^

Forget the ridicule I'd say. Avoiding it doesn't give you any benefit.

However the money and the car ARE solid benefits so I would say you've made the more sensible choice here despite having possibly sold-out your soul. Who knows you may have become equally dissatisfied by the school job and screwed yourself out of a car and some extra cash.

Besides if you start to wake up miserable every morning in misery you can always quit.