Open access is the only way to publish like a Mercedes* Prius is the only car to drive | Prof-Like Substance

" ... Before I start I want to state that I support open access, have published in OA journals and paid for OA in journals that provide that option. But I don't limit myself to only OA solutions. Why? Because I can't afford it. We'll deal with the financial aspect of OA in a minute, but there's more to "affording" something than the dollars. Like practically anything, academia is a hierarchical system. There's the obvious hierarchy that can be seen in career stage, but there's the sometimes less obvious divisions that exist. Institution of employment is next on the list, followed closely (and slightly more opaquely) by lineage. Who did you train with? Where did you train? Who has your back when it comes time for nominations, honorary positions, invitations, etc. It's pretty clear from a variety of studies that gender and ethnicity further complicate these factors and add sub-layers to the whole mix. What does this all have to do with OA? Plenty. The OA movement is admirable and I wish I could be more a part of it. The truth is, I care more about getting a foothold in my field and establishing my career than I do about the OA movement. Is that selfish? In the short term, yes. In the longer term, I hope to be in a better position to use OA journals without being concerned about the evaluation of my publication record ..."