[bonoboTP]

Because someone has to do it. Conference submissions have ballooned as the field itself has ballooned.

Whats your suggestion?

[marcosdumay]

It's better if nobody does it than to send it to the randomizer.

[bonoboTP]

Ok but you need peer reviewed publications to graduate with a PhD.

And if you retort that the whole academic system is obsolete, well, it still carries a lot of prestige and legitimacy that makes politicians interested in maintaining it, so it's not going anywhere soon.