To some degree yes. As the world got more globalized and the number of prestigious universities basically stayed the same while the number of people getting PhD

To some degree yes. As the world got more globalized and the number of prestigious universities basically stayed the same while the number of people getting PhDs skyrocketed, the competition for jobs at even third-tier schools became outrageous. You either play the game and survive - often at the cost of your integrity. Or you walk. I walked. No regrets.