[xyzelement]

My one caveat: wherever you go, there you are.

You must know that many in tech have a very different experience than you (proud of their work, like their colleagues, feel care and development from their boss.)

Similarly many in academics love their work and others hate it.

The difference probably has to do more with who you are / how you go about it / attitude than the field.

It would be valuable to reflect what makes you so miserable in your current field while others are able to thrive. I don't know your situation but some guesses: do you have enough focus on getting into the good environments (eg, Google?) and if so - what's holding you back? Skills, drive, attitude? Do you relate to people or are you a judgmental asshole? etc etc.

I don't know the answer but what I am saying is - you probably won't be happy in academia or anywhere else unless you figure out what's making you not happy where you are.

[qqj]

Of course, one must consider the possibility that the issues lie with him and not blame circumstances blindly, but as you can see we are many - and all of us have very similar difficulties and problems with how things are. This points to something systemic. To dismiss all of this as the complaints of malcontent crybabies would be silly.

People can find bliss and happiness even in the direst of circumstances - and sometimes they have no choice but to do just that. As obscenely well educated people living in first world countries, we do have a choice - and advocating complacency for the sake of making your life easier reeks of moral degeneracy if not outright solipsism (same goes for repurposing Zen - "wherever you go, there you are" - to help you turn a blind eye to the world). We can do better.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

[xyzelement]

Theoretically nothing you said is wrong. However the truth in my experience is that people who casually refer to their coworkers using language like "scam artists, MBA's and ego-tripping managers" have a lot wrong with them.

If this guy engages with his colleagues with that mindset, what kind of experience can he possibly expect?

And my point is - if he brought that attitude into academia he'd get he same outcome as well.