Sunday, March 27, 2022

A Personal Note

 My last active post on this blog was in November 2016. At that point I'd run out of things to say about the perpetuation of the many Ecomyths I had sought to dispel over the previous decade of postings. I was tired and found that I any new posts were repeating arguments I had made many times earlier and that my efforts to refute Ecomyths with empirical data and the evisceration of their underlying ideology was not sufficient to cease their promulgation. 

The issues are largely political in both origin and potential solution. Sadly I lacked the stamina at that point in my career to pivot the focus of the blog and engage fully and effectively in partisan politics that feature little debate and civil discourse.

I did not realize how exhausted I was both emotionally and physically from the academic and institutional marginalization that occurs when the individual takes a stance contrary to the prevailing ideology that has infused and chilled the contemporary academy.  De-platforming and cancel culture takes many guises. To all who are recipients, the result is equally unpleasant.

In April 2019 in the space of one week I gave my final lecture, received news that my father had died and was offered an early retirement buy out from my university position.  I retired formally in June 2019.  I did some initial traveling and was thwarted by the onset of Covid restrictions from undertaking 2 of the more adventurous trips I had planned to mark my retirement.  

This is my first post since I retired and it has taken me nearly 3 years to find my physical and mental health.  I might yet write another book, even one of fiction.

Today's post is to thank all those who read the blog in its heyday as one of the leading blogs in its field and to those who have discovered my posts more recently and to those who continue to read despite my retirement: I felt I owed you the reader a note of explanation for the lack of posting the past 5 years.  

I enjoyed writing the blog. It was fun and it kept me sane in an academic environment that was not conducive to critical thought or independent thinking.  I was born with an intellect that questions. I am inherently resistant to authoritarianism and blind acceptance of authority.  As a teacher I was able to inspire independent thinking and curiosity in thousands who took my courses. I also aggravated and annoyed many who just wished I would just confirm to their stereotype of compliance and passivity. To those who benefited from my courses, I hope the lessons still resonate and inspire you today.