Most individuals want to achieve something with their lives by using the talents they have. They also have obligations, like the need to eat, the need to live somewhere and perhaps, a family to educate and take care of.  

In my opinion, developing your talents to the best of your ability (ayn rand would call it "productive work") is one of the most important factors to happiness.  Family, recreation, friends, love are some of the others.

48 to 1? 480 to 1?  Are you saying it should be 1 to 1?  10 to 1? 5 to 1?  What is fair? Who is to decide what a doctor should make and a janitor should make? Should they make equal salaries? Incomes do vary greatly in the US.  The real question is what is the living standard of our poor.  The answer is that the living standard of the poor is quite a bit better than most people in the world.  The majority of the poor have 2 televisions, a phone, a computer, a place to live and, often, a car.  That doesnt mean their life is as comfortable as say, mine.  Thankfully, the US system allows for a lot of upward mobility and opportunity for those that apply themselves.

Your country may have produced Nokia. But the telephone was invented in the United States.  Ironically, it was invented by a Scotsman who came to find opportunity.  I wonder why he didnt stay in Europe?


Terry