In their given fields, both are considered highly trained professionals. One is known across the country, for throwing pigskin downfield in brightly colored and padded jerseys running after each other with full force to score a touchdown. The other can be found in every city, surrounded by the plain walls of a hospital wearing the same white coat with a stethoscope around their necks, saving lives by the minute.
Now, given each of their unique skill sets, which one do you think should be valued the most by society?
People assume the more money one receives, the more valuable. However, the heavily prevalent wage gaps between entertainment and practical careers, show one is above the other. Professional sports leagues advertise games to the point where fans dedicate hours on end and are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to see the sport in action, compared to the reality of keeping up with hospital bills or appointments.
Every year millions flock to their couches every Sunday to watch the game. Played on painted grass fields, arena-filled stands of dedicated yet sometimes violent fans, and players known for their ability to throw, catch a ball, and run into each other: football is back.
Before the season even started, news spread about which players would sign where and how much money they would be paid. Currently, the highest-paid NFL player is quarterback Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals with a five-year, $275 million deal, passing the already highly-paid Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, whose contract was initially the most paid with a five-year, $262.5 million deal.
Seeing how much these athletes get paid a year sounded a bit ridiculous to me, especially when players like Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers took weeks to sign because he wanted more than his already million-dollar deal. It is crazy how these notable icons on the football field are paid in the millions each year, while on the contrary, public service individuals, such as doctors and nurses, average yearly salary only ranges from $65-145 thousand.
Some may argue that it takes years of hard work for athletes to make it to the professional league. They embark on their dream to be a part of the brutal contest of strength in football and keep in mind, begin around ages 8 to 9. Similarly, public service people are inspired from a young age to fulfill their goal of helping others and go through years of education to reach that dream but are not compensated the same.
However, this is all dependent on the industry of these careers. Sports are entertainment, players and teams are heavily marketed for the consumer to buy items from their favorite player or save up hundreds to attend at least one game. While public services do not emphasize a specific person, their work is something we can’t live without, quite literally.
American society will always value entertainment over practicality because sporting events are something people can look forward to, a break from reality. Although these million-dollar deals won’t change anytime soon, public services should continue to be acknowledged. Keep in mind that life would stagnate without entertainment, but humanity would fail without highly trained professionals in our notable public service fields.
