On one hand: work long hours with little to no recognition, put up with the bullshit politics of academia, constantly worrying about job security due to grant-based funding, and all while struggling to make ends meet.

On the other hand: don’t struggle to make ends meet, deal with a lot less bullshit, job security.

I’d ask you how you don’t understand, but you thought someone else bringing up capitalism was unrelated, so it’s obviously a sad waste of my expensive fucks-to-give to try to educate you. Misplaced priorities? Sounds more like you have no clue what you are talking about.