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Personally I would say because I just don't feel like sharing that information. And it honestly has nothing to do with what someone may feel I am "worth". I could care less.
I will say this. My close friends and family do know how much I make. Those types of conversations have definitely come up. Just like those close to me know lots of information about me that others will never know.
Question for you. Is there any bit of information you wouldn't readily share with others? Either people close to you or people you really don't know well (or at all)?
Sure. But money is not one. I am fine with sharing the money info.
I didn't have any problem sharing that info a long time ago when I was very young and really didn't make much or have much. All of you on here that think sharing this info is a good idea, do you have much to be telling about?
Do you think the same reasons you have information you don't want to share could be the same reasons other don't want to share salary information?
No. Most of the information that I do not want to share has mostly to do with safety issues, not with ego. Paycheck is mistakenly tied to personal worth in this culture.
I didn't have any problem sharing that info a long time ago when I was very young and really didn't make much or have much. All of you on here that think sharing this info is a good idea, do you have much to be telling about?
So are you saying that people who make little would be more likely to want to share than those who make lots? Nice topic to study.
Reality is pretty much all Americans feel the need to hide the info:
Those who "make" little - because of shame of not being judged inadequate.
Those who make "moderate" - because of competition from the Jones-es, hence shame for being judged not adequate enough.
Those who make lots - because of fear of resentment and jealousy.
All in all, it boils down to the same thing.
The belief that money = personal worth when it doesn't.
I personally think its tacky and disrespectful, but in my culture with Filipinos it's almost normal. TV show hosts ask contestants "what do you do and how much do you make?" I've had family members ask me at get togethers "how much do you make?" in front of many other people. With Americans in general it's extremely tabboo to ask anyone that question. We make assumptions based on the answer of "So what do you do?" but it's a huge no no to ask someones salary. Why do you think it's so tabboo in the US?
Is it true in the first place? I don't think so. Americans talk much more readily about their income than many other peoples, for instance Germans, where asking for someone's income is like asking an American about their sexual orientation
Anyway, I guess the problem with it is that most people still confuse income with achievement. If you say you earn 10k a year, they think you are unqualified, stupid, lazy, or whatever, and thus underclass, which most people try to avoid.
Either way though, I think it's the wrong question in any case. The right question is how much are you keeping, that outcome tells a whole lot more about a person than the income....
Both questions together are right, since how much you are keeping makes sense only in context with income.
If someone makes $12K and keeps $1K, that to me is a lot more impressive than someone making $5M and keeping $50K
All in all, it boils down to the same thing.
The belief that money = personal worth when it doesn't.
It makes no difference whatsoever whether or not YOU believe this. Society around you believes this and treats you accordingly. That's why it's such a big deal.
Last edited by BigCityDreamer; 09-22-2011 at 05:57 PM..
No. Most of the information that I do not want to share has mostly to do with safety issues, not with ego. Paycheck is mistakenly tied to personal worth in this culture.
So what about the information that falls outside of "mostly"? Why do you not share that information?
So what about the information that falls outside of "mostly"? Why do you not share that information?
It's really all related to safety. I have nothing else.
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