I know several people who left academia after achieving various levels of rank (grad student, postdoc, professor, etc.) and their thought processes were all similar. They all eventually wished they had left sooner, and what held them back was a misguided notion about what the outside world would think of them, because they were judging themselves by the standards of academia rather than by the standards of the outside world.
Some of them were amazed that nobody cared about certain aspects of academia. Things they felt incredibly stressed or embarrassed about, like failing to complete some research or publish, or failing to get tenure, simply didn't matter at all in the outside world.
When you are on the inside, the academic culture becomes your entire life. It seems like it's all that matters. After you leave, you'll find out that nobody on the outside knew or cared. In terms of an insular subculture with its own reality, I can't think of much else that compares, other than maybe the military, or prison gangs.
Some of them were amazed that nobody cared about certain aspects of academia. Things they felt incredibly stressed or embarrassed about, like failing to complete some research or publish, or failing to get tenure, simply didn't matter at all in the outside world.
When you are on the inside, the academic culture becomes your entire life. It seems like it's all that matters. After you leave, you'll find out that nobody on the outside knew or cared. In terms of an insular subculture with its own reality, I can't think of much else that compares, other than maybe the military, or prison gangs.