory, when I was an undergrad.

We were 4 people, at least, with 7 people sleeping in our beds. I had to sleep on the ground, because those “takers” were upper class bullies. I was a first-second year undergrad, and they were campus whores, literally and figuratively. I had to adjust myself to them. They stole, stayed up over night, physically hurt me, mentally tortured me, and you know, that age, doesn’t demand many roommates. One, tops. Especially in Iran, where the lack of proper upbringing and education by families is absolutely evident.

My question was, why would people in charge, throw about 150 people in about 13 rooms, give them only one kitchen, with one tiny stove, get them only 1 bathroom, and build floors of these students, unattended? People came to our floor to go to the bathroom, from other floors.

The dormitory I lived after graduation, was worse. We were 4 floors, and we only had one bathroom.

My first year was even worse. We were about 11 floors, and we had one bathroom. There were bathrooms on our floors, but there was no water, at all. There was no elevator, as well.

I don’t think that any normal person would want to stay in such a bloody hell, until you are staying one night a week. Even that, is horrible.

Many of us did not have a decent memory of the past. We were neglected, by our families, by the society, and by the system. We were forgotten. We even didn’t have space to being a friend. People of the center of Iran were usually the ones who felt they are in charge of everything. They considered them our bosses.

Now, why would I want to miss the dormitory? I never miss it. I don’t miss anything about Tehran, or my dormitory. I hated it. I hated both. A polluted city with lots of traffic, unruly, angry, depressed, and rude people.

Honestly, most cities of Iran are like that. People who usually claim dormitory is fun, are the ones who make it hell for others, and are usually the ones who do not stay much there. Many of Iranians were, and are sadistic people. It is hard to live with people who have strong sadistic traits.

Why do you think Iran is falling apart?

The same goes for postdocs as well.

Bart: look at me, I’m a grad student! I’m 30 years old and I made $600 last year!

Marge: Don’t make fun of grad students. They just made a terrible life choice.

The Simpsons, season 16 I guess.

… though they were doubtful that the West would intervene militarily here for any reason… among such people, dropping bombs on a city the size of Belgrade gave the West credibility. It was the kind of aggression that locals have seen often through their history, and could respect.

Robert Kaplan, Eastward to Tartary, page 262.

Lisa is at a crucial juncture. If she doesn’t see her father as a positive role model, she could hate men for the rest of her life.

The Simpsons, Season 17.

To overcome her neglect, Lisa had to suppress her childhood fears.

The Simpsons, Season 17.

“My brother was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for care of magical creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry.”

Percy Weasley, Harry Potter, Book #2, page 252.

Some people are still doing the process of soul searching, even at 45-50. It’s OK to soul search at any age, but it’s embarrassing to soul search something that was supposed to be done by 22, tops.

Remembering good old days makes me laugh. Sometimes it brings smile to my face, without realizing it.

Not every day, tho. Some. Mostly the recent years, or the teen era.