Reply #34: The point should be...

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

...given equivilent positions requiring equivilent skills, which have an equivilent demand, the person who devotes more time and effort should receive more for putting more into it.

This is NOT the same as saying that someone who is retired or disabled should live in the dirt. But someone who shows up late (when they show up at all) and puts in a half-hearted effort does not deserve to be rewarded the same as someone who shows up and performs a quality job.

As far as working with your hands vs working with your brain - while some execs may be living on the golf course, that does not mean all office type positions are easy, stress free cakewalks.