So it's really not the astronomical salary, it's the astronomical debt.

Yes and no. The compensation is a lot, but you're not necessarily able to just quit on a dime even if you live humbly. Interviewing takes weeks now and weeks more just to find a proper replacement. And salaries can fund you for months, bu t not years (let alone if you have a fammily)

I'll also say the obvious here in Sinclair's quote about salaries: you can indeed pay for someone's self respect.

This would imply most of these types of positions are filled with less competent people willing to package and sell their self respect alongside their time?

(Thus commanding a rate similar to a more competent person who doesn’t package it to sell.)

Astronomical debt caused by astronomical real estate inflation.

Joke is, most of these homes aren't worth anywhere close to their paper value.

Cy Porter's home inspection videos... jeez. How these "builders" are still in business is mind-blowing to me (as a German). Here? Some of that shit he shows would lead to criminal charges for fraud.

The land is worth more than the structure in these areas.