Hard work = $250,000 ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Hard work = $250,000 ?
376
Fri, 10-24-2008 - 9:07am

I’ve read repeatedly that the $250,000 is hard earned money that the government has no right to tax. Personally, I don’t believe that hard work consistently results in high salaries and I’m not convinced that people who make more money work harder or deserve more than most people. Most people, I believe, do work hard and most people are rewarded with 25,000 – 45,000 salary. Not all some hard workers make more and some make less. What do you think? Is the Just World view valid?

http://www.princeton.edu/~rbenabou/beliefs7csend.pdf

most people have a strong need to believe that they live in a world that is just, in the sense that people generally get what they deserve, and deserve what they get. When confronted with data that contradicts this view they try hard to ignore, reinterpret, distort, or forget it —for instance by finding imaginary merits to the recipients of fortuitous rewards, or assigning blame to innocent victims.

Because of their imperfect willpower, individuals constantly strive to motivate themselves (or their children) towards effort, educational investment, perseverance in the face of adversity, and away from the slippery slope of idleness, welfare dependency, crime, drugs, etc. This is another recurrent finding from the sociological evidence. In such circumstances, maintaining somewhat rosy beliefs about the fact that everyone will ultimately get their “just deserts” can be very valuable. Furthermore, if enough individuals end up with the view that economic success is highly dependent on effort, they will ultimately represent a pivotal voting block, and set a low tax rate. Conversely, when individuals anticipate that society will carry out little redistribution, the costs of a deficient motivation to effort or savings are much higher than with high taxes and
a generous safety net. Each individual thus has greater incentives to maintain his belief that effort ultimately pays, and consequently more voters end up with such a world view.

For instance, data from the World Values Survey shows that only 29% of Americans believe that the poor are trapped in poverty, and only 30% that luck, rather than effort or education, determines income. The figures for Europeans are nearly double: 60% and 54% respectively. Similarly, Americans are more than twice as likely as Europeans to think that the poor are lazy (60% versus 26%).

Indeed, 59% of Americans agree or strongly agree that “in the long run, hard work usually brings a better life”; this view commands much less support in Europe, ranging from 34% in Sweden to 43% in Germany.

Is the “American dream,” according to our theory, just a self-sustaining collective illusion?

http://www.princeton.edu/~rbenabou/beliefs7csend.pdf

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 11:20am
No, how is that related to stress and compensation?

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Avatar for kynvelyn2
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-31-2003
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 12:08pm

All jobs have with them a certain amount of labor, responsibility, and risk.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 12:35pm

>>since you don't appear to believe in high rates of pay<<

I guess I don't know what it is that you are driving at. What do you mean by believing in high pay. Of course high pay exists.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 12:54pm

>>should I make even the smallest of mistakes, the risk of my being demoted, or fired is great<<

To a degree this makes some sense to me. If you have decision making latitude ie control over your work, your job will be significantly less stressful. If a small mistake (since we're human it's unavoidable) results in serious consequences, that would indicate low control to me.

Regardless, high decision making latitude is usually compensated monetarily, so the less stressful the job, the more money you make.

Psychological demands also effect stress levels, more demands=more stress, but not as much as having decision making latitude. I don't think physical vs mental work has much bearing at all on stress or salary. Think teacher vs professional football player.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 1:10pm
Just wanted to instruct you that if treated right a nurse can make your job so much easier.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 3:29pm

OK, let me rephrase it so that I can get a straightforward answer from you.


What job charactistics do you believe should lead to a high rate of pay?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-11-2006
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 3:41pm

I do not care for your style:

>>let me rephrase it so that I can get a straightforward answer from you.<<

If my answers have not been straightforward enough for you then just put me on ignore, but don't start with the lame accusations. I've no tolerance for it today.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2008
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 3:47pm

You haven't answered the question no matter how it is phrased:


What job characteristics merit high pay?


Or, do you believe there should be a cap on what people are paid?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
Sat, 11-08-2008 - 5:10pm
i see your point, and i don't disagree with this general info re 60K.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-2008
Sun, 11-09-2008 - 12:07am

a)

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