Sunday, February 1, 2009

$2m?!

a Biblical thought...
So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each with his clan and family. (Numbers 2:34)

a Book thought...
Knowing where you stand demands that you become a student of culture. Leaders with the courage and commitment to engage culture want to be culturally relevant. (p78)
a Dave thought...
Last night Serena Williams won $2m in 59 minutes as the winner of the Australian Open. It is an amazing amount of money for a short amount of work and it is also interesting how the men receive the same amount. Tennis unlike most other sport is unusual in this regard as firstly there is no guarantee you have to perform for a certain amount of time like two 45 minute halves etc. Also why do men and women receive the same when the Men's champ will probably have played for three times the length of time over the same fortnight than Serena. Not sure how the organisers justify it all but there were certainly a lot of tickets left for last nights Women's final, but at $272.95 a pop for a bad seat for 59 minutes entertainment I think I know why.

Just a thought.

7 comments:

Stephen Court said...

I was able to catch most of the last set on an airport TV in adelaide. The reason she finished in 59 minutes is that she won all straight games in the first set and continued to blow away the competition in the second. If a guy could actually rise above the competition like Serena did - they could finish much faster as well.
Of course, if you still cry unfair perhaps we ought to address the economic workplace imbalance in the other direction for over 60% of women in Aus? just thinking.
Danielle

Anonymous said...

Danielle, i like your thoughts. $2m is a lot of money for ANYONE to win whether in 59 minutes or 3 hours. Don't you think it has the same level of injustice/unfairness whether its a man or woman?!?!

Anonymous said...

It is an amazing amount of money for a short amount of work

Umm, aren't you forgetting about the years of training and preparation that preceded this competition? She didn't just pick up a tennis racket and get lucky yesterday - she's been working toward that moment all her life. And yesterday's competition and tomorrow's practice are preparation for the next competition - and on it goes. Yes, $2M is a lot of money, but don't minimize the work she's done to earn it.

Anonymous said...

In todays economic situation no-one should be paid that kind of money. Serena chose tennis to be her bread winner. Others choose other types of employment which make just as many demands on them but do they earn anything like that amount of money? I think not. If sponsors have that kind of money to give away some of it could be given to the needy in our communities both here and overseas. I'm not saying for one moment that some of these players are not generous when it comes to charities etc but surely if there is ever to be equality in the world it has to start with more realistic sponsorship of such events. I personally do not think that despite all their hard work etc none of them should be valued so highly dollarwise. The news is full of CEO's who people think are immoral to accept the millions they get. Is not this just as immoral?

Anonymous said...

So many isues in a simple comment!

Serena is great tennis player, but the amount of money she (and other successful entertainers) get paid is obsecne, if not immoral. It is a sad reflection on the affleunt (that includes most of the Western world) that we pay so much to be amused by others.

On the equal pay issue I have no problem - but either the women play five sets or the men play three. No doubt they all train hard - if we are serious about equality lets actually look for 'equal pay for equal work'.

Anonymous said...

Pat Rafter used to give a majority of his winnings to charity.

Bono uses his wealth and power to highligh injustice and raise support for the poor

Many wealthy (NOT ALL HOWEVER) people give annonymously to support the poor and injustice.

Zacchaeus gave his money to the poor and probably still remained rich, was lauded by Jesus and still the people did not understand.

The standard Jesus seems to promote is "if your rich share it".

Alas the poor we will always have with us and perhaps unfortunately the rich too.

The biggest problem is that the wealth of the average person in the wastern world is just as obscene to the rest (majority of the world).

I am not sure how we really get around that one with out sharing it?

DJ

Anonymous said...

Maybe Serena supports her own church well - The Jehovah Witness church! Not everyone tells the world what they do with their wealth. Those that do publish the information mostly look after themselves very well first. It is easy for them to give lots to charity but in comparison, no more than many of Christians who tithe out of very small incomes and live very frugally.