> Why do we always bring up CEO compensations...

I certainly bring up professional athlete salaries. Given that they produce absolutely nothing of value beyond a marketing opportunity, they're all overpaid for very little real work. It's not like they're curing cancer. Actors? Memorize some lines, and have lesser-paid minions tell you how they should be repeated.

All that's really happened is that a class of people have managed to market themselves to a section of the population - sports stars, actors, CEOs and politicians. They've made themselves superstars, and unfortunately, sufficient numbers of people believe in the legends that they can ask for whatever excess they like and get it.