I don't know what to say!

So you want to say 900% raise is justified against 30% raise in salary in laat 10 years with the current economy and inflation.

I'm not saying anything. The market, and people who work in it are saying that. Companies are giving those packages cuz employees are willingly working at those packages. If they don't the companies will pay more. Same goes for all hierarchies. No one pays anyone for free. The people decide. Every person who gets hired at a position, they decide the salary, cuz they day yes to it. :)

That doesn't bode well too generalise. There's always candidates who are actually good

But if they’re good enough to join a startup with better pay, wouldn’t that be the logical choice ?