As a daughter of a contractor plumber, who came from a long line of builders I understand what Mike Rowe is saying. I am happiest when I work with my hands. I am so grateful for shop classes, that at the time were offered in my school system, but now are fading into the dustbin of history.
For quite some years I did not have a High School diploma. I got an equivalency cert years later. In the interim, and even years after that I relied on the skills I had from the vocational class I took in school, and excelled at. I got jobs at factories and odd jobs working with my hands. It put food on the table, paid the rent, and kept me together. To this day I want to work with my hands making things.
ReplyDeleteI love working with my hands too, Pamela. I'm a great number-cruncher, but being strapped to a desk all day drives me bananas! I'd rather install electronics, or paint houses. Of course, age takes its toll, and the less physical occupations have a certain allure, especially after leaving the half-century mark in the rearview mirror. ;))
ReplyDelete"We've declared war on work - as a society..."
ReplyDeleteCompletely and utterly true.
And we will suffer for it. We are, in fact, already sufering for it.
Why do you think that so many construction jobs are filled by illegals, and so many manufacturing jobs by Chinese, Thai, etc workers?
Because American society, and the schools that 'serve' it have decided that everyone must have college degrees, even if they are in basket-weaving, and that those who work with their hands are somehow less than those which entail doing no more than sitting at a desk, shuffling papers.
One thing I have noticed over the years is that the jobs that, on face value, I would not have said, "Oh, I really want to do that," are the jobs that gave me the most satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteBut many of us have been raised to believe that manual labor is a thing of the past. If you have any brains, you will should have something better.
I never had a shop class in school. My loss. Perhaps we should make at least one shop class a requirement.
We have given in too much to the educated. My present job is somewhat blue collar. Do I mind the job itself? No. I work with some great people. The thing that ruins the job is the fact that the corporate office brought in efficency experts two and a half years ago -- people who have no clue how to do the job telling people who know how to do the job that they should be able to do -- in my department's case -- 75% more in a day. And we have to fill out form after form after form to explain why we are not.
I think I have spoken before about the over-MBAization of the United States. We need to get back to working, wanting to work, and being proud of doing a good job.
This was a fabulous talk - thanks Pamela for posting it!
ReplyDelete19 Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will Make You Weep
ReplyDeleteAnother comment eaten by the Blooger grue. It's early, I didn't paste to notepad, damn it. Screw it.
ReplyDeleteLewy @6: that's the most depressing and terrifying 20 slides I've ever seen. I knew it was bad; I can see that much from the ground. I didn't realize it was THAT bad.
ReplyDeleteUnions, taxes, and restrictive regulations have broken the back of manufacturing, IMHO.
Asia thrives, especially China. People in China and India are working their asses off to achieve what was once the American dream. Americans snatch up government positions like candy or collect unemployment while waiting for the opportunity fairy to sh*t a great job on their doorstep.
I hope it's not too late to fix this unholy mess.
yw, lewy14...I know I haven't been posting much. Been very busy taking accelerated courses, packing two years into one. Also I have been doing lots with my church. Another job that gets the least respect of all(I think anyway) is raising and keeping a family.
ReplyDeleteRadiotMattM, I was one of the first girls in my school system to take Auto Shop. Dad would not let any of us get our drivers license until we knew how to change a tire, change the oil, and check/refill fluids.
My husband can not do a thing around the house. I was the one that installed all light fixtures and hooked up the wash machine, assembled the furniture, etc...
I never was one to be into sewing. I think it was because I grew up in an all male home. we all knew how to shut off the mains to the house in case of earthquakes or any disaster.
We learned fast not to say "I'm bored". If we did, he would hand us a bucket with tools in it and tell us to fix this or that, or tell us the planter boxes need weeding.
I haven't watched this yet, because I've got to go play Mom Taxi really quick. I've seen a lot of interviews with Rowe, though, and I LOVE him. He's right.
ReplyDeleteThe guy who played Cliff on Cheers (John Ratzenberger) has been saying the same things.
I was blessed to have a grandfather that felt I should be able to do whatever needed doing around a farm, even though he knew pretty well that wasn't where I'd end up. It wasn't that he felt I had to learn this stuff as much as it was he felt I should be helping when it was done.
To this day, it drives my husband nuts that I'll analyze dirt when we go places. "That has too much iron in it." "That's a great color, but if you look at the cross it's dry down pretty deep. It might be good for cotton." He does admit, though, that when the revolution comes (tm), we'll be the eating-est family left on earth because I know this stuff.
But on the other hand, we had an appraiser come today for a refinance of our house (we're putting money in, not taking money out) and he told me our house is at the top of the appraisal schedule for our area now. And *I* did it myself, thank you very much - with a few exceptions like replacing the heater.
I'm more proud of that than I am of lots of things.
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