Statistics from the US Department of Labor show that the median income of actors, directors and producers is about $22 per hour. The reason why it is so high is that it is biased towards one percent of the top actors. But even so, it is much lower than most scientists.
The median income of most scientists is above $35 per hour, and the median income of many jobs is also at this level. If you are a scientist, making so much money is a piece of cake. I see many people talking nonsense about Hawking's income. His net income is at least $20 million. He is not poor. )
Scientists can also enjoy many other non-wage benefits in the same city (better working environment, lower stress, more stable wage income, paid vacation and retirement benefits, etc.). ), and their career life is longer (most actors will find it difficult to continue working after 10- 15).
This doesn't include those actors who are struggling at the bottom. The entertainment circle can accommodate a limited number of people, and some people can only do stand by and do other trivial and humble work. On the other hand, most people who have completed graduate courses can get better jobs than these substitutes even if they don't become professional scientists in the end.
Only a few movie actors can really get high salaries, and most actors will never get the jobs they want.
Few scientists have relatively low salaries. Some scientists turned to selling products and services and became billionaires.
Mathematical problems in entertainment are completely different from basic research and applied science.
You may also compare scientists with noble professions such as teachers, firefighters and nurses, but the answer is the same.
Everyone's salary is based on who is willing to pay for them. You just need to find the right employer.
This is the status quo facing scientists. It is true that film actors and musicians earn high salaries and scientists earn low salaries, but we can't blame actors for this. In any occupation, the money people get is directly proportional to their efforts. If I write a book that emphasizes solving three-dimensional turbulent equations, who will buy it? There may be hundreds of people buying it. If I write a book about kate upton's sex life and her breakup, I can sell millions of copies in a few hours.
In short, most people are not smart enough to understand and praise the work of scientists, but everyone living on the earth likes entertainment, sex and music, even scientists. As long as people don't get pleasure from complex science, the status quo cannot be changed.