> You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy For sure. I gave the example of asking for a raise, because of the way parent

> You need competing offers, then it doesn't matter if they think you are greedy For sure. I gave the example of asking for a raise, because of the way parent comment was phrased: “If a company really likes you”. When you have competing offers, it's not a matter of liking. Having a competing offer doesn't make your pay independent of where you live though. If enough companies make your pay a function of cost of living, you will have a tough time reaching Bay Area salaries. > whatever the f that means in work context Can't agree more. Having seen spectacular failures from those who are supposed to be business-minded, I've come to appreciate that humans have their biases.