Do people want equality or inequality?

Question

Today I had a conversation with stranger, I realised this bloke who is working in a blue-collar industry earns about 37% more than what I might be earning if I'm able to obtain a full time in my field of study at tertiary level. I haven't been able to find a job for 6 months. But yet again I know my parents will be ashamed if I did the job this person was doing as no skill was required of the job. Yet at the same time, I am also very objected against the top echelon of the society earning a disproportionate amount of income, because most of the time it is far beyond what their technical expertise is really worth and it makes catching up almost impossible. How does one justify the worth of living in such a contradictory world where there exist this conundrum of skewed meritocracy? How can one live at peace with oneself?

Answer 1

Wages are set by supply and demand , not an abstract concept of merit. If well educated people are few and the jobs that require an education are many, employers will compete for educated employees driving up wages of the well educated. If there is a large supply of educated workers compared to the demand there will be little premium paid to the educated. Many blue collar jobs pay well because they require skills, physical strength, the willingness to cope with unpleasant working conditions, or even low status, which make the labor supply for them scarce. People who earn a "disproportionate" income either have a unique ability or position that enables them to avoid ordinary competitive market forces that usually determine wages or are the owners or productive resources, either created by them or inherited.
This might not be "fair" but it does assure that labor is allocated where it is most productive, and there will always be someone who will collect the trash. If the disproportionate incomes become a problem, they can be reduced with high income taxes on them, but provisions would be needed to exempt those who create productive resources or economic growth would suffer.

Answer 2

concern yourself with yourself.
The grass is not greener on the other side, it is greenest where it is most nourished.

No matter how perfect your life may become , there will always be someone else you can look at who makes more easiser money that you can get freaked about.
I am by choice taking care of an elderly mother and cannot go work and make any money so feel fortunate that you can leave the house and seek employment.
I do not look at others and complain. I do what I do because it is right and I do not concern myself with those fortunate enough to be able to go out and make money.
I left a whole life and business to come take care of her 24/7 with no pay and I am fine with that.

Answer 3

no way...