>>>>This would be too complex to try to solve in this thread. Perhaps money has something to do with this. For example I heard people here say that it was'nt worth it to get one because the additional money that they would get from it was'nt worth the efforts.
>>>>
>>>>So perhaps in some places it's a question of prestige, other places a question of money and other places a question of fulfilment.
>>>
>>>In my opinion, the American culture is too money oriented. The regular American guy would not understand the desire to go to a science only because of a love for science.
>>>
>>>For me personally money is not a goal. Of course, it's nice to have a good salary and not be ashamed when asked about it, but the much more important thing is to have a satisfaction from your work, the pleasure of making something useful, making the life of your users a little bit less painful...
>>>
>>>If I'm presented with an interesting problem, I can log in into my work computer in the middle of the night and try to solve it. That gives me a pleasure, that money can not give...
>>>
>>>I went to a lecture by R. Eliyahu Bergstein the other night about 5 levels of pleasure. He described it this way:
>>>
>>>The lowerst 5th level of pleasure is the physical kind of pleasure. You have to enjoy your life, but there is much more it can offer you.
>>>
>>>The fourth level of pleasure is Love. He gave several very interesting examples explaining this idea...
>>>
>>>The third level of pleasure is doing something meangful..
>>>
>>>The second level of pleasure is doing something Creative.
>>>
>>>And the first level of pleasure is understanding, that everything from this word comes from G-d and trying to bring G-d in your life...
>>>
>>>And you have to combine all these levels in order to live good and spiritual life...
>>>
>>>----------------------------------------
>>>I tried to explain if briefly, I would not be able to present it as good as R. Bergstein...
>>
>>Pity for me that I'll never reach the first level. <g>
>
>You should never say never. I didn't reach the 1st level until I was 21-22 years old. The probelm is that nobody can teach you that you have to open your mind yourself.

I am 52 now and let me assure you that I'll never reach that level. Besides, this R. Bergstein acts as a scientist, but appears to be merely a, probably self-declared, priest.