I stopped responding to networking messages

SPYShorts

^This begins with a strawman argument and goes downhill from there. Obviously no one is "under the illusion that IB is the promised land" -- but way too many bright-eyed students who message me vastly underestimate just how far from the promised land banking really is. I think that far too many would-be bankers would be much better off doing something more fulfilling with their lives. I can't very well tell them never to come to my firm; and assuming I care at all about these students, I don't want to be the guy who enables them either. So I'm with OP on this one -- easiest simply not to take the call.     

Feels analogous to helping someone find the entrance to the restaurant where you got food poisoning. You would say since I'm leaving anyway, why not take the time to increase their chances finding it? It's a favour which costs me nothing, after all..  

If you don't like it then quit, but it has nothing to do with you deciding to help someone.  Let them find out on their own what they want.

In that case just be brutally honest with them and end the call with "if you still want it, I can refer you". So many prospective students on THIS website hear loud and clear how shit IB can be yet still pursue it. If you've truthfully warned someone and they still want it then that's all you can do.

Some people have abnormal tastes. Totally fine and more power to them. 

For most, it's very rarely the work itself that sucks - it's the unpredictability and long hours. Basically no one enjoys that, though some people find the work engaging enough to offset.