Poor Life Choices: Should you enter academia?

My friend A. M. over at Center of Gravitas takes up the question from the perspective of a humanities professor. Well worth reading for those considering PhD work in the humanities. There are similarities to becoming a law professor but a lot of differences. Becoming a law professor takes less time I think and you can make money before entering academia (sometimes). However, the politcis are vicious and there aren't many slots.