I think it’s in the hands of this graduate student, notable quote:

As a man, I felt like I was a failure. I had devoted myself to the world of cerebral activity. I had learned a practical skill that was elitist,” he says. “Perhaps I should have been learning a skill that the economy supports.

On his meager wages, and meager future prospects with his particular degree.  The dedication to his field is somewhat remarkable I suppose.  On the whole I’m reminded of the first season of  Justified, specifically how the cynical Boyd Crowder would recruit skinheads to rob bank for him, bear all the risk for none of the money.  In return the skins would get the satisfaction of doing their part for their glorious race, or as a graduate student would call it, “The life of the mind”.  An interesting article RTWT.

The capacity of people to keep digging when in a hole (in this case, to keep on plugging away in their chosen field, disregarding all evidence that it is a bad choice) is remarkable.