IRONCHEF wrote:
Oh come on, you're saying they earn what they do because their "skillset" is hard to master? NO, getting a law degree or being able to handle a classroom of teens is truly a greater, more valuable, and probably harder skill than getting a .300 average. The pay is completely out of proportion because it is entertainment..it has dedicated massive stadiums to pay for, and scalpers to appease..it has national TV audiences..where as the last PTA meeting I went to had 3 people show up.
Delicate surgery? $200k. Hitting a baseball 1 out of 3 times..out of the park one out of 100 times? $5M? I don't think the proportion is fair.
You know, my wife and I were discussing this and thought "If becoming a teacher meant getting a $1 million dollar annual salary, it too would be as competative and glamorous as being a pro baseball player." and guess what, the teaching job would produce a positive effect into the world instead of gluttony, laziness, and alcoholism! lol
Anyway, sorry for harshing baseball. I realize there's fanatics out there who loves themselves a good ball game, so I'll chill. But the pay, attitude of players, and overall mindset of pro sports just saddens me.
You don't think it is fair, but it is. They invest the majority of their life in their sport. The risk of their investment before they make the leagues is great, most athletes spend their childhood in some sort of preparation, as well as a large portion of their time while employed. Likewise, professional athletes see relatively little job security, as well as large amounts of structural, frictional, and seasonal unemployment. The highest paid of athletes sacrifice privacy, and all professional athletes see high levels of stress, both physical and psychological. And, frankly, some people are genetically incapable of acting at the levels of professional Athletes.
Sorry, chef, but being an Athlete is costly and risky, therefore, employing one is costly as well.
Teachers don't make the small salaries they do because the oppertunity cost of attempting to become a teacher is that much smaller than that of attempting to be a professional Athlete. If you don't like it, deal with it. You won't be able to change the market.