Whoa... you are suggesting that everyone else do what you didn't and the reasoning is a list of ideas with no data? No offense, but how do I know this is not a grass-is-greener, I-wish-I-would-have moment?

I would beware of other-optimizing. As soon as I graduated with a CS degree I realized I should have been in philosophy the whole time. I love my CS major and agree that it is an excellent choice and do not regret the work I put into the process. I also agree with your points. But choosing a major is not a small thing that should be tilted by a post based on anecdotal evidence from someone who didn't do it.

After watching math and physics majors struggle in CS101 I realized that CS is not an intuitive field for everyone. They were not stupid or lazy people. They just didn't "get it". You can graduate with a CS degree and never "get it" and not know jack shit about coding, systems, or any of the other great things you mentioned. I learned about those things. But right now I am working with someone who graduated with a CS degree and did not.

This isn't meant to be a rain-on-your-parade comment; I just want to warn the bloke who reads this post and thinks, "God, math is that useless? I guess I will go CS." The key part in your post they may have skimmed over is this:

You shouldn't be considering a career in academia unless you're passionately in love with your field, unless you think about it in the shower and over lunch and as you drift off to sleep, unless the problem sets are a weekly joy. A lesser love will abandon you and leave you stranded and heartbroken, four years into grad school.

If you are passionately in love with your field, go for it. If you are not, find a different field. CS is not something everyone can fall in love with and think about in the shower and over lunch and drifting off to sleep. Neither is Math, Physics, Engineering, Psychology...