Humor and Politics Posted on October 16, 2007 Kiki D. Chang (bio) says that having a good sense of humor helps when dealing with departmental politics.

I think humor is underrated as well too. I think you have to keep a sense of humor through all of this. This is what has kept me afloat, a big sense of humor. Dry helps, but sometimes people don’t understand if it’s too dry, so you have to measure that. People can’t tell when you’re being serious. But you have to have a sense of humor obviously, 'cause it’s a great defense mechanism. It doesn’t get you into trouble usually.

And also I actually think that it helps to either be super political so that you’re aware of all the politics involved, and not stepping on people’s feet and who talks to who and where people are so you can navigate the academic waters. Or in my case, what I chose to do was be completely apolitical.

Which is really, just keep your nose out of everyone’s business, do your own thing until you’ve got yourself established, and then see where you are and then, that’s not actually being apolitical that’s being smart in some ways of staying out of potentially damaging situations or politics that you don’t want to be involved in that derail you from your career.

And that’s the way I chose to do it, is more stay away from those kinds of things. It doesn’t mean that if a situation arises that demands your attention that you put your head in the sand, you still have to take care of it. But, not to really go looking for trouble, I think, is a good way of surviving the ups and downs of academic careers.

In the long run, the science and the quality of the work is really gonna win out, which is why I really enjoy academics, because that’s the way it should be.

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