To be honest, it's the publishers that are to blame. I believe most scientist dont really care how it's published as long it is. The publishers run a pyramid scheme.
You can't blame the publishers for schools which are training people to be professors and little else at a rate 10x actually needed.
As far as i know, the publishers keep the bulk of the fees
You two are not talking about the same thing. You are talking about publishers, OP is talking about university students vs employment. Universities accept paying students knowing that there is only a job for 1/10 of those students.
are you joking? the only reason publishers have any power is academia is full of a areoagance and people chasing “prestige” and getting
into good journals