There is no connection between the stock market and reality

None of these things show any disconnect between the market and reality. There are plenty of examples of that, just not in this thread.

Things in this thread that apparently mean a company is doing well: paying the CEO an industry-standard 7-to-8-figure salary.

Things in this thread that apparently mean a company is doing poorly: laying off low-end employees when there is no work for them to do.

The market evaluates a company based on one metric: how much faith they have in the company turning a profit in the future. Laying off employees can increase profits. Paying a CEO a standard CEO salary and bonuses can increase profits. The only way "reality" doesn't match the market is if you think that working for a company that's doing well in the stock market will translate into free job security.