i think what you stated is a great reason for doing a phd. i don't necessarily agree that that's why a lot of people choose to go to grad school. i see a lot of, "i find this random x topic interesting", WITHOUT necessarily any consideration of what research on topic x would contribute to the world, or what are the implications that some people in the world can make a living while basically pursuing a hobby while the majority of the people in the world work at jobs that aren't necessarily that interesting or fulfilling, or maybe are that for a minuscule percentage of the time but require a lot of compromises otherwise.

it's a relatively privileged position to be able to do something that you find interesting and (more or less) make a living off of it. it's also a relatively privileged position to be able to do something you find worthwhile and to be able to make a living off of it. many people - including many undergrads - have to work at jobs that we hate or think are shit to get by, or to get to a place where maybe one day we don't have to do that. i think as grad students - especially if you are someone committed to making the world better - you are in positions where you NEED to be thinking about how much better you guys currently have it than a lot of other people in the university system (undergrads, service workers, etc.), not to mention society in general. otherwise the rhetoric about deserving better, or deserving better because you guys do important things, is very alienating.

for the record i support the strike because living wages are important, and graduate studies shouldn't just be for people who are privileged enough that they can be broke for seven years (ie don't have kids, parents to support, etc.). but the way that the current system is set up, most people who go into and are in grad school do have it better than a lot of other people. so if you are committed to making the world better, commit to making this strike not just about grad students, but also people who have it worse. commit to long-term strategies about making the university better for all of us. and sorry to say it - just raising stipends for grad studies isn't that.