[kenko]

Yep!

Some companies try to prohibit their employees from discussing compensation, precisely because they see the benefit of keeping people in the dark about each others' salaries, benefits, etc.

This practice is actually illegal, but it's also mostly unnecessary, because so many people have internalized the idea that such things are Not To Be Spoken Of anyway.

[ryanmarsh]

What about the reverse where I can negotiate an outsized salary to feed my family with so long as our dealings are private.

[RodericDay]

What about the reverse-reverse, when another engineer, as talented as you, but less charismatic or more ignorant about labor economics unrelated to his day-to-day job, isn't able to?

Is it really the for the best if you and your boss split the money he left on the table?

[ryanmarsh]

Better for my children or his?

[kenko]

Why would you only be able to do this if your dealings are private?

[ryanmarsh]

Jealousy.