I am in higher level education in the public university system. I used to view academia as a source of hope in society, and perhaps a progressive institution in someways, or some kind of source of hope with their supposed focus on science and research. After some years here, this "image" I had of academia has been shattered.
What are your perceptions of academia and research institutions, as Marxists?
Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Profit motive for research bad. Being desperate to find positive results so you can get published at all and advance your career bad. Paywalls bad. Liberally motivated research bad. International cooperative enhancing of knowledge base of humanity good. Individual academics generally neutral to good (just the actively evil ones get paid a bunch by the Koch brothers to appear on TV and say shit like "well, the science isn't in yet").
I think broadly, I like individual scientists and the "idea" of academia good, but the system is designed in such a way that you can only really do it as a career if you reify current structures. Even something like "economics" could be good. It's not, but it could be.
But of course I would say that with an academic background. Most of my friends are academics of one sort or another.
Remove the elitism obviously.