| It's an irrellevant comparison
Comparing a pro athlete to a musician in a symphony is just not a meaningfull comparison, for at least two reasons.
-First, Compensation for any job will always be based on revenue generating ability not on talent or investment in developing the skills Right or wrong, this is the essence of capitalism. Suggest an alternative and you have entered a political-economic conversation.
-Second, the average athelete has a carreer of about 5 years, then poof, there gone. Most entry level professional musicians start early and have long careers ahead. Lifetime compensation will involve much more than salary. Like atheletes, if they choose to develop themselves commercially, the bulk of their lifetime income will be residual.
Personally, I walked away from a far more lucrative career doing something I was good at to persue what I love. Every once in a while I miss the Cuban cigars and the German cars, but most of the time I remember that the cost of that life was greater then the perks. Besides, now I can collect Trumpets, where the best thing out there is arguably in the 2-5,000 range. |