Kong Qingdong, You Have No Right to Complain About Low Kept-Man Fees!
2006/9/20 17:50:02
These past two days, two famously self-promoting associate professors from Peking University have been publicly flashing their pay stubs, stirring up a frenzy over school and teacher income issues. Today, this ID will also gossip a bit on the related topic.
Regarding schools — I won't even talk about PKU and Tsinghua, but rather another one, also in Beijing, whose national fame puts it in the top five. Of course, this ID is not from that school and hasn't audited their books, so strictly speaking I have no right to comment. But a few days ago at a dinner, the school's executive vice president happened to be there, and we got to chatting. Among friends at dinner, especially elders, what's said at the table should be fairly trustworthy — he wouldn't risk losing face by lying in front of so many friends.
The state gives their school just over 200 million a year. Miscellaneous income amounts to about 100 million. But annual minimum expenses exceed 400 million. The gap is 100 million. Whether it's PKU, Tsinghua, or any other school, this kind of gap exists. How to fill it — well, everyone has their own tricks. After a few drinks at dinner, the vice president spewed a tableful of complaints. The specifics aren't convenient to repeat. In short, this kind of life of constantly begging for alms was wearing on him too. I've seen and heard too many such bureaucratic squabbles and have no interest in getting involved — I'm just stating the facts. As for commentary, this ID has even less interest.
As for teachers — they've never been any different from ordinary people. Famous professors at China's most renowned universities publicly lambasting other big shots from the same school at dinner parties — this ID has experienced that N times, and the language used is absolutely unprintable. Of course, there are disputes over political views and entanglements of economic interests. This time, Associate Professor Kong and others are pouring out their miseries, complaining that the price for being kept is too low. But this won't earn any sympathy. Even if your salary income isn't great, it's still more than a migrant worker's, isn't it? Why should a professor earn more than a migrant worker? Among ordinary people, who doesn't do some side work or hustle for extra money? Does a professor need to be "kept" to qualify as a professor?
I have an elder, also from PKU, not even from an economics department or other hot departments. That department's academic standing at PKU is no lower than the Chinese department. This elder is a bit older than you, Associate Professor Kong, but has long been a full professor, with an academic level far above yours, Associate Professor Kong. And in terms of making money — well, that's not something you, Associate Professor Kong, who has to show your face everywhere, can even compare to. Add two more zeros to Associate Professor Kong's assets and you still couldn't catch up. This elder doesn't evade taxes, doesn't bribe, doesn't engage in speculation, doesn't neglect teaching or research, and earns legally through intelligence alone. Who told you that well-off PKU professors all sold out to officials and businessmen?
This ID has only one view on such sordid matters: even if you oppose capitalism, if you can't even make money under capitalism, that only proves you're a useless pastry with no right to oppose capitalism. The most shameful thing in the world is being kept by capitalism. Capitalism is the gigolo — and you're being kept by the gigolo? What does that make you? The prerequisite for defeating capitalism is to spend as little time as possible making loads of capitalist money. Otherwise, even if you're a PKU professor crying that the price for being kept is too low and you can't survive, you're still less charming than a cat in heat during spring!
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán 2006/9/20 18:03:35
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