This one should probably start with a content warning. I strive to be positive and helpful, however, I am discussing mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression.

According to Matt Might's 'The Illustrated Guide to the Ph.D.,' your Ph.D. is only a pimple on the face of knowledge.

I advise you to visit this famous webpage, but basically, Might begins by visually depicting all of your knowledge - as a giant circle - and your contribution as a little circle. Then there's a succession of photographs that zoom in closer and closer to the edge of the large circle…

Finally, your small Ph.D. circle gets fused to the larger circle: a little bulge on the existing knowledge circle's perimeter

A Ph.D. pimple, as I already stated.

I'm sure Matt Might is a great man who intended his graphic to be comforting. What he's attempting to argue is that the total of all human knowledge develops steadily, Ph.D. by Ph.D.

A single Ph.D. does not have to be ground-breaking. Your contribution may be minor, but many Ph.D. pimples combined to make a significant difference.

As a sociology-inclined academic, I have some concerns regarding his 'additive' concept of knowing, but I am not here to debate epistemology. Poetically appealing is the thought of being a modest, humble actor in the vast endeavor of human understanding.

It's also a little disheartening.

My Ph.D. was unquestionably a pimple. It was about the use of gestures in architectural classes. Neither architecture nor gestures are taught by me.

I no longer employ the research methods I learned. For these reasons, the knowledge's worth to me may be questioned.

Is the vast circle of human knowledge getting bigger? Maybe.

It was mentioned by a few people. Some folks even said they enjoyed it (thank you, Megan!). I know how much work went into this little speck of information and to be honest, I sometimes question all of that work.

I recall the stomach ulcer I caused myself, as well as the fact that I only have hazy recollections of my son's childhood*.

Of course, no Ph.D. is completely useless. My Ph.D. has allowed me to be here now, talking to you. This site has been around for almost a decade, and I know it has helped many individuals.

But weighing my Ph.D. against the vastness of human knowledge brings me to dark places. This is why I despise Matt Might's Ph.D. pimple while loving the basic simplicity of the notion.

I'd like to discuss the sensation of Ph.D. pointlessness since I believe it's a major issue, especially now, a couple of decades into the already unstable twenty-first century.

A Ph.D. is often arduous. Some people tell me they had a good time from start to finish, but most of us don't. There's the early uncertainty when you're not sure where your work belongs in this gigantic structure known as 'The Literature.'

Then there's the middle of the middle,' where you lose your sense of purpose and clarity - even if you never fully enter the Valley of Shit. Finally, when you're knee-deep in the reference salt mines, there's a bleak, grinding trudging to the final writing and editing job.

The sense of futility pervades the entire process, like a fart in an elevator, exacerbating an already bad situation.

There are long-standing issues in academia, such as inadequate supervision, sexism, and racism (and let's not forget ableism and ageism). These issues are being addressed, but there is still a long way to go.

The publishing and ranking systems are fueling a strange paper 'arms race,' in which Ph.D. students are frequently placed as foot soldiers, cranking out articles that only a small number of people will read.

Not to mention the financial difficulties brought on by tuition, living bills, and the plague of insecure employment.

The epidemic, which is going on indefinitely, simply adds to the anxiety. The total of human knowledge might seem little in comparison to the sum of human pain seen on any number of news feeds.

Not to mention the looming threat of climate change, which is becoming increasingly visible in our daily lives. Climate change, according to my friend Dr. Liz Boulton, is a "hyper danger" that is "fog-like, omnipresent," producing generalized worry and action paralysis.

It should come as no surprise that there is a worrisome pandemic of mental health concerns among Ph.D. students. The issues of the twenty-first century are just enormous.

Feelings of powerlessness and anxiety about the future will impact any thinking and feeling individual. It's hardly unexpected that some of us struggle to get out of bed in the morning.

We need to figure out how to think and act without being overwhelmed. Here are a few suggestions, in no particular order:

1) Find ways to make the Ph.D. less of a slog

I've already discussed how the dissertation is unnecessary and might be replaced with a portfolio assessment. You may not have many options for whether to pursue a dissertation or anything else, but you may test the waters.

Look for role models who make a difference by sharing their thoughts and knowledge. Don't believe anyone who tells you that blogging, Tik Tok videos, or podcasts are useless for your job.

Tell them that traditional academic jobs no longer exist and that you will forge your route.

2) Use your Ph.D. time to develop skills that will be useful to you

A meritocracy does not exist in academia. The individual with the most papers does not always 'win.' Working a job that breaks you may be the only way to win. Accept imaginative thinking on what 'academic output' may imply.

Refuse to feed the flawed publication system any more scholarly articles. Learn new techniques and software packages; experiment with different ways of communicating and interacting with people. Innovate innovative techniques to broaden the circle of knowledge.

3) Stop enabling the bullshit university rankings systems

Perhaps more for your supervisor than for you, but by supporting them, we all contribute to bizarre academic status hierarchies. Understand that publishing is a political act.

Accept the negative consequences of our publishing mechanisms on our most vulnerable early career academics. Stop viewing academic achievement as a scoreboard and your pupils as cheap labor.

4) Help others

Connection to others alleviates (at least temporarily) feelings of meaninglessness. Find real methods to strengthen your local ties by just doing things with other people. At the absolute least, this entails recovering your social life and spending time with family and friends.

If you have time, you may join a student organization or serve as a student representative on an academic committee. Join a local community group, volunteer, or become a member of a political party. If you seek them, there are several methods to connect.

5) Don’t look down:

Accept that some days will be worse than others in terms of feeling meaningless. Recognize that your agency and power to influence things may be restricted. When you're feeling overwhelmed, it's time to take a break.

Even when it seems meaningless, getting on with the task is sometimes the best way ahead. Being engrossed in one's job might assist to alleviate emotions of futility. Experiment to see what works best for you.

6) But don’t ignore the feelings forever

If the sense of futility persists, get help. Leaving the Ph.D. program is a difficult choice, but it is sometimes the wisest option. Feelings of guilt and failure may keep individuals stuck in a rut for years.

In my experience, this holding pattern may be harmful in the long run. A competent therapist can assist you in sorting through your emotions and determining the best course for you.

I'm interested in your suggestions on making the Ph.D. feel less meaningless - but the comments on the Whisperer are still disabled. If you wish to continue the dialogue, please contact me on Twitter, but for now, please accept my solidarity.