Creating an Opportunity

How I transformed my anger into creative energy

Up until several months back, I was very angry. There were many reasons why I was irate. I was close to land a full-time academic position twice but finished the race as the runnerup. I was furious about office politics, how one had to be an ass-kisser to make it in academia. I was also annoyed by the rampant corruption and nepotism I came across at the institutions where I taught.

Anyone who knew me would have sensed my frustration, resentment, and exasperation. In my head, I had imagined a different scenario; I was good at what I do: teaching philosophy.

My credentials met the requirements for the jobs I applied for. And as an early career researcher, I had enough publications to prove that I had the potential to produce a decent research output.

On paper, I checked all the boxes. Reality was different though. Part of me was refusing to see things as they really were. Despite my anger, my response was never idle. I always tried to look for alternatives and considered other professional routes, etc.

I taught for a year at a high school, during another year I worked as an Archives Librarian at a university. For the rest of my seven years, I taught on a part-time basis at two universities simultaneously. Not only that, as I…