I've been reading recent posts and thinking to myself if academia will ever change and if so how?.
A slew of posts have recurring themes of unrealistic expectations with little support and high scrutiny. Many of us are just crying through the experience because it sucks on top.of what seem like other life things. Not to mention a lot of us are doing this while being underpaid (some places people in fast food make more than we do as phd students).
All this forces many of us to divest from academia because we have such a negative experience and there are so many other places that will treat us better.
But then.....who stays? Is it the people who will perpetuate this behavior? Will it first fall apart then be rebuilt by those wh9 wish to change it? How do I recommend to younger people I know to.go through this ?