Quote:
Originally Posted by RichieRich
Whilst there's no doubt that costs of living have increased, it cannot be discounted either that the North American society (and likely others) has become an insane consumer of goods based mostly upon wants rather than needs. There is planned obsolescence with so so many goods too. Advertising has convinced so many that they need their daily coffee, internet subscriptions, data packages, tv packages, bigger better TV's and electronics every couple of years, heck throw in "starter" homes that "need" upgrades and eventually larger homes, same with vehicles... where does it end? Why don't we have conversations and education around the opportunity costs of so many non-essential goods and services?
So in our world rife with expectations where the answer is always more more more, it's easy to be convinced (either externally or internal dialogue) that the answer is always that we are being underpaid and someone is grossly profiting. Why is the answer that those richer/wealthier than ourselves somehow have an unfair advantage and hence "DESERVE" to be taxed more heavily? that's another whole thread I suppose...
In any case, some jobs have been deemed unskilled, or have lower level of importance assigned to them, or require different levels of life-experience and/or education. It's why I expect to get paid more than many other fields... at the cost of job uncertainty though.
Logically compensation will range immensely according to type of job but also general cost of living in a particular area. Should a coffee barista need to be paid less working in Airdrie or more working in downtown Banff where making ends meet is much harder? What about owners expectation of profit and margins?
Although AB minimum wage is ~$15/hr... that's an immense amount of money to a teenager/student living at home. But to a single parent it's barely enough. There's no "right" or "easy" answer, and I certainly don't want to go the socialist route of "a job for everyone, no pay for over/under performance, same pay regardless of job" as that's quickly racing to the bottom. Continuously aggressively raising minimum wage is also a race to the bottom for most starting business' who may not be able to afford staff or have the endurance to themselves work 80 hour weeks.
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I do understand that sentiment, but I also feel like that's now an outdated idea that's no longer in line with reality.
When a decent home in Calgary is now worth at least $500k, a new vehicle is at least $40k, child care costs around $1200 per child, internet and phone plans are astronomically high. It becomes close to impossible to purchase just the basics on minimum wage. Heck, a two income household making average income can't afford the average cost of things.