Oh don't be melodramatic. If the US financial system fails you'll be screwed no matter your industry if you're being paid in US currency. And angry mobs coming to lynch you? Give me a break, such a thing is unprecedented and the shear number of people in the field will provide protection even if that does happen (as will the amount of money you'd be making).

As for ethics: Perhaps the reason they are paid so much is because they, unlike you, are able to put aside petty issues like that.