The idea that the responsibilities of a salaried role are typically well-defined, largely fixed, and presented upfront yet compensation is obfuscated, negotiatiable, and settled virtually last is just maddeningly absurd.

Just thinking about the psychology of it... the manipulative nature of it all: haggling for your income; the hidden inequality between coworkers of roughly equivalent skillsets and effectiveness; the idea that you & your potential employer are going to start your professional relationship in such a way.

Sadly, it's far too similar an experience to traditional (American) car buying, another demoralizing dinosaur of a process whose extinction is long overdue.