Some answers to the great "why get a PhD in Economics?" debate

Excellent and amusing reading for those doing or thinking of doing a PhD in Economics. Summarises and provides links to a number of articles on the topic although they are all US oriented.

What about a PhD in Environmental Economics? Same issues apply although you might get to help save (or destroy) the planet after you graduate (...if you graduate).

Why Get an Economics Ph.D?

I like the following line discussing academia as a career:

A non-academic might have major investments in a family, friends who are not colleagues, hobbies, and voluntary organizations. Academics instead tend to have very concentrated emotional portfolios.