Armchairs,
Here's a question that puzzles me every now and then. People from all walks
of life tend to complain that their salaries are (injustly) low. Ok, why not
complain, right?
But when I think of professors, particularly university faculty and --if you
push me harder-- economics faculty, I just get wonder: Are they really being
underpaid as they often complain?
Who else other than "economists" to understand why their wages are whatever
they are? Yet I hardly have found an explanation despite the fact that
economists like to "explain" every single fact of life they come about...
So, are professors really underpaid? (if such statement makes any sense at
all).
What's beneath and beyond the popular saying: "life as an academic will not
make you rich, but it will be fun"?
What's to the other usual saying: "if you are so smart... why aint you rich?"
What's beneath the general public opinion that "teachers are uderpaid"?
What kind of people self select themselves to pursue academic careers?
