I started my PhD... don't even remember when. Was a stupid idea inside of a stupid system and to all you listening for backpropagation ideas (aka "hindsight bias"): DON'T DO IT. Unless the system (environment, family, employer) allows for it, as they'd allow a prison inmate to take a piss or a slave to take a digestion (synonym in Latin for divergence which is synonym in English for getting a bit of rest). PhD does pay me some $5000 / month gross for the 6 hours I have to register and work under signature for them, that is teach stupid imbeciles this joke: "Do you know what's the difference between ignorance and apathy?" Noone hand gets raised so I tell'em "I don't know and I don't care". I would have stopped the drain of intelligence (mine) in the 1'st year after I realized the environment conditions but it was too late: it's like The Army recruiting you. I'd have to pay the WHOLE schoolarship and some penalties to get an early out of the system and definitely: 1) I don't have those resources or I wouldn't have started the thing in the first place. 2) Wuz so hard to push another 6 hours to the end? 6 + 3 transit + another day preparing = 2 days ripped from my uncaring employer which couldn't care less about my math ablilities to do their navigation outside of this world (although that's what they do, their primary source of income and their hoper for a better future) as I care about fucking dunno what. And this is the good employer who only has like $200M on the line. Before that there was a $1B++ one and the only glimpse I had at upper management showed me I should put effort and stick to my current guys. This is a programming thread btw. Don't borrow it under the "chit chat" section. Tell me what you'd do in my place.
Unless you want to teach, I really don't see the point in getting a PhD. You clearly despise "working for the man". Why not apply your programming knowledge to a market niche and be a consultant where you would at least have a bit more autonomy.
If you have the talent. Just find a new employer and let the pay the penalty whatever. Companies are desperate for talent now
I say this without judgement and as much humility as possible, quit drinking. Seriously, I did about a year ago and it seriously boosted my productivity during the 95% of the week that I wasn't drinking (not to mention the 5% when I was). This is operating on the assumption that you're not an alcoholic, just someone who enjoys drinking, obviously if it's a serious issue I'd be an a-hole for telling you to just quit. Aside from that, pulling a Cortez and burning the boats has a way of focusing the attention of the smart but lazy (I'll put myself in at least the lazy bucket and you can decide if you fit both). One curse that comes with winning the intelligence genetic lottery is that you can do pretty much jack in the way of effort and still get by just fine. If you let yourself you'll just float through life that way. Give yourself a sense of urgency and it will be amazing what you can accomplish.
Wow...to be honest, at first I was like "what a douche" but after the second read I think I know what you're trying to say. Not bad man. We're living in a decade of entitlement. Everybody is fighting for rights. Instead people should start thinking wether they're actually useful to society (Hint: I'm probably not, but at least I do some charity and spend my money on useless sh!t to fuel economy) or at least to their own community. There would not be as many depressed people if there was an emphasis on purpose. Have you ever seen how happy and satisfied a child is once a difficult project is finished or repsonibility has been taken for something important? That's what's missing in many lives, I feel. OP, you need a purpose. When you continue chasing money, women or "happyness", you'll get hosed from the concrete below a bridge someday.
@Aquarains - You might want to quantify where you live. PhDs can be worth a ton in Chicago, New York and other world cities. Substantially less in places like Eastern Europe. When the Berlin wall fell the PhDs working at Eurex in Frankfort now had competition from East Berlin where they were earning a fraction of what was earned in the west.
In current markets state for many industries I would be very skeptical to get any advices which are "life matters" from PhD, it's reminds me lot of useless people with MBA diplom or something like that. All you need to do is get practice, and it's just something to add to your experience, not should be something like I am PhD/MBA, pay me at least $5k+ per month
@ETJ: I'm in Eastern Europe. @Zithiel89: what the title may prove useful eventually is when and if I'll run my own hedge fund or at least managed accounts business (for marketing purposes).