Most people have a "zero sum game" mentality when it comes to jobs and society

I realized that many people see the society in terms of winners and losers, a zero sum game. They think in order for them to win, somebody else has to lose. People see relationships in terms of power, of someone benefitting by exploiting another - not in terms of cooperation or where everyone is multiplying wins.

Only jobs that aren't respected or paid enough have an "appreciation" day or week. Usually pink collar jobs and working class male jobs. Nurses. Teachers. Firefighters. Soldiers.

Jobs aren't respected by how essential they are or the critical value they provide to society, or even how difficult they are. They're respected by how much they earn. That's why corporate lawyers and finance sector are more respected than janitors or farmers.

This is why people don't have cognitive dissonance when they benefit from the service of baristas, waitresses, and janitors and talk about how important and valid these jobs are, but would not want these jobs themselves or for their own loved ones. Or how men will watch porn and use sex workers while not wanting their own wives and daughters to become sex workers.