Why do people use their salaries to judge their own self worth?

Answer 1

It depends on what you've been brought up to believe are qualities by which to judge yourself. If you think material things make you who you are, your salary and possessions are going to define you. If you believe it's your personality and what you contribute to benefit others that define you, money will be less of an issue to you. When you are lacking in personality good qualities, money becomes a crutch. Like others have said, it's basically insecurities.

Answer 2

People have the tendency to measure their self-worth in their possessions because "stuff" is tangible. You can see it and touch it...and so can other people, without even getting to know you. It's essentially a crutch and a deterrent against introspection. It's not easy to take time to really look at yourself, assess your personality, decide what changes need to be made in order to allow you to realize your full potential as a human being, and successfully motivate yourself to change those aspects of life. It's a lot more convenient for some people to decide that "money = success," and leave it up to other people to attribute personality traits to them (which we all have the tendecy to do). It's always easier to deal with concrete rather than abstract.

Answer 3

People tend to be more materialistic. They pursue for better and more comfortable life. In order to fullfill this unlimited wants they need more financial abilities. So they tend to use money as a judgement indicator. For example, company will pay high salary to employ a profession. Means you will get higher pay if others think that it worth to pay so much to have your services. In this case, people start to measure 'self worth' using salary as an indicator.

Answer 4

For some odd reason people who make good money always seem to think they are so much better than those who do not. I worked with a group of women and the ones who made more money always seemed to think they were better and thought they could talk down to the ones who did not make what they did. They always thought they were so much brighter, they thought their stuff did not stink. I could go on and on, they seriously made me want to throw up. They would go on and on about what they bought and how much is cost and where they went and how more superior their kids were and blah blah blah.

Answer 5

For security and self worth. We live in a materialistic society where we p0urchase items for money instead of bartering (trading) items we don't need for items we want. When someone can't afford an item they need (house, food, etc.) there is a sense of failure. The more money one makes, the more secure the person that he or she won't do without the things they need.

Answer 6

Because "self worth" and "net worth" are easily confused.

Our ability to provide is a measuring stick by which we are just judged by others, and by which we judge ourselves. For good or for ill.

Answer 7

If people judge their own worth like you say then they are not worth very much no matter what they make.

Answer 8

because they don't have anything else but the job. gosh that would suck. if i were to judge my self worth to my salary i'd have no self worth!

Answer 9

They have nothing else to go on. No substance to their everyday living, so they use the thickness of their wallet as a sign of their worth. Unfortunate, isn't it?

Answer 10

Too many people feel that without a good salary, they are worthless.