I focus on this also. My numbers are always good...
And for the record, I never focus on another man's employment, Blurtski. Most employed do play a vital role. From the janitor wiping shit off the bathroom stall walls so you can take a shit in comfort, to the construction crews that build and maintain the Western World infrastructure that supplies you with a toilet to shit in, running water in it, and a roof over your head, to the truck drivers that deliver the latest Dragon Dildo's right to your door...
It ain't always much Blurtski, but it's honest work...
$1000 (before taxes) is not a bad days work assuming you are an owner operator. Of course, there are costs (fuel, tires, general wear and tear, etc...) but often honest hard work of the trades does pay very well. People forget this and think getting $200,000 in debt for college is necessary when it really isn't. Many would do better skipping the debt and just going on to work in solid middle class trades. I would still encourage people to seek self betterment via reading, studying, and even community College but those are much cheaper than getting the price of a house in debt before even starting a career.
Hell, I knew a guy with a masters in electrical engineering who worked for Qualcomm for a decade. He had a team reporting to him and he made a lot of money. That said, he routinely worked 80-100 hours per week and had almost no life. When he got married and had a child he had to quit because the demands of the job prevented him from being a good husband or father. He ended up opening a restaurant and working for himself, it was slow at first, but now he is making like 3/4ths as much, sets his own hours (still long) but he can finally take time off to do things with his family. Success comes in many forms and it is for each person to decide what they value most.