NASA was interviewing professionals to be sent on a mission to Mars. Only one could go and they wouldn’t return to Earth.
The first applicant, an engineer, was asked how much he wanted to be paid for going.
“$1 million,” he answered, “because I want to donate it to MIT.”
The next applicant, a doctor, was asked the same question. He asked for $2 million.
“I want to give $1 million to my family and leave the other $1 million for the advancement of medical research,” he explained.
The last applicant was a lawyer and when he was asked how much money he wanted, he whispered in the interviewer’s ear, “$3 million.”
“Why so much more than the others?” the interviewer asked.
The lawyer replied, “if you give me $3 million, I’ll give you $1 million, I’ll keep $1 million, and we’ll send the engineer to Mars.”