Letters of recommendation SUCK. They're about who you know rather than the quality of the work. Stop asking for them! Just stop! https://twitter.com/JasmineBager/status/1349031294286639106

Asking people to trot out their connections for an application is the absolute dumbest bullshit gatekeeping measure of all. Especially for fellowships & grants intended to benefit people who...need fellowships & grants?? It's just ludicrous

Anyway, if you know me even a little bit & you need a letter of recommendation, just ask. I will write that shit if I possibly can. If I don't know you, I'll research your work & write it.

But more importantly, if you are in a position to do so, please advocate with the committee on whatsis to erase this bullshit requirement from the application if it's not truly relevant

Einstein famously never turned down a request for a letter of rec, which flooded the market with his recs & made them worthless. I don't think it was bc of how nice he was, he probably just knew they were bullshit lol