Why can't they just flip burgers from the age of 16 till 65? What if they don't mind the work, they have a full and fulfilling life outside of work, and their job is just what they do to make ends meet? Does that mean they deserve to live in debt and working 100 hours a week? Are you so ignorant that you don't understand that, in any economic system, capitalism or otherwise, not everyone can move up?

It's literally not possible. There have to be people flipping the burgers. That's a fact of the system; there's no way around that. And it's ok -- not perfect, but acceptable -- as long as we treat those people with dignity and respect.

And that means paying them enough to survive -- and thrive -- on 40 hours a week. No one's saying they should have enough money to buy megayachts -- or even regular yachts. But they should be able to buy a shitty canoe -- and still be able to pay all their bills, and not have to work more than 40 hours.

If you're concerned about the possibility that, if they earn more, you'll earn less, that's just not true. There's no scenario in the USA where a company is charging customers any less than the most they possibly can, and paying their workers any more than as little as possible. That's literally the law. There is plenty of extra money that can be used to cover the needs of our poorest people -- and to raise the salaries of more scarce labor who would otherwise turn to flipping burgers if burger-flipping salaries went up.

Literally every business that's even a little successful has extra money. ("Extra money" is also known as profit.) There is no reason why one person should have to work more than 40 hours a week while another person has more money then they can possibly spend in a lifetime; it's illogical and irrational, and cruel.