<<
The same with academic degrees. Knowing that someone has a Ph.D. is
precisely as valuable to me as knowing that they own a cat. >>
Hmm... Well, yes. Both show a sense of follow through, maturity,
responsibility, a certain ability to commit to or love something enough to be
able to maintain it. And both take up a considerable amount of time and
money!
In other words, most people do not need a PhD or a cat , but one can be
enriched by both!