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Comment by DeathArrow | Hacker News Reader

You can do a BS and work in the industry. Nobody forces you to get a job in the academia.

I think in the example case she was trying to get a job in the teaching industry, not necessarily teaching ed students in academia. At least that was my read on it.

_Someone_ needs to get jobs in the academia, otherwise after a generation we will not have anyone to train and offer those BS degrees.

Or should we only allow those with plenty of capital to pursue academia?

Oh, um, many classes are taught by adjuncts and grad students now. PIs don't teach anymore, it's seen as a punishment for failure to get grant money.

> You can do a BS and work in the industry.

There's no philosophy industry.

Which is one of the reasons sane people suggest not getting a philosophy degree.

One studies because of curiosity, not because of money.

One has to eat. Curiosity and money can go hand in hand. I've learned things out of curiosity but those things helped me build a career, have an income, feed me and my children. There's nothing bad in gaining money.

> One has to eat.

Philosophy grads are eating. I'm about to eat breakfast. Let's not exaggerate the situation. The issue here isn't that grad students are starving or homeless.

But nobody pursues a philosophy degree for the money.

It's a question of personal values and what one wants out of life. Many people of a philosophical predilection would find it unfulfilling, a waste, "insane", to devote themselves to wealth maximization.

>It's a question of personal values and what one wants out of life. Many people of a philosophical predilection would find it unfulfilling, a waste, "insane", to devote themselves to wealth maximization.

Arguably, If your goal in life is to be happy, from a philosophical perspective, maximizing wealth is a valid way to do it.

From a philosophical perspective, if your goal in life is to be happy, you will find it to be temporary at best or illusory. Better to strive for a meaningful life, with all the highs and lows that come with it. You have 70-80 years on this planet, is dying with the most toys the most fulfilling life you can think of?

>You have 70-80 years on this planet, is dying with the most toys the most fulfilling life you can think of?

No, but wealth can free your time to do what you wish. It can enable you to do things that are harder to do without said wealth.

You seem to be contradicting yourself. I want to pursue a philosophy degree, but you say no, I should pursue wealth maximization instead. Then you say wealth can free my time to do what I wish, but what I wish is to pursue a philosophy degree.

>There's no philosophy industry.

You can work in the diversity industry. As a chief diversity officer, for example.

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