Why are the jobs that are least needed by society actually pay the most?

Question

For example, celebrities, be they actors, singers, athletes, etc, are paid the most, but their actions contribute the least, if at all, to society. On the other hand, janitors, cops, cooks, managers, technicians, are all needed by society, which would grind to a halt without people like these, as well as a number of other jobs I didn't list. Yet ironically, these jobs don't always pay so well.

Answer 1

We allow them to.....I agree with you 100%. I am a nurse and my husband is a teacher, we contribute so much to society, but we live paycheck to paycheck....We don't live beyond our means, yet we struggle. We should drive expensive cars and live in a huge house and have a maid.....but we don't, and at the end of the day we feel good about what we contribute to the world...

Answer 2

Actors, singers, athletes, etc. do have high paying jobs but they are short-lived jobs. Actors and singers can do well for several years but then younger actors and singers come along and the older ones are no longer in demand. Athletes do well when they are young but then they get older and no longer have the stamina. In my opinion, jobs that are much needed like janitors, rubbish collectors, etc. may not pay as much but those people get a physical workout and they don't need to go to a gym after work. They get their exercise at their jobs. At least those people have jobs that at the end of the day, it shows they accomplished something. The old saying is "someone has to do it."

Answer 3

I understand your point.

As for celebrities, no, technically they are not needed but they are payed the most because their "job" doesn't end after the release of thier latest movie, album or game. They are constantly in the eye of the public 24/7/365. Every where they go they are recognized. They are required to be at their best always or they risk bad press. Their lives are discussed world wide. They belong to society. I guess the high wages compensate for all that.

All other jobs are necessary but they aren't as recognized or highly paid because everyone goes home at the end of the day and are literally forgotten about until they return the next morning.

Speaking as a housekeeper yes my job is necessary where I work and of course I'd love to make more money however my job is done at 3pm. I don't have to justify the lies being told about me in the tabloids or people following me around. I don't need bodyguards to enjoy my normal little existence after the day is done.

Answer 4

Here's who I think are overpaid, at least, in our sometimes crazy "free market" society...

1 - CEO's and other executives of Fortune 500 companies
Why? There are plenty of people who are qualified to do their jobs, but who chose to work rather than schmooz with others of their kind. They are the epitome of "It's not what you know, it's who you know..."
Upper limit on ANY working guys pay should be 100x what the lowest paid employee gets, so if the custodian makes $23k a year, the exec only gets $2.3M. If the part timer at the counter gets $7k for 1000 hours work, the exec can only make $1.7M for his 2400 hours a year. And no cheating by "subcontracting out" the lowest paid jobs to hide the numbers - you can be sure someone would game the system to get their own salary jacked up.

2 - The cream-of-the-crop professional athletes - you know, the ones who make $27M a year or worse, for playing their game. Why should ANY baseball player get $50k per at bat while the guy selling beer might take home $100 for working his *** off the whole game???
Fair system, no player gets more than $50k per game they play, period. And that is capped at a total of $5M per season, period. Then maybe people could afford the tickets to SEE a game once in a while...

3 - Marketing agencies/executives - We are absolutely SATURATED with A-D-V-E-R-T-I-S-I-N-G !!!!!!!! You can't turn anywhere in civilization without seeing fifteen different "marketing messages" in sight. Try it sometime - or try flipping through channels on TV - at least 50% of them are in commercial at any one time...... AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH

4 - "Cream of the crop" actors and actresses - $30M to make one movie??? Come on, get real...
There are a LOT of really good (and great looking) actors and actresses out there who need some of that money to be spread around. And I don't need to pay $8.50 to $12 for a freaking movie ticket just to pay for a movie's big budget...Can we get back to $5 movie tickets and $2 popcorn somewhere????

5 - Television evangelists - don't send these guys another freakin dime. They are in it because it's a money-machine, not because they want to save you.

6 - Politicians from the far right and the far left - again, they have no interest in YOU, they are just promoting their own agendas, and the agendas of the people who have bought them off.

Hope you find something to agree with above!
OC

Answer 5

Excellent point and one of my pet peeves.
I believe that it came from our desire to fantasize about something that we cannot have ourselves. In times of misery, we look for an escape from our misery. Going to plays, movies, or playing in sports, watching athletes, provides the diversion from our own misery. When we don't participate in those diversions ourselves, we are willing to pay to vicariously experience those diversions. Unfortunately, our priorities grew way out of proportion to reality. We let these vicarious entertainers grow into the status of hero worship and we started paying them outrageous amounts to divert us from our woes.
The answer is to stop worshipping these societal parasites and stop buying their product. As soon as we convince most people to stop paying them for their entertainment, then the pay scale will return to a more normal range.
I don't see that happening any time soon.

Answer 6

Not sure. I think some of those people should pay us for having to look at them.

That is how the system works but I think we could change it if we did not read all the mess about celebrities or buy their junk.

Answer 7

POLITICIANS.

LIMIT TO TWO TERMS IN OFFICE.
CUT PAY 50%

NO RETIREMENT BENEFITS...NO HEALTH BENEFITS

PRESIDENT
ONE 6 YEAR TERM.
NO RETIREMENT.

WHY--NO ONE NEEDS THE MONEY AND CONGRESS WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE A CAREER. LET EM PAY SOCIAL SECURITY AND IRA/401K LIKE THE REST OF US.

Answer 8

my vote would be for politicians.

Answer 9

it sure makes me sick