This is something I see a ton, though sometimes it baffles me as the person doing this will simultaneously complain about how others make more or have more responsibility/freedom. I see a lot of folks just sit back and enjoy the easy job without ever striving for something more.

I came from a poor working class family myself and go lucky enough to find myself in corporate ranks. While many (most it seems) coast to one degree or another at this level I kept pushing like my rent and food depended on it and have achieved through both work my contemplates would not put in and a fair amount of luck an income and level I could not have imagined.

At least from what I have seen, people tend to level accusations at others on things they themselves see themselves doing or do actually do. Thus those who make higher incomes but don't spend a full day working often assume that no one works very hard (particularly the poor, i mean look at how little i do for money, the poor MUST be super lazy) even though in social circumstances everyone claims to be the hardest worker.

No I am not saying any of this actually applies to you /u/nullsignature directly, it is just something I see tons.

I have honestly had people with masters degrees and years more experience than I ask how I ended up leading their team. I asked them what they do after they wander out of the office at 3:30.

Now at the end of the day everyone should only really need to put in as much effort as they want/need to survive (or ideally on minimum income not even that) however the system we have is highly inefficient such that it makes sense from an economic perspective to have some roles that do nothing 50% of the time sitting and waiting for action. I really just wish there was something more productive we could do with that time.