What could I have done that paid more? I could have gone into health care. Lots of people do that if they want to make good money. But nurses, doctors, etc. need to know the basics of chemistry to do their job properly: if all the chem professors quit, how will they do it?

I could have gone into industry. But again, people with my skill set working in industry (pharmaceuticals etc.) require a solid background in chemistry to do their job. If all the chem profs move to industry, industry will eventually shut down as no new workers can be trained.