It is that simple. Humans are not Resources.
For the purposes of ensuring a healthy, long term society, humans are not only resources.
For the purposes of properly allocating a society’s resources (which is also in the interest of a healthy, long term society), humans’ labor is a resource, which can be shortened to humans as resources.
$45k is not a livable wage anywhere within an hour commute of Manhattan
> And I thought we were talking about book cover artists?
"editors, marketing assistants, publicists, sales associates, designers, and contract assistants"
I briefly lived in SF, wherein the dynamic was similar. Most of us were a paycheck (or less!) away from homelessness. It's "doable" if you're okay with having near-zero room for savings, or covering unexpected expenses, or what have you.
I think $45k comes out to a take-home of about $2800 per month. I see ads on craigslist for 2-bedroom apartments in Brooklyn in the 2000-3000 range, and 3-bedroom apartments also in Brooklyn in the 3000-4000 range, either of those seem reasonable with a $2800 take-home. Of course it means having roommates.
But let's reframe the question: "why should a publishing company willingly starve their competent and talented staff, which they force to live in the most expensive city in America?"
How you answer that question will be telling.