To Clarify: Doing a Ph.D Really Is a Personal Career Decision

I major in ME, and if I want to become a patent examiner, I need a doctorate. So purely from a career-planning standpoint, a PhD is definitely worth it for me

That said, it's not the main reason I'm doing a PhD. I'm doing it because I find research really interesting. I can make good use of my time. If you see research as an exhausting grind and measure success by income, then a PhD may well not be worth it. If you think doing research and playing around with instruments is fun, and you define success as getting to do work you love, then I'd say a PhD is worth it.

What I want to say is that success depends entirely on how each person defines it. Given different values, every career choice deserves praise. Everyone's doing great, and after all, life is about trying things. Let's keep the discussion rational, no fighting