Good evening (or morning, or afternoon or whatever it makes sense for your timezone), mates.

I had a discussion with a friend of mine regarding PhDs. He was offered a PhD opportunity by his supervisor - the professor he worked with during his Master thesis. He wanted my opinion about whether he should take it or not. He studied chemistry - I don't remember which specific curriculum. I assume it was analytical or environmental chemistry. Anyway, it's a part of the faculty of science. My opinion was: I know several people in my family that have PhDs that went on ti have successful happy lives. They work on research, are decently paid, they teach, they have a lot of benefits. They have families with several children and less worries than the regular 5 to 9 worker. In my mind, if you don't have intentions of starting your own business - it's a better life than the usual rat race. In his opinion: he has heard of people that did a PhD and ended up searching for low-paid internships, struggling of graduating at an old age (late-20s, early-30s), pouring their hearts out regarding the bad quality of life and unnecessary mental struggle they had to endure for a failed investment. He kept on saying that whenever he reaches out for the unknown faces on the internet, there are only demise and misery in sight from the other side - a world of depressed doctorate students who are biting their nails in sorrow and regret for the decisions they've taken, for the steps to be made. What do y'all think about it? Is he wrong or am I wrong? Or is there a middle ground where real-life is in display?