How I didn't accept a thesis proposal
I had a master's student. She was going to do a thesis for a while. She was a very good girl.
But, still unaccustomed to the dirt outside of school.
I say: What topic will you take?
Social networks for local government.
Where specifically?
For the municipality where I work – he says. Where was it in a second-hand municipality!
Tell me, what do the employees there do who deal with social networks?
"There are about ten," he said.
But what do they do?
They work on the municipality's communications.
Specifically? – I asked.
He said: They see who insults the mayor and they remove it, when the mayor goes somewhere or posts something, they like it and make positive comments.
What else?
The main task is to see which of the hundreds and thousands of municipal or service employees follow the posts, what they say, whether they support them properly, and how many likes they get per week.
There are quotas of likes and comments for each of the municipal employees and others.
We measure their work! Whoever doesn't do it, loses their job. They don't do their job. There's no pay.
That lonely woman spoke to me honestly. My eyes filled with tears. My anger was reaching the top of my head. She spoke to me at length.
I ask: Can you do this thesis?
Yes, said the desert, good.
You got your diploma, I told him, you got ten, and four.
He opened his eyes.
You won't do this topic, I told him, even though I knew he would do it very well, it was useful enough for all the diplomas of that year throughout the Balkans, throughout Europe. It could become a BESTSELLER.
"Yes, why?" he said.
"I know," I replied.
You're bored!
I wanted to protect my student from those who, if she did that paper without understanding what she was doing, would ruin her life for good.
If she had a degree in denunciation, I would support her. But she didn't see anything bad, vile, or dirty about what was happening in her municipality.
What was happening in the municipality where he worked seemed normal to him.
Accustomed to evil, to filth.
With departmental and municipal social networks that harass employees?
A study that I would directly become a doctor and associate professor if I had it in my hands!
Real research topic, not spoiled brat!
I would give this title to that diploma thesis that was never done, except that consultation was held before me.
Even when I remember it, my soul aches!