[throwaway5752]

Every business tries to pay people as little as possible. They are essentially obligated to do so by corporate structure, but just from competing in a free market this is usually the outcome outside of regulation (minimum wage) or collective bargaining. Right now there is a high demand for top end tech talent, but that too will pass, and we'll all see how our employers view us in a lower returns world. Stock options and grant comp is just a question of best outcomes and alignment.