Well, it's beneficial for you to know everyone else's salaries. It's not beneficial for you if a potential new employer knows your current salary. So it's a bit

Well, it's beneficial for you to know everyone else's salaries. It's not beneficial for you if a potential new employer knows your current salary. So it's a bit of a prisoner's dilemma. That said, this is more a cultural issue-in some other countries, asking "How much do you make?" is just part of polite conversation, not a major taboo like it is in the US.