Journey of a PHD

Once upon a time, in a socially constructed faraway land called Artland, where things were incredibly well lit with pristine white walls, and many people planted trees for a living, were the Boulders. The Boulders were the gatekeepers of Artland and they held all the power to grant entry to all the tree planters they like best. To gain entry into Artland was the highest level of success any tree planter could get. Tree planters that were not Boulders were called Pebbles. Pebbles wanted nothing more than to become Boulders. It must be very hard to get to meet the boss and because no Pebble has ever come back and told the rest of the kingdom what it’s like there, and no one knows for certain other than it’s awesomeness (which is known by reputation exclusively, ok fine that’s a lie, they can also see the awesomeness from afar).

 

On a typical day, Pebbles planted trees. Everyone did their task differently: some dug up the soil, some made the holes, some seeded the trees, some fertilised the soil, some watered. You get it. There’s a process, and it has compound/incremental value power-ups, and boosts and Pebbles level up for the sickest baddest trees ever. Pebbles plant and care for their trees in hopes of getting to eventually hang with the Boulders. 

 

One day, as black clouds rolled in, gusts of winds blew and while thunder and rain plummeted the kingdom a wee little Pebble asked herself: why is it so hard to get in with the Boulders? Why do we always get stopped by the Boulder gatekeepers? Me and my other Pebbles meet the criteria: digging, making holes, seeding, fertilising, watering... We work so hard! We collect the powers-ups and compound the value and yet, we hardly ever level-up. We try at all the gates, and the keepers keep rejecting us.

 

Maybe I’ll do this differently, she thought. All I want is to plant trees, and do it in whatever way, and not have to get approval or accepted by the Boulders. They’re trees, they’re good for the earth! They add beauty and comfort and biodiversity to the Earth! I wonder if there are more people like me who just want to grow trees because they love it. So as the storm raged on, and as the rivers overflowed, she went out and asked other Pebbles: On the scale from very important to unimportant, how important is it to have access to the Boulders? How often do you plant trees? Is planting trees your primary source of income?

 

What she found, was that most Pebbles didn’t think it was very important to have access to the Boulders; they plant trees at least 4-6 times per week; and no, planting trees was not their primary source of income. This is exactly where the little wee Pebble stood in the spectrum herself.

 

Cool, she thought. I’ve found other Pebbles like myself. I’m going to call us SIPS (similar interest peoples).

 

The storm pummeled the kingdom and the rivers began overflowing. The water moved closer and closer to Artland. It was then that  the wee little Pebble took her shovel, and went looking for a new patch of land the Boulders weren’t using well. She realised this new patch of land might be the new frontier for Pebbles like herself; a place where all Pebbles and Boulders could work together to plant trees for the greater good of Artland. Realising the water was coming, the Boulders, began to build their walls higher and thicker. The wee little Pebble, however, began to build a platform on which she and other Pebbles could plant trees, a platform that could support them all.

 

And so, a small forest is blossoming.

 

And they lived happily after… maybe... we will have to wait and see how the forest blooms.