Yeah, between aging populations, increasing precariousness in academia, the neoliberalization of universities and more, the ground is shifting underfoot. I think a lot of people who are drawn to academia are people who love books, deep thinking, and intellectual pursuits while maybe not being the best fit for the hustle and bustle of commercial jobs. As a result many are disillusioned to realize that the parts of academia that aren't dying are businesses and they have to think like businesspeople and politicians to make anything of themselves--the very thing they had hoped to avoid.

I'm feeling much less blocked and made some progress, thank you! I haven't solved my future yet but at least I can do the job at hand.