Graduate school (and college in general) introduces you to many young, intelligent, and beautiful people: driven people who want to make a difference, angry people who want change, privileged people who take care of themselves, and lost people looking for answers.
The problem is young and intelligent people do not enjoy being around other young and intelligent people. There are good conversations, but most of the time, there is a competitive struggle raging.
The struggle is always about sex, pride, or some other "second hand" emotion. It is never about anything important. There is no hunger in graduate school. There is no lack of shelter. There is no persecution. There is nothing worth fighting about in graduate school.
The struggle is contrived. It is not necessary. It makes life harder than it could be. Rand's "...there is no conflict of interests among men..."
I am not saying competition is a bad thing. I am saying competition should be internal and benevolent. I do not want to get a high grade because of my colleagues, but I want to get a high grade for myself. I want to succeed not in spite of my colleagues but for me. My colleagues' and my success is independent. Our relationship should be mutually beneficial not mutually destructive.
Young, intelligent, and beautiful people working together is a beautiful thing. It is what makes a difference, causes change, teaches one to take care of themselves, and answers questions.
(Why did I write this crap?)
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