11 tweets that show what happens if you publicly dismiss the work of academics

Claims of academia being out of touch with the “real world” are hardly new. This week, it was the turn of a Conservative MP in the UK to draw the ire of many after a Twitter attack on the profession. 

Personally, never thought of academics as 'experts'. No experience of the real world.

— Glyn Davies (@glyndaviesmp) October 29, 2016

Glyn Davies, MP for Montgomeryshire, posted the tweet on 29 October, inspiring vast numbers of academics to defend their honour, uniting under the hashtag #realworldacademic, a term coined by Times Higher Education's very own editor-at-large, Phil Baty.

Feels like a hashtag is needed for this. Are you a #realworldacademic ? Let your MP know! https://t.co/rXjcbjDTRv

— Phil Baty (@Phil_Baty) October 30, 2016

Some scholars' responses to the inflammatory tweet featured plain statements of fact…

>50% of US's economic growth since WWII attributable to science & technology. That's real world. #realworldacademic https://t.co/n6KfPxOoOs

— Scientists for EU (@Scientists4EU) October 30, 2016

...while others focused more on tried-and-tested academic wit.

That moment when you just can't choose the window of your ivory tower from which to throw scraps to the peasants. #realworldacademic

— Ben Stanley (@BDStanley) October 30, 2016

In fact, light-hearted mocking seemed to be the preferred method of expressing disapproval… 

Since Waitrose started accepting rambling lectures about Foucault as payment for expensive cheeses I've no need to be a #realworldacademic

— Harriet Palfreyman (@hjpalfreyman) October 30, 2016

Sometimes I reload the printer with paper I've opened all by myself #realworldacademic

— Scott Hames (@hinesjumpedup) October 31, 2016

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion...and I worked in Asda once #realworldacademic

— Martin George (@martingeorge) October 30, 2016

Mr Davies’ tweet also allowed for some lovely online academic bonding…

@JHolmesSheff yeah, 5 years at the SPAR, one as Asst Manager, one as Manager #realworldacademic

— Dan Horsfall (@DanHors83) October 30, 2016

 ...while some chose to highlight the irony in a well-paid MP attacking academics for lacking the “common touch”, either through precise, poignant comparisons…

Dear @glyndaviesmp I could have funded my whole project on chemo side effects in kids for same £ as your annual expenses #realworldacademic pic.twitter.com/OoeeomNz6M

— Dr Vicky Forster (@vickyyyf) October 31, 2016

...or through the use of a somewhat blunter instrument:

Dude, you literally work in a palace. #realworldacademichttps://t.co/4TeoTbrgxy

— Jonathan Healey (@SocialHistoryOx) October 30, 2016

Beyond the humour, the serious implications of dismissing and demoralising people who have chosen to dedicate themselves to a life of the mind, cannot and should not be ignored.

#realworldacademic @glyndaviesmp - you need a reality check, so here's my bio. We all now need an apology. pic.twitter.com/XqAKMLuT9l

— Claire Nally (@tinyhippo1979) October 30, 2016

You can follow the #realworldacademic hashtag on Twitter, where you can also follow THE.

Read next: Real World Academics – a response to Glyn Davies MP

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