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Spoon, I'd try to not think about it like 'make someone else rich' -> 'die'. I mean, I know this is somewhat of an exaggeration and you probably don't see it in black and white.
I guess we could argue whether it is an inherently 'bad' thing that your work would lead to another person's financial gain. I'd bring up points like, well, this individual who would theoretically profit from your work is someone (in general, of course) who took a risk to start such a company in the first place, risking his own financial ruin, etc, and that absent these type of long-run payoffs no one would be trying to start firms at all. Of course, there are counter arguments to this, usually in the vein of anti-capitalist sentiment, and we'd then be arguing over ideology and judgment calls and get nowhere. So there's no benefit to even going there really.
Instead, I ask you why don't you view it from a perspective of your own self-interest? Clearly, working a job that requires your quantitative skills would likely lead to higher income, and the subject matter might be somewhat interesting to you to boot. The hours might be long, but they'd be well-compensated. So you could, in some measure, have the potential for a more secure life down the road by completing your education.
Re academia, I find it strange you'd have such a negative opinion of it. Do you feel that professors of mathematics don't contribute anything to society, that research in math is trivial and inconsequential? Do you not agree with the lifestyle the professors enjoy (i.e. I know some people who hate the idea of tenure and feel it should be abolished)? Or is it that, at your age, you feel the time commitment would be too much for an uncertain future -- i'm referring here specifically to your pursuing a PhD?
I apologize if I'm assuming / asking too much here, just trying to understand your motivations. Feel free to ignore this if you think I'm being a pompous ass (not at all my intention though).
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Originally Posted by spoonitnow
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