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But you can get that in industry, often with serious financial benefit. It’s not like that is a unique situation

I think the experiences of a PHD program versus working in industry are sufficiently different enough to say that they are not as easily comparable as you are making it out to be.

Hes not broadly comparing them. Hes correctly pointing out that "learning about oneself" and about "how to work hard and get stuff done" isnt unique to getting a PhD.

If anything, its shocking that someone does not realize that's just a part of growing up.

You definitely can get that in industry. Or the military. Or lots of places.

However I think where you go in industry matters a lot. Doing a PhD at a serious program is more like starting a startup than like writing CRUD apps at a megacorp. More like going to the SEAL teams than being a supply clerk.

This has been the opposite of my experience with PhDs. Most can’t handle leadership or any sort of standard workplace interaction.

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