# Ever notice how some PhD holder are incredibly arrogant and think of themselves as gods? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 13, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468 "2019-02-13T15:35:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scarface54345](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@scarface54345](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scarface54345)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/1 "2019-02-13T15:35:50Z")
I guess the words “doctor of philosophy” are what give them the wrong idea of them being so godly or godlike. Anyway, I was reading about how a PhD advisor said “Listen I’m the boss here. If you don’t like that, then get out of my classroom”. That is what really opened up my eyes of PhD arrogance though for some reason I did not realize it sooner… TITLE EDIT: \*holders ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/2 "2019-02-13T15:39:23Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/3 "2019-02-13T15:41:47Z")
I don’t understand. Was this person a teacher who happened to have a PhD? Was it a professor who was advising grad students? Are PhDs the only teachers who wish to maintain control in the classroom? Is a teacher not the boss? I’ve worked with many PhDs and we are no more or less humble than the general population - much more humble than rich people. Nothing like getting hammered on by your advisor to build humility. So, please explain. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/4 "2019-02-13T15:42:04Z")
Ever notice how some people are just assholes? Some have PhD’s. Some are high school dropouts. Some have brown hair. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/5 "2019-02-13T15:45:28Z")
Is this the start of your new standup act? You ever notice how PhD holders are arrogant? And airline food. Oof, don’t get me started. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/6 "2019-02-13T15:49:56Z")
I have a low opinion of PhDs who feel a need to generally advertise the fact that they’ve got one, like signing emails “Fred Smith, PhD” or shit like that. A good example is former Trump Administration clown Sebastian Gorka, who has “Sebastian Gorka DrG” as his Twitter handle. Congrats, dude, and the rest of us are _so_ impressed. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/7 "2019-02-13T15:52:58Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Is this the start of your new standup act? > > You ever notice how PhD holders are arrogant? And airline food. Oof, don’t get me started. Wait, airlines still serve food? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/8 "2019-02-13T15:57:07Z")
And what’s the deal with socks? Why do they come with that little hanger? Are there people who have sock closets? ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/9 "2019-02-13T15:57:36Z")
I once worked with a guy who insisted that everyone call him Doctor. His surname was Bates, so we were expected to call him Doctor Bates. I once asked him what other degrees he had. He was all too happy to talk about his two Masters degrees. I asked, “What did people call you when you only had the Masters degrees but not the PhD?” He was confused so I followed up with, “Did they call you Master?” He didn’t find it funny. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/10 "2019-02-13T15:59:09Z")
And what’s with those MDs, insisting that we call them “Doctor” and listen to them about their medical opinions? The cheek of it! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/11 "2019-02-13T16:15:24Z")
I do consider myself godlike, but that’s due to my omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence, not the PhD. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/12 "2019-02-13T16:18:06Z")
It’s been my experience that anyone who puts phd in his email sig is an asshole. That said, I have met many phd types who don’t put it in their email sigs and are very nice people. In spite of their inherent disadvantages. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/13 "2019-02-13T16:18:15Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > I have a low opinion of PhDs who feel a need to generally advertise the fact that they’ve got one, like signing emails “Fred Smith, PhD” or shit like that. Giggle-worthy. You need at _least_ 3-4 more PhDs, DScs, and habilitations before you can [pull](http://www.rd.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/neuro/wiss/pi/hatt.html.en) [that](https://www.verny-dauses.com/english/law-firm-1/prof-dr-dr-dr-h-c-mult-manfred-a-dauses/) off. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/14 "2019-02-13T16:22:05Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Wait, airlines still serve food? If you book the right flight. Took the family on a trip to Hawaii in early 2017, and Aloha Airlines fed us a meal in both directions. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/15 "2019-02-13T16:28:52Z")
> [@scarface54345](#): > > I guess the words “doctor of philosophy” are what give them the wrong idea of them being so godly or godlike. Anyway, I was reading about how a PhD advisor said “Listen I’m the boss here. If you don’t like that, then get out of my classroom”. That is what really opened up my eyes of PhD arrogance though for some reason I did not realize it sooner… > > TITLE EDIT: \*holders I think they just aren’t excited to be teaching undergraduates in a lot of cases, or are trying to set boundaries versus a classroom of 300 people. I noticed a drastic difference in professorial attitude between undergraduate and graduate school. In undergrad, they were usually somewhat aloof and tended to have strict rules, but in grad school they were much more congenial and open- there was a lot less of the authoritarian type stuff, and a lot more treatment as a colleague. I mean, our grad school profs went to lunch with us on occasion, which was something undergrad ones NEVER did. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/16 "2019-02-13T16:30:01Z")
> [@scarface54345](#): > > I guess the words “doctor of philosophy” are what give them the wrong idea of them being so godly or godlike. Anyway, I was reading about how a PhD advisor said “Listen I’m the boss here. If you don’t like that, then get out of my classroom”. I actually see nothing wrong with this statement. PhD was probably talking some snot-nose little punk basterd. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/17 "2019-02-13T16:34:34Z")
Heck, we go out for a beer with our students (mostly undergrads) after evening classes. I’ve never “pulled rank” on students. If you have to, you’ve already lost their respect… and will only lose more if you say “Because I have a degree that you don’t!” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/18 "2019-02-13T16:35:13Z")
And, seriously! What sort of _Doctor_ only treats _philosophers_? Isn’t that discrimination? Hell, are there enough philosophers… even sick ones… for one to make a living off treating sick people who use 20 words when 3 will do? Buncha jackwipes, the lot of them! ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/19 "2019-02-13T17:09:41Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > And what’s the deal with socks? Why do they come with that little hanger? Are there people who have sock closets? You ever notice how white guys dance like this, but black dudes dance like this? ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468/20 "2019-02-13T17:13:48Z")
Ever notice how the black box survives a plane crash? Why don’t they make the whole plane out of it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-notice-how-some-phd-holder-are-incredibly-arrogant-and-think-of-themselves-as-gods/829468.md?page=2)