The thread explores whether difficult work pays off, with responses disagreeing sharply on what 'worth' means. Some measure it by personal growth or self-respect regardless of external outcomes; others weigh concrete career benefits and doors opened. A counterargument questions whether the game itself is rigged, pointing to unequal rewards for equal effort. The newest responses push beyond simple cost-benefit analysis by introducing the idea that 'worth' is unknowable until crisis forces a recalibration of values - suggesting the real answer depends less on outcomes than on what you discover about yourself through the struggle.