People who pursue a career which fulfills them personally...
 

Fair enough.

I do what I want. I'm a "become the change" kinda guy.

I agree completely.

By being fulfilled at a low income you are avoiding taxation on your forsaken money wages. Because higher income people pay more in taxes relative to their benefits from govt this is equivalent to expropriating others for your own consumption.

The thread starter is on to something, but needs to take it step further. Those making under $30,000 past the age of 30 for more than 12 months should be sterilized.

Why are you lumping together productive pursuits (prostitution, drug dealing) with thievery and the like?

that's setting the bar pretty low wiggy. are you feeling okay?

Drug dealing hurts others; I wouldn't call it productive. We lose more in medical costs and the fact that smackheads can't get jobs than we gain in the economic activity.

@ OP: I agree, however I don't think you should expect everyone to exhibit that level of selflessness. I would rather be happy than well paid. Although being well paid factors into my happiness. If we are expected to work not to make ourselves happier, why would we work?

If everyone made a lot of money then the money wouldn't have any value... and probably be called lira

Question. Is this selfish?

Let's say you have this great idea for an invention. You work in your mom's basement living off your dad's salary and invent the silicon transistor. You revolutionize the world with your miraculous invention. Are you still selfish?

(I know this is not how the transistor was really invented. That's not the point.)

huh? who says that?

I think that's roughly my counterargument with the transistor story.

People get paid their marginal product, to a good approximation. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/angry.gif

Kuci, you're ignoring the presence of a tax wedge.

But we always assume there are no taxes in my intro to financial math class.

I have two really good friends who have master's degrees in electrical engineering but decided to go back to school to get MBAs to make more money (one graduated from Harvard B school and the other Northwestern). They're both working in finance now (one in NYC and the other in LA) but both of them hate the hours they have to work (around 90-100 per week) and both are on the verge of divorce since their wives never see them. Personally, I don't think the money is worth the set backs in your social and personal lives especially since with a decent degree you can easily make low six figures and only work 40-50 hours per week.

Besides the really big money is in starting your own firm.

The benefit to society is not necessarily proportional to the pay. For example I think a public school teacher can potentially do a lot of good for society but they won't get paid a lot for it.

And how do we know that things that benefit society are always things that can and/or should be sold.

What do you mean, "etc"?

or

Is that only one "etc"? Weak.

Just making sure.

My ref.

http://blogwaybaby.com/The%20King%20and%20I.jpg

My cousin makes $82,000 teaching in California because he gives bad blowjobs, what kind of value is he adding to the world over a normal teacher?

I was just reading that this has a huge cost http://infoproc.blogspot.com/2008/12...ctiveness.html . Additionally in my own experience it has a huge cost.

My school had a very small portion of the TAG kids become successful. Other schools (like the one in NVA) has a very large portion.

JM