I admire the work of academic philosophers like Nick Bostrom, Peter Singer or David Chalmers (which, yes, includes the "metametaphysics" mocked in the OP). And

I admire the work of academic philosophers like Nick Bostrom, Peter Singer or David Chalmers (which, yes, includes the "metametaphysics" mocked in the OP). And the few philosophers I've talked to in person, like Huw Price, left a very good impression on me. And their work is important to the future of humanity: I've talked to many people who changed their whole careers after reading Singer's The Life You Can Save or Bostrom's Superintelligence. At the same time, it's true that academic careers are surprisingly terrible on average and fewer people should choose them.