If a star basketball player reacts a split-second faster than his competitors, no one has a problem with his earning more for every game than five factory workers do in a year. But if, say, a financial trader or a corporate executive is paid a fortune for being a shade faster than competitors, the public suspects that he or she is undeserving or, worse, a thief.
但这些粉丝中的许多人都肯定会质疑那些花红中位数在1000万美元左右的世界五百强企业CEO们，认为他们收取了极不合理的报酬。如果一名篮球运动员的动作能比他的对手快那么零点几秒，没人会质疑他打一场球的收入比5名工厂工人的年薪还多。但如果一个金融交易员或者一个企业主管能令自己的企业比竞争者领先一步，公众却怀疑他/她根本不够格领这份高薪，甚至将其视为小偷。