Dilbert‘s “Salary Theorem” states:
“Scientists and Engineers can never earn as much as administrators and sales people.”
This theorem can now be proved mathematically:
Given:
Power = Work / Time and,
Knowledge is Power
Substituting knowledge for power, we obtain:
Knowledge = Work/ Time
If time = money, then:
Knowledge = Work/ Money
Solving this equation for money, we obtain:
Money = Work/ Knowledge
Therefore, as knowledge approaches zero, money approaches infinity, regardless of the amount of work done.
Conclusion: the less you know, the more you make.
(I’d like to give credit to the original author of this gem, but so far the origin of this saga remains unknown – if you know, please tell!)
Depressingly it also shows that all knowing more gets you more work for the same money. It appears Wally may have been the originator of this as he seems to be well aware of its application (however, he is no doubt being careful to avoid taking credit for this knowledge):
Wally says he barely has enough time to avoid the work he already has (hence his work remains constant). He is also careful to avoid any risk of increase in knowledge (by actually doing anything). This creates an equilibrium point where neither work nor knowledge change, and hence money remains constant – and productivity remains 0.
On figuring this out Wally was obviously *very careful* to ensure that nobody found out that he had this knowledge.