[quote=@mdk]
<Snipped quote by Doivid>

Your syntax professor sounds like a pretty cool guy, although that's a really specific thing to be studying and I can't imagine there are many career moves out of that field, but still, he's alright in my book.
[/quote]

That's why he is a teacher. Academics is like a gladiatorial career. Everyone who enters picks what specific specialty they are going to pursue. Then they enter the arena and duke it out. The losers become unemployed, those who performed well enough to get a consolation prize are awarded with a teaching job at high schools and community colleges, the runners up get comfy professorships, and the winner gets to be the guy that documentaries and news programs interview when they need an expert.