Observation #16 Are You Worth Your Salary?

As I watch the NBA playoffs, I am reminded of how short and uncoordinated I am. If I played one-on-one against any NBA player, I bet I could score two baskets. The ole “your shoe lace is untied” trick. I’m not above that. Maybe a kick to the shin. Not above that either. The real thing that I am reminded of is how often people say “Athletes make too much money.”

Kobe. The Black Mamba. Five rings. Probably not someone who grabs beers with the guys after work but easily the best player of his generation. “Hello, I’m right here,” says Tim Duncan. Right about now, a bunch of the ladies are like, “Pinterest, needs some pinning.” or secretly, “I’ve got two Fifty Shades of Grey sequels to read.” Anywho. Kobe makes 25.2 million dollars a season minus endorsements. Snap. 

Is he worth it?

Hell yeah.  The Los Angeles Lakers make over $200 million dollars a year without merchandise. The money that Kobe Bryant generates for others is huge. What about the people that are employed because Kobe can put the ball in the basket and asses in the seats? The people who work at the arena in Los Angeles. The people who work in the arenas around the league. The parking attendants. The media that cover him. The people who manufacture and sell his jersey. The impact is huge. Not even scratching the surface.

A Marxist would say Kobe should be making more money. Why should others benefit so much from Bryant’s labour? 

Do doctors make too much money? Someone who can save my life is invaluable. Following that logic, a personal trainer should make just as much. What about an actor? What value do you put on entertainment and how much a smile or a tear means to society? A garbage man. How much does driving down a street without mountains of garbage stinking it up worth to you? Is Zuckerberg worth billions?

It really is an interesting question. I really believe in the interconnectedness of everything. All jobs are valuable even though they are not compensated equally.

Do you think athletes make too much money? Should a garbage man make the same as a doctor?