Oh, dear. I'm a regular rassef reader (though I almost never post), so I've seen the entire exchange.
My thought on this is: I live in the college-sodden, degree-laden Bay Area, and I've heard the Piled Higher and Deeper joke frequently over, say, the past 20 years, chiefly from people who have a PhD. It's never seemed to be a putdown in my hearing. It's usually used as a bonding device. Kind of like Marines saying, "Yeah, I'm a jarhead."
And I've definitely heard "congratulations on your Piled Higher and Deeper" several times, used as a compliment. It's not even teasing. It's an in-joke.
Now that I've heard the joke so many times, it's a No-Longer-Funny in my book, but that's only out of boredom.
So for the first poster, I suspect his intentions were pure. (You don't quote him here, but I saw his post.) I think he was just trying to be in-jokey and chummy. To the extent you can in your immediate post-degree recovery, try to be gentle with him.
The second poster, though... yeah, with the "worthless piece of paper" thing he definitely went over the line. Especially with his detailed explanation of something you undoubtedly already knew. Just a wee bit condescending of him.
Anyway, that's the context in which I saw the exchange.
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Date: 2003-09-03 03:09 pm (UTC)My thought on this is: I live in the college-sodden, degree-laden Bay Area, and I've heard the Piled Higher and Deeper joke frequently over, say, the past 20 years, chiefly from people who have a PhD. It's never seemed to be a putdown in my hearing. It's usually used as a bonding device. Kind of like Marines saying, "Yeah, I'm a jarhead."
And I've definitely heard "congratulations on your Piled Higher and Deeper" several times, used as a compliment. It's not even teasing. It's an in-joke.
Now that I've heard the joke so many times, it's a No-Longer-Funny in my book, but that's only out of boredom.
So for the first poster, I suspect his intentions were pure. (You don't quote him here, but I saw his post.) I think he was just trying to be in-jokey and chummy. To the extent you can in your immediate post-degree recovery, try to be gentle with him.
The second poster, though... yeah, with the "worthless piece of paper" thing he definitely went over the line. Especially with his detailed explanation of something you undoubtedly already knew. Just a wee bit condescending of him.
Anyway, that's the context in which I saw the exchange.
Meanwhile, congratulations on your doctorate!