I agree with you that counting on a stable job in academia is probably a mistake for most PhD students.  But your previous categorical statement goes too far.<p>It&#x27;s a perfectly valid choice for me to decide to do a PhD for no reason other than an intense desire to learn more about some topic and then plan on making a living as a kayaking instructor or elementary school teacher or a handyman for the following two or three decades.  As long as I have no delusions about the feasibility of my plan.