On the way to work yesterday I talked with a guy who was a "sanitation engineer" but by description of his work, a janitor.  We got to talking about how he turned his life around through Christ.  Being an atheist(agnostic with a predisposition to disbelieve) I wasn't so concerned by that but by our life differences and similarities.

My talents let me learn many new and complex tasks quickly.  I don't do well in a university setting but I can pick up a book or follow some one doing a job and do it.  Being able to learn quickly gives me some advantages over most people in the labor force and consequentially I'm pretty well paid.

Many of the people in my circle of friends and relatives make comments about how I deserve my higher pay.  They say people who settle on janitor or store clerk or lawn care or any of many other jobs just don't deserve as much and besides the market sets people's wages.  Don't get me wrong, I like having money left over at the end of the month and not having to worry about a bit of splurging; I just don't know why I deserve more than other hard working people.

The problem is I feel I deserve some benefit for what I bring to the table even if others work a bit harder than I.  My talents provide benefits not just for me.  Others gain from me using my talents.  Why shouldn't I be compensated for what I bring to the table?

So here we are.  Some people work hard and get nowhere while others work less hard and accomplish a lot.  I have no desire to work hard so people who don't bring my talents to the table and don't work hard can bum around but I would really like people who put in the effort to benefit from the surplus of goods and services the community of us can provide.  Specialization provides benefits for all.  There are jobs I don't like doing and jobs others can't do.  OK, most people don't like doing jobs I don't like doing, I get it, but they need to be done and what do I get in return for sharing the benefits of my talents and hard work?  Aren't we equals?

Somehow we have to find a way where everyone helps out and people only have to do the minimum of what they don't like doing.  The labor markets are broken because some of us come to the table with more power than others even when we want to give everyone a fair shake.  I don't want to abuse you and I don't want you abusing me.  I want a fair trade for both our benefits.