Many of the issues faced by myself, my friends, and my colleagues is not because of 'science'. It's because of the systemic issues within academia: job insecurity, low wages, lack of jobs, rampant bullying, and toxic work environments.

I want to work in research so badly but customer service work pays better and is less stressful.

Why I loathe the term "failed academic." We didn't fail: the system failed us.