Being a Writer and a Public Intellectual

I feel I ought to apologize for so many posts. I will slow down when I feel better and can get back to exercise and writing.

There was a discussion on Crooked Timber on possible jobs for a young person in love with literature. Most of the posters said the job market for academics was terrible and it was a poor idea to get a PhD. It was an especially poor idea to go into debt for a PhD.

People suggested teaching in a public or private secondary school, teaching English as a second language in a...