1. They all have a martydom complex - no one is ever as busy as them
2. It takes them anywhere between a week and 3 months to return an email
3. They think having a PhD gives them an excuse to dress badly

Any more?

4. They think it's good practice to be snobby

5. They think it's good practice not to greet PhD students on the corridor

Must be where you are. I've always been well treated by academics, on the whole.

My experiences are the same as Juno, they're all friendly with me and seem quite normal!

I would be more inclined to start a "What's Wrong With Industry" thread, but I'd be here all day if I did that

Interesting point Juno. My day job is around 'employer engagement' in HE, bringing industry together with universities. It's a thankless task....
So (in a nutshell if possible) what's wrong with industry?

Well, I should qualify:

a) my experience was (I hope) not representative, and
b) we do now collaborate with completeley honourable businesses.

But my past experience was

a) Fat bastard David Brent boss who used to pat female staff on the head
b) Same boss was psycho who thought paying staff was optional (after all, his company Merc has to be paid for first)
c) Being asked to perform bonkers assays, reputable references for which could only be found on Quackwatch.com

Wish I could say more but ended up in court so being careful what I say

But as I said, this was almost certainly an exeption - we are now collaborating with a company that insists on endless evidence for everything that I show them.

Which is a good thing, I forgot to add

"Students and scholars of all kinds and of every age aim, as a rule, only at information, not insight. They make it a point of honour to have information about everything, every stone, plant, battle, or experiment and about all books, collectively and individually. It never occurs to them that information is merely a means to insight, but in itself is of little or no value...With the impressive erudition of those great pundits, I sometimes say to myself: "Ah, how little they must have had to think about, to have been able to read so much!"

"

-- Arthur Schopenhauer, "On Learning & The Learned"

dont u all think "We get treated the way we treat them" (may not be outwardly, I mean, deep inside u may hate your supervisor but still put on the fake smile on u r face)

Well, Schopenhauer was a miserable old fart who chased teenage girls around.

(I've read my Very Short Introduction to philosophy )

Hi. I think the original poster was making a good point. Some academics are snooty. I used to think that all intelligent people are bound to be nice- I was wrong here!
I guess it depends on where you are, the department and the Uni

So far, my experience has been okay with Academics as i do not experience all those 'vices' they possess all the time. It would be frustrating if it was.