This is a guy who complains about being poor while placing himself in a career that is fairly meritocracy based and complains that he is broke. The bits of his act they show demonstrate to me that he needs a new career. In my opinion, he isn't funny and that must be a shared opinion because he isn't successful at it. So he struggles but isn't choosing a path that he could be successful in. Like many people he complains about the rich and the unfairness of it all- He further maintains that those of us who do make good money don't interact with the poor essentially because we don't care. I am not in the top 1% according to his measurements I am closer to 1.5% maybe 2% at 250k per year salary and not including stock options and other parts of benefits package. If I include bonuses etc then yes 1%. I'm not exceptionally bright or highly educated (BS degree) but I found a field I excel at and love. I don't interact much with the poor because I work about 60 hours a week and travel a lot. Today is Sunday, I got home from meetings in Europe late last night. I'll work some today and start my full week on Monday. If you include flight time, etc. more like 80-85 hours a week.
Chris' logic fails because many of us who make great money work long hours, we do the time and put out the effort both in the workplace and while in school. Nothing is less effective at making the inequality argument than someone who goofed off in school, goofs off in life or who works a job they are not good at and then complains about how some make more money. Chris' skillset in the corporate world is probably fairly low level but he could start at an entry job and work his way up- it happens- we started a guy (minority) awhile back at reception he proved very early on that he was exceptional- some of us pushed for him to get moved over to our office ops team and 3 yrs later he runs that group for our offices globally. He is finishing his degree (which we gladly subsidize) and if he stays on his chosen path to be a lawyer he'll do well for himself. It can be done and I have seen it happen 10-15 times in last 20 yrs.
Anyhow, Chris' job is merit based if he fails that is on him. If he comes in to my world he will be viewed as can he raise the bar on a team? Can he add value? Is his 6-7 figure salary worth it because of the value he adds? Can we replace him by placing and ad on Craig's List or do we need to spend big bucks on a recruiting effort?
Sorry Chris but reality is this- you have to make yourself valuable no one else can do that for you, you cannot just say it isn't fair let's make it artificially fair. Anyhow, this is just another version of the tired old trope of some folks be making more money than me and I don't think it is right that they make more money. And they should have to give me some of their money to lift me up because me lifting myself up is hard work. Improve your act, stop whining, make yourself a valuable commodity. You can improve your own lot in life because very rarely is someone else going to do it for you.
Chris' logic fails because many of us who make great money work long hours, we do the time and put out the effort both in the workplace and while in school. Nothing is less effective at making the inequality argument than someone who goofed off in school, goofs off in life or who works a job they are not good at and then complains about how some make more money. Chris' skillset in the corporate world is probably fairly low level but he could start at an entry job and work his way up- it happens- we started a guy (minority) awhile back at reception he proved very early on that he was exceptional- some of us pushed for him to get moved over to our office ops team and 3 yrs later he runs that group for our offices globally. He is finishing his degree (which we gladly subsidize) and if he stays on his chosen path to be a lawyer he'll do well for himself. It can be done and I have seen it happen 10-15 times in last 20 yrs.
Anyhow, Chris' job is merit based if he fails that is on him. If he comes in to my world he will be viewed as can he raise the bar on a team? Can he add value? Is his 6-7 figure salary worth it because of the value he adds? Can we replace him by placing and ad on Craig's List or do we need to spend big bucks on a recruiting effort?
Sorry Chris but reality is this- you have to make yourself valuable no one else can do that for you, you cannot just say it isn't fair let's make it artificially fair. Anyhow, this is just another version of the tired old trope of some folks be making more money than me and I don't think it is right that they make more money. And they should have to give me some of their money to lift me up because me lifting myself up is hard work. Improve your act, stop whining, make yourself a valuable commodity. You can improve your own lot in life because very rarely is someone else going to do it for you.
