[theparanoid]

The fallacy of sunk cost - "the result of his careful consideration was that he could never give up, because he had already invested too much."

Ming should have quit. An instructive example is the Chinese physics PhD student who exploited the system for his own benefit, http://philip.greenspun.com/careers/women-in-science.

[sliverstorm]

You could read that part different ways- if some of his "investment" was allowing other doors to close (such as becoming a salaryman), then truly, he has "invested" too much to turn back.