I've noticed that since I've started down this career path 12 years ago that throughout the scientific research community, whether it's in academia/industry, that there seems to be a pervasive culture of putting students and early career scientists through miserable situations and in toxic settings. Not because it makes them a better scientist, but because that's what the PI, lab director, post-doc, manager, etc had to go through to get where they wanted to in their careers. It seems like this culture of vindictiveness is purposefully applied as if it makes one a better scientist and researcher.

I'm asking for this discussion, not just because it's what I've had to deal with, but also because my young cousin who is about to enter University next year wants to go into biochemical/biomedical research and she really wants to learn what that process is like. I want her desperately to follow her passions, but I also don't want her to be subjected to the same toxicity that much of us have, because it offers nothing but resentment and burnout. I'm curious to hear other viewpoints on this, even if you disagree with me.