Responsibility = high pay?
 

Ok, I was talking with a good friend the other day who is in his first year of med school. I asked how it was going, and he explained how busy he was, and how long he has yet to go. I told him it would pay off, and he proceeded to tell me that doctors are not paid what they used to. We found it odd looking back at our college buddies some of whom dropped out of college to party more, others who got generic worthless degrees, all are very successful now. I can think of at least 6 friends who are making over 150k right now, and have been for the past few years. A few doing real-estate, one bought a franchise through the 60k+ he earned each summer doing sales. One selling medical supplies, etc, etc, etc.
So with the time value of money, and invested properly, they can retire early. Sure my buddy in med school will be doing great in 7 or 8 years, but during that time he is missing out and working extremely hard and will have 200k+ of student loans.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with working hard, but today’s economy seems to favor the less educated sales type.
A bit frustrating when the economy favors those with no responsibility for peoples lives. And those who have a minimal contribution to society.:(
Any thoughts?

Don't feel too sorry for your doctor buddy. He'll do just fine financially.

Less-educated people who succeed usually have something else going for them...Higher education is still the way to go, in my book.

Yeah it's frustrating looking at it that way. But I don't remember when I was 5 talking about wanting to sell houses or medical supplies when I grew up. I doubt many of those people did either. I wanted to fly planes. We do what we want, and enjoy it (hopefully for the most part). Maybe that's a bit too optimistic of a view; I'm still a cfi and have yet to delve into the glamorous regional pilot lifestyle.

And yes, I do think that pilots should be paid more, given the responsibility. But I don't think I'm breaking any new ground with that thought...

This is something I've been saying for a while. I'm working on a BS in Meteorology. It is a VERY VERY DIFFICULT field. Very complex science that involves alot of complex math and confusing principals. With just an undergrad degree I'm looking at a starting salary of anywhere from $20K to $35K depending on who it's with an what city it's in. And that's if you can get a job with just a BS. Science fields really require at least an MS to make decent money. In science and even some engineering fields you'll see people with their MS and even PhD making about as much as semi-senior RJ captains. In contrast people with generic degrees will be making alot more. It actually ****es me off seeing as how science/engineering/medical fields are far more difficult.

Entrepreneurship is the rarest, and least tanglible, form of human capital. It's also the form most conducive to generating wealth. Either you have it or you don't, and those who don't barely understand what it is. We have to resort to the path of higher education to become successful.

Kind of strange how those who contribute the most to society, and have the most complex jobs are now being paid much less.

In a capitalist system, we're paid based on our ability to generate wealth, not on an arbitrary hierarchy of what jobs are most important.

Very true, Looks like the jobs that used to generate the most wealth are fast becoming those that produce the least. Those jobs just happen to be the jobs that contribute the most to society. What direction are we heading?

Well good news, your buying power with paultry regional wages is about to take a nose dive. With the increase in minimim wage the extra dumb and extra useless will be gaining buying power which will in turn cause inflation. Since our jobs will not be compensating for this, anyone working above minimum wage just got a kick in the balls.

This is all true. I know that a lot of us may just sit here and play monday morning quarterback, but if you think about it, the jobs that shape our society should be the ones that pay the most right? Well in a perfect world yes. But thats not the case. You would think that someone who is responsible for getting in a metal capsule full of 50 people, taking it up to 30,000 feet, and traveling through the air at blazing speeds to another destination somewhere on the other side of the country would get paid a little more than the same salary that the local junior college drop out could make at a fast food chain. The jobs that really shape our society teachers, police officers, fireman, aren't ever going to make the money that they really deserve. KZ1000Shaft said it perfectly. Its a kick in the balls.

i second all these posts. good to see you guys are noticing a distrubing trend in our society. i live in dallas, the land of nothing. the folks here send their worthless christian kids off to smu and baylor and ut and atm etc... to go get finance degrees and then its off to the ole mba farm for a return trip back to the bubble where mom just made a fresh pitcher of kool-aid. the whole society here is about making money off other people's money. i wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi with the concern that our government does nothing to reward those students brave enough to pursue a degree in the advanced sciences.

so many Americans are so damn proud of the US as the best country in the world and we're nothing but a damn laughing stock. in 25 years Europe will have the strongest economy, the most gifted forward thinking scientists and the world will look to them for leadership because they have more acceptable social programs that have been working for hundreds of years. the world is becoming a land of unity and its up to all of us to see that. sure the small group of mind numb islamic militants will be a problem for a while. you can count on this...ahmedinejad will be the cause of a nuclear bomb inside the US borders. it will be huge and will be the wake up call for those with the money to stop the behavior they've been showing the world.

i'm really glad to see that you guys are talking about this. you need to start being really vocal about this. its a problem that the US is going to face and its going to affect everything you do. it'll affect rent, gas, inflation, electricity, oil, EVERYTHING will be affected by the fact that the US produces nothing anymore. your whole way of life will be changed permanently. i have begged Congress to push rewards for students who pursue science. it'll affect us in a positive way as pilots. we'll be viewed in a better life if science takes a front seat position. please write your Senators and Congressmen about your concerns. I know the government representatives are a joke but its at least something YOU can do.

Peace

You may just want to move to the EU now and avoid the rush for the big vorsprung durch teknik. I think you may find happiness there, and would you please take Nancy with you?

Sorry but you're high my friend, the US is in a lot of trouble. This is my home and I want to make it better than where GW and the boys left it. I don't think you and Charlie Daniels will make it better by ignoring the pink elephant standing in the middle of the room.

I enjoyed your cute little post despite the poor grammar and rambling theme. I can only conclude you don't believe what you have written, otherwise you would make tracks for the EU right now.
Your disdain for hard working Americans, their religion, education, and world leadership was a comic backdrop for the pathetic gesture of believing a limo liberal worth 50 million dollars actually cares about your imagined plight.
And you think I'm high?

Why would you think the government should reward anyone? And you fly airplanes?

[QUOTE=swimbody;108499] i wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi with the concern that our government does nothing to reward those students brave enough to pursue a degree in the advanced sciences.

Im very pro capitalism and conservative Christian republican, but with that having been said, you would think there would be some sort of tax incentive, something to stimulate math/science aviation etc careers. Who in their right mind would spend the time/money for those types of careers when you can make more in three months doing summer sales?
Capitalism is obliviously the best engine for economic development and growth, but it still needs some direction and checks. Rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and the middle class is diminishing.

Actually, if we need any geeks we just buy them on the open market.
Swimboy has the typical attitude of the marxist uneducated whiner who thinks government is going to help him with his shortfall.
Get a clue and dive into the history books, government never made a dime for anyone. They can confiscate and redistribute, that's it,and the idea that politicians of any stripe will help solve the world's problems is just a joke.
Get your head out of your ass and grow up.

I'm only asking the government to promote some kind of reward system for the shortsighted capitalist folks who are choosing a path that is purely selfish in mindset. The US has a myopic view of the world and I think its time we open our minds a bit to what other countries are really needing. I'm not an oil conspiracist, ie Cheney and Halliburton...I don't susbscribe to a bunch of hubbub. I was once an angry Conservatice Rushie like yourself but I learned to listen to varied opinions about our social programs rather than the noisy radio of disharmonic blather that is based solely on fear. And you live in fear "bla bla bla". Every remark you make is based around it. Strutting around the barnyard with your chest puffed out only shows the dearth of self-confidence. Its a shame you attack with such unbridled vehemence.

As a veteran in our military I have respect for the US far beyond what most people understand and that's why I give a rats arse. I've earned my right to differ with your shortsighted angry rants. Have a nice day thinking its all about being at the top of the mountain. You'll learn one day that its about more than you.

I know the capitalistic model works...its proven, but we have become extremely short sighted at how we treat our elderly, what we pay teachers, our lack of forward thinking scientists, a failed health care system, etc... America is in lots of trouble because we think we can buy our help abroad. That is not the way to defend our borders. You kids who grew up in wealthy homes with Conservative parents need to stop drinking that ole KoolAid mom keeps serving you. The world is a different place.

Swimboy, Please take your hairbrained political rant somewhere else. This is an aviation site and we don't have a political forum or a soapbox for you to stand on.
Try over at the Democratic Underground. You'll find plenty of fellow travelers over there to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about your attempts to set everyone straight.

This is where a life of anger and belief in ancient lies gets you. You and I are no different jungle. One day you'll know this truth. The fear you have that you are separate from God is not solely yours. You join the ranks of billions of people who think you must fight to get back at your inner guilt of leaving God's ranks. One day you'll realize that the mistakes you have made in this lifetime are repetitive throughout the ages. And then one day you'll know that the truth was so easy to swallow...that you never separated in the first place and that this was your choice a long time ago. Your ego has been your master for so long and now you are truly facing your one and only enemy....yourself. Mendacem memorem esse oportet...

Nice rant(s).

don't forget TCU.

You guys have heard it: It's not what you know, it's who you know. It is especially true in aviation but also applies to any other career. Even if you're the smartest,fastest, most efficient, whatever, you're not going to get anywhere if you can't network and get your foot in the door somewhere.

Swimboy, I've asked you nicely to keep your vision of socialist paradise off the forum. It's nice to see you think you've evolved to a level higher than the rest of us, good luck with that.
I think you should let the owners and clients of the B200 you are supposedly flying just how much you hate rich conservative christians and their hate based system of beliefs. You'll go far son.

Your assumptions about what I, or others here believe are so far off base as to be laughable. You have positioned yourself at the center of a tiny and insignificant universe of your own creation. Reality is going to collapse it and you. Have a nice day and please don't come back here with any more of that kind of drivel.

By the way, just as a gesture of kindness, I can give you the phone number of a good Doctor at the VA hospital in Dallas. He may be able to help you readjust and enter society as a productive and balanced individual.

Best of luck to you jungle.