The real question is why the board continued to increase executive compensation to such staggering ratios.... until you realize that boards are made up of netwo

The real question is why the board continued to increase executive compensation to such staggering ratios.... until you realize that boards are made up of networks of other executives, and there is a large "upward current" to reward one another and thereby boost ones own salary. But your question is really inane. It's not about the individual choice to accept compensation, it's about a system for corporate advancement that creates such pressure for outsized wages at the top.