Denigrating the Highly Compensated

[Andara Bledin]

I'm really getting tired of people talking shit about people in the entertainment and sports industries getting paid a lot of money.

While I agree that most athletes and actors are paid way more than what they're really worth, it's not precisely their fault that our society has deemed them worth so much money. How many of you would honestly turn down a huge paycheck like that if it was on the table?

The athletes and entertainers are not the ones that set the upper end of the payscale - that's set by the people handing out the checks. If they weren't willing to pay it, the people collecting would have to accept something lower or not work. There's more than enough competition to find replacements for all but the key players in pretty much every major industry.

If they say something stupid that opens them up to ridicule, then it's open season. But if all they're doing is plying their trade and collecting their pay for said work, they don't really deserve that kind of treatment and every time I see someone doing it, I think a little bit less of them for it.

^-.-^

[Eisa]

I would.

No, not even close.

I agree...it's dumb to denigrate people just for doing their job.

[AdminAssistant]

While I agree that most athletes and actors are paid way more than what they're really worth,

If I may...

I have no idea about athletes, but most actors aren't paid what they're worth. The Hollywood A-listers that make $30 million for one movie are a tiny percentage of working actors. In fact, only 10-15% of Equity* members are able to make a living purely by acting. I imagine that AFTRA and Screen Actor's Guild** numbers are fairly similar. Perhaps a bit better, since that would include ad work, and ad work pays the bills for many, many actors.

*Union for actors and stage managers in live theatre

** Unions for actors in television/radio and film, respectively

With training camps and minor leagues, I'm sure that there are many athletes who work very hard for meager salaries. But I'm frankly unsympathetic to both millionaire athletes and actors. Probably even more so with actors. Damn whiny lot, they are.

[Andara Bledin]

If I may...

I have no idea about athletes, but most actors aren't paid what they're worth.

Yeah. I meant to say "many" not "most." Because there are thousands of people down the ranks that don't get anything close to what the superstars get.

^-.-^

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Yeah. I meant to say "many" not "most." Because there are thousands of people down the ranks that don't get anything close to what the superstars get.

^-.-^

And work just as hard if not harder.

[Hyena Dandy]

I've been meaning to make a similar post on here. Not denigrating the highly compensated, but insulting actors and athletes in general. Not because of how much they make, but things like "So he's good at putting a ball through a hoop. What real world applications does that have?"

The real world applications that has are... Being really good at putting balls through hoops. If you're good enough, you can make millions of dollars doing it. You can provide for your family, and put yourself through college, on the basis of how good you are at putting balls through hoops.

Also, the idea that all athletes are idiots. Even if a player doesn't have a high IQ score, idiots don't generally get very far in sports, just like in most things. Maybe they're not good at math or english, but they're very good at visualspacial things, and usually have to have good interpersonal skills to read the defense/offense. Whether or not they always use them, they do usually have them.


Anyway, summary.

1) Athletes have useful skills. Their skills are useful for being an athlete.
2) They're not stupid.

[Rageaholic]

I think it's justified to bash the highly compensated, BUT only when they are getting compensated at the expense of others. If an athlete is getting paid millions and millions of dollars while other workers of the organization are getting paid just below minimum wage, there's a problem. The same could be said for those CEO's getting tax breaks when they are the last people who need them.

On the other hand, those who just have a problem with someone making money just because they make money are being bitter assholes. I often hear comments like "To think they get paid money for that" as if they don't deserve to make money. Okay, maybe they don't, but who cares? Isn't it better they make money doing something they love instead of being stuck at some dead end job they hate? I think those who make those comments are just bitter that things didn't work out for them so they want others to be miserable. It's so counterproductive. It's one thing be angry that others are being undercompensated, but some seem to have a problem with certain people being paid period.

[Andara Bledin]

Sure, there's a problem. But it's not the ones actually getting the money that are cause or reason. They're merely taking what they are being allowed. Anyone who would do otherwise is either crazy or foolish.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

People always say that teachers are more important than actors or athletes and I'd agree on that. But if teachers were making millions a year, would they deserve that much? Hell no. So really, what does it take to deserve to make millions a year?

[Boozy]

Star athletes make millions of dollars a year because their skills are so rare. It's one thing to throw a ball, but only one guy can throw one like Roy Halladay.

Good teachers are only somewhat rare. I've known four or five excellent teachers in my lifetime. I've never personally met someone who can do what a superstar athlete can do.

[Nyoibo]

Good teachers are only somewhat rare. I've known four or five excellent teachers in my lifetime. I've never personally met someone who can do what a superstar athlete can do.

Really? I've met dozens, I regularly train with several, I only know 1 or 2 however who can truly inspire kids to actually apply themselves to their study.

Physical prowess is a dime a dozen, the ability to inspire and motivate? That's rare.

[Boozy]

I know a few proficient athletes, but they aren't gold medal Olympians or all-star pros. That's who we're talking about here. The household-name athletes are the ones who make millions.

If you know a few people like that, that's pretty cool.

[Nyoibo]

The people I'm talking about are national and international level gymnasts and circus performers, the level of skill they have is like a whole nother world.

[Racket_Man]

it is one thing if you are a nationally known sports type person such as a big name NFL, NBA, FIFA, cricket, etc. player. yes they do have a "rare" talent and millions of people watch your every move.

but then what happens after???? the latest NFL stats tell a big story. 60 - 70% of the players (big money or not) go, literally broke/bankrupt after their playing careers are done. and what talent do they posess to be gainfully employeed after the crowd noise dies or after they get permanently hurt. heck a lot of them do not even finish college and if they did not all of them got any kind of meaningful and marketable education to hold down a job in the real world. now all they have is stories about the "glory days". these athelites can not go on forever. their bodies give out at some point. so what happens after that????



my question is more on the lines of yeah someone can dunk a ball through a small hoop but in the grand scheme of things why is THIS particular job more valueable than a teacher??? the answer is we as a culture/society seem to worship what most of us do not posess and scorn those who are trully useful doing or performing those tasks which trully benefit society as a whole.

[Hyena Dandy]

Because it does benefit society as a whole.

The popularity of sports provide a base that the rest of the country can touch on. Its unifying. Sports help children play together, by providing a rules set. It allows them to focus their energy on a single game that they can all agree on. This helps keep kids from fighting.

Additionally, "big money or not" is an important phrase there. Are your stats going only on big money players, or not? If its only big money players, you'll find far fewer going broke than you would the guys on the practice squad.

Also, you have millions of people watching your every move. That's millions of people who get a benefit. The number of people watching the Superbowl is higher than the population of some countries. Society as a whole is benefited from the pleasure we get out of watching people perform.

They make people happy. Making people happy benefits society as a whole.

Why is this job more valuable? It isn't. I won't say it is, but I would argue that it IS definitely of value. And they can't hold down a job in the 'real world'? That's like the 'real women don't look like models' argument. If they can't hold down a job in the real world, where do they all live?