N. is sharing:
“I was considering looking for a job in academia after completing my PhD. But then I read this article where a professor was saying that, for an academic, his department becomes his second family. I have enough trouble as it is with my family of origin, so the idea of having yet another family on top of the one I already had was unappealing. So I went into the industry.”
Clarissa's Blog 
A family where you get to vote on who gets to stay a member of the family (tenure). Imagine saying, you are no longer my daughter: you haven’t published enough.
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” Imagine saying, you are no longer my daughter: you haven’t published enough.”
– Ah, here is another person who grew up in a happy family. 🙂
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I am under the impression that this is even more true of work in industry. It seems that things like compatible hobbies or even religious preferences/beliefs are considered when hiring in private business. I have never heard of such a thing in academia (with the exception of religious beliefs’ being considered at religious colleges, of course.)
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I think we all mean different things when we see the word “family.” 🙂 🙂 You seem to think of the similarities family members have. N. and I, however, immediately think of dysfunction, drama, hatred, abuse, and conflict. 🙂 🙂
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Ha, yeah, that’s funny. My family is such a source of strength that to call a workplace an extension of family is high praise and very attractive.
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This is really great. For us, however, it sounds like something out of a fantasy novel.
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In the industry, the family is the company.
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Maybe a very small business. But hardly a big company.
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Do you know about a possible “Aspeger’s exclusion” by employers in the industry?
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I guess N is joking here but if not, I hope he doesn’t make any more life-changing decisions based on reading a fluff piece in some magazine.
In the corporate world you have your ‘team’, of course. ‘Do it for your team!’ Are you a team player?’. ‘Take one for the team!’ etc. etc.
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No, he hates teaching, that’s the real reason. But the truth is that every day when I tell them stories of my department, he says they make him very thankful to work at his company where you come to work, do your job, and go home without experiencing any dysfunction, bickering, drama, etc.
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If jobs were like the family and family were a positive place there would not be downsizing and so on, and certain kinds of liberties would not be taken.
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