They’re not. Not universally. I really enjoyed my PhD and so did most of my friends. The issue with absolutist statements like “Why higher edu institutions are

They’re not. Not universally. I really enjoyed my PhD and so did most of my friends. The issue with absolutist statements like “Why higher edu institutions are so disappointing and mediocre?” is that it is a generalization from a non-random sampling of narratives, one that appeals to our sense of outrage and negativity. If one were to collect a fuller set of narratives one will likely find a more nuanced picture — yes, there’s hardship in a Ph.D. but in many cases there’s also joy in learning and discovery. It’s all a function of your advisor, your topic, your funding, your peer group and yourself (not everyone is cut out for it).