LOL - You are so generous. I tell my fiance that all his money is mine and my money is mine too since somewhere down the line I am the one who is going to carry on his family line!

And I propose this mainly because everyone seems to up in arms about that issue. I am not certain this was Zara's intention or main argument but that is what this thread has turned to at the moment.

This thread just looks like blind regurgitation of the same thing over and over again. Mostly about chicken breasts... Perhaps this is a spill over from the eating fluffy thread.

I propose inorder to end this, we have a vote on what you thought of the main author's arguments here... The only thing you are allowed to say about the issue: YES or NO. No need to explain your choice. Just put the vote.

So the question is: Do you think we deserve more respect than a working class person (factory worker, corner shop sales person) because we are doing a PhD?

My Vote: NO

Mia - Hubby's money is yours.

Is that an American size 6 or a EU size 6 or a UK size 6?

Mia, I am sure you have some money. How is the bathroom suite coming along?

Nothing is wrong with wanting to better yourself but something is wrong if you think everyone should think the way you do. The fact of life is that not everyone out there has the same opinions or motivations as you.

It is part of being literate to develop a sense of tolerance and respect for other people. Just because they look down on you, doesn't give you the right to do the same. Otherwise where is the difference. Surely you realise that your experiences are subjective, relatively little and might not paint the whole picture.

I don't think this thread was meant to come out the way it has but the way you have presented your arguments are offensive. Especially if for instance one of your close friends or family members work in a corner shop.

I love my memory stick. I just wish a certain company had the proper design sense to put the security thread on the stick as opposed to the cover.

My PhD is brilliant too. I got my PhD offer without even trying, have many publications, have been to many countries all over the world in conferences/symposia, have great funding, brilliant supervisors and a laptop with a memory stick and backup external hard drive (400GB)... There mc2006 you can feel better now

You just have to realise that in forums, people post things when they are on a downward slope. On an up slope, we go out, let our hair down and shake our booty! In general, I think almost every PhD student has both ups and downs. The downs are just more vocal.

Welcome to the forum!

I agree with GolfPro (for once); We are NOT better than the factory worker or anyone else just because we are doing a PhD. However I do find it amusing that some of my friends who spent university looking for a boyfriend or dropped out due to laziness say to my face that I am wasting my life doing a PhD when I could oh so easily get married and make babies. Or get an office job and earn more money. I think that is probably what Zara's post is about. Let's face it. To some extent everyone doing a PhD thinks that it is better than doing factory work. It's just that we should know that it is difference in feeling it but respecting that others don't feel it.

I agree with anonGerman. Sometimes I get the feeling that I was more qualified after my undergraduate degree in comparison with now. Especially if like me, you don't want to become a lecturer for the rest of your life. Or if you want to get back into industry.

Oh and don't get me started on those dolts who say... "when are you going to stop messing around and get a proper job or get married"

LOL Zara

No I am doing a PhD in Computer Science... but it is a Dr. for both so that don't see the difference... One day I went to visit this family and one of then turned round and started giving me his medical details for some liver condition. This was after I explained to them that I was spending my time doing a PhD which is like a specialised higher degree.

The only people who really understand are my immediate family and other friends/family members who have gone through a similar process.

In my case. It is the opposite. They all think I am a genius and know everything. I still waiting till the moment everyone finds out that I am not so hot when someone has a stroke in a wedding and everyone turns round to me expecting that I would fix it by snapping my fingers.