One thing that backs up your argument is the fact that Japan has extremely low income inequality[1]. This has both good parts and bad parts-it's probably useful

One thing that backs up your argument is the fact that Japan has extremely low income inequality[1]. This has both good parts and bad parts-it's probably useful for society as a whole in a lot of ways, but it means that if you're truly better than average you'll earn a lot less. Anecdotally the top-performing 20-somethings I know in Japan make at most 2x the average salary, whereas the top-performing 20-somethings in the USA easily make 5-10x average (just look at how much a Ruby Developer, top-tier lawyer, or investment banker makes compared to the average income). [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equ...