Humbugs of doing a PhD

Humbug: something designed to deceive and mislead

I received the offer letter for PhD and I am experiencing some heartache over the salary. Its not easy because years in life accumulated a lot of knowledge humbugs that some may be quite emotional. Here a list:

(1) Money humbug. The percentage decrease in salary is astronomical. I can no longer buy branded apparels for my wife. In exchange, I have to relearn the beauty of nature, pluck flowers instead of buying one, picking the pearl-like dew on a morning leaf instead of the real pearl, and revising how to make handicrafts. Sweet talks maybe cheap and effective.

(2) Food humbug. Food in USA is terrible and expensive. Imagine bad taste Chinese food for USD$6-7. We have the best in the country for SGD$2-3. Not to mention that food stalls close at 7pm, not open until 11am. Serving in slow, waiters impolite, and there are miles away from your home. In exchange, I get to recall how I cook and maybe a chance to learn to appreciate the mild and elegant tea.

(3) Durian humbug. No durian!?! No king of fruits! and chiku, rambutan, longan, water melon, coconut, ... I don't know what to make of this. Sob.

(4) House humbug. So far, everyone likes my house. Its high with a good view of downtown Singapore, cooling, quiet yet near the town center, nice neighbors, close to parks, lots of hawker food, well furnished, media center + surround sound system, 150sqm area, lots of paintings, and very quiet Mitsibushi A/C! But Lin Yutang says, "the rich and busy requires a small garden right behind his house, but the poor has a fenceless garden that covers all that he can see." I have to learn to appreciate beauty in the surrounding beyond the artificial, and make the universe my home.

Four humbugs? Not too many... I would like to think of becoming a poor PhD student as a wise Chinese official who resigned his riches and becoming a vagabond. He who want to discover Tao has to give up the world possessions! Its fun to think that way. In fact, whether one is a wise vagabond or just a begger much depends on the motivation of renunciation. Knowledge is mercurial, however, deepening of a character goes a long way.