1:51 am

Why?

I met this guy on Lavalife.

I've just discovered that he's a private pilot and he's been hounded by gold-diggers before. Which got me to thinking... why are pilots paid so much? Is it because they're entrusted with the lives of those they carry on board? Is their training so strenous that the skills the achieve in the end are worth their weight in gold?

Granted, I am far from technical and can never tell.

But how about those in positions that care and supposedly nuture our young? Or protect us? Like teachers? And policemen? And firefighters? How do you weigh their sacrifice - and have no doubt, I belive it IS a sacrifice - against their monetary value? How do you weigh their gifts to their communities? How do you peg a VALUE to that sort of vocation?


Makes me think.

2 comments:

Bernadette Chua said...

My sentiments exactly. The irony is that often, the momentary value isn't even aligned to the value of the vocation. For eg, my colleagues and I are in the social work field. Every single one of them is in it because they care and want to make a difference. Yet financial reality sets in, and after a couple of years, some have to leave because they need to support families and it is terrible having to make ends meet. It is a needed field yet monetary value isn't pegged in the same direction. One or two of my colleagues even took on part time tuition to supplement their income so that they can stay on. Our organisation is not stingy. The salary is the market value that society sets for such a field. Am glad that there was a shift for the teaching profession and teachers are now paid better. Perhaps, there would be further shifts for other vocations as well. :)

Fiona Kathleen Hogan said...

Bernie,
The sad truth, and I concur with you on this, is that a monetary value is pegged to your worth. Your worth to a company. Commercial value.

Societal worth is so much harder to prove. :(