1. I agree that difficult work should be payed more. For example, military service is as difficult as being a CEO (just in a different way), but pays a fraction

1. I agree that difficult work should be payed more. For example, military service is as difficult as being a CEO (just in a different way), but pays a fraction of CEO's salary. 2. Should job requiring acquisition of skills pay more? Probably, but the discrepancy shouldn't be large. Most high-end jobs require 4 extra years of schooling (and thus forteited income) - whereas the job will be performed for 30-40 years. Thus, in a fair world, high-end jobs would pay around 10% than jobs requiring only high-school diploma. Right now, the high-skill jobs largely go to children of parents with higher social and financial capital, which are able to roll out a red carpet for their children to the well paying jobs (via being role models on how to land a place in corporate hierarchy, choosing good schools, paying for tutors, encouraging choosing a profitable major in college etc.). Many people in high-end jobs are largely there because of their parents.