Academia does not provide many opportunities for immediate gratification. You work for two years on a project, it takes two more years to get it published, and then you start hoping someone might read it.
Interpretation
Academia often requires long-term effort without immediate rewards.
Richard Thaler’s quote highlights the delayed gratification inherent in academic work. It emphasizes that the process of conducting research and publishing findings is lengthy, often taking years before any recognition or impact is realized, creating a challenging environment for those seeking quick rewards in their efforts.
In practice
Referencing this quote during a seminar about the challenges of academic publishing.
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