A*Star Scholar (hereby abbreviated to ASS): I’ve lost interest in **** (his/her field of study). But I can’t stand it if someone from **** (a rival university) can gets his/her PhD and I don’t. So I’m going to do a PhD anyway.

Me: But why make yourself do something you dislike for the rest of your life, just because other people are doing it?

ASS: That’s what life is about. It’s a rat race. That’s what we’ve been doing all our lives. Trying to get into the best schools, so that we will not fall behind our peers.

Me: But nobody is stopping you from opting out. Just because that’s what everyone else does doesn’t mean you have to do it too.

ASS: But there is nothing else in life. That is just what life is about. It’s the same everywhere.

Me (to myself): There’s no point in continuing this conversation.