Spinoff: Why do people look down on blue-collar jobs?

[SunDevil]

What is wrong with working harder, not smarter; that makes someone who is in a management or other white-collar job feel that those jobs suck. That the people working in them are quitters for not going to college, that they will never make any real big money, and their jobs can be outsourced to Latin America or Asia whenever possible.

I volunteered for Habitat For Humanity last weekend and always had physical labor (labour for our Canadian readers) type jobs prior to my current one. I noticed when I was working on Saturday, I didn't really notice what time it was, I could easily see what had to be done and worked on it. It was even raining out, and wasn't that bad.

My life now is exactly like the movie Office Space. I feel like my family and friends respect me for being successful, and the money is good. But I watch the time go by, and it feels like it's always the same thing in the same place, just different information and tasks to do. I don't feel ashamed to tell people what I do, but I thought that I would be happier.

The real question is, what differences in lifestyle do both groups have? Is one group happier at work? Do both groups worry about money? Is it just the grass is greener on the other side thinking? And would girls rather date a construction worker/auto mechanic or an businessman/accountant*?

*I'm not an accountant.

[wordsmith]

Both my dad and my brother are college-educated, and both are carpenters. My dad taught for a while, and my brother would like to get into journalism, but the job market it tight and his longtime girlfriend has too good of a job to justify leaving the area, so he's doing this until something he wants to do comes up. I've got a special appreciation for people who are skilled laborers, needless to say. Both those guys are highly intelligent, and it always makes me grin when people think they're not, due to their ripped jeans and dirty hands, and get a rude awakening three seconds into any conversation.

In their case, the lifestyles not all that much different. My dad's dirtier when he gets home than when he was a teacher, but he still does the same stuff with his spare time. He's probably in better shape than if he'd been at a desk job all these years, but being out in the sun for 30 years has also taken its toll and aged him.

I wouldn't necessarily say that being a manual laborer makes one happier all around that somebody with a desk job...yes, it's more varied, perhaps, but it's still got its mundane, repetitive tasks. While there's a tremendous satisfaction in building something, it's also physically exhausting, and because in this case it's a small business, it's hard to ever make any real money, even though my dad's been in business for 30 years. It definitely has its own pros and cons.

Because I grew up in an agricultural and industrial area, and the selection is weighted accordingly, I've never really had any qualms about dating guys who do manual labor.

[winneythepooh7]

This attitude totally pisses me off. I think I wrote about my "friend" who had the nerve to ask me if I was "settling" for my boyfriend, basically because he is not a doctor or a lawyer. I dated a now attorney for over a year and he was an A-S-S-H-O-L-E. My boyfriend now who is in construction, treats me better than any other guy I've dated.

[shimmer728]

I dated a now attorney for over a year and he was an A-S-S-H-O-L-E.

I can imagine.




















Kidding kidding kidding! :lol:

[shimmer728]

But that being said, I've also dated my share of blue collar/manual laborers because, like wordsmith, that's who lives where I live. My parents, on the other hand, would be less than impressed if I brought one of those guys home. Especially my mom. They're kind of snobbish like that.

[ebruening]

The most intelligent, down-to-earth guy I know works the night shift at the Goodyear manufacturing plant. He never finished college, but has more sense and a better attitude than any college graduate I know. For anyone who has taken the time to get to know him, he throws the "blue collar" stereotype completely out the window.

[tina1979]

To me, i don't care what the guy does. As long as he is self sufficient. Sure, guys in suits are hot in a GQ kind of way, but guys in coveralls can be just as hot in a more primitive(?) kind of way.

I know that personally I'm not looking for someone who has the potential to buy me a million dollar home, not that it wouldn't be nice, but I'm looking for someone who I can be comfortable with. It doesn't matter if he is a manager of a bank of an auto mechanic. As long as we live well , as in happily, etc., and he treats myself and my daughter well, then I couldn't care less if we live in a two bedroom home beside railroad tracks, or in a mansion on top of the hill looking out at the country club golf course view.

Besides, as far as money problems, the more money you have the bigger bills you have. I imagine everyone is roughly in the same boat to some degree.

Hmm. I realise that was slightly off topic, but it really pisses me off when ppl judge a person by thier job.

[blueyes]

I don't get the 'I work at a desk, so I'm better than you' attitude, either. But I get to live both sides of the coin: being an environmental consultant is a desk job AND a grunt job. Yes, I sit at a desk and type reports and call people and cajole them into telling me things that their corporate environmental managers probably don't want them to tell me - AND - I wear a hard hat and steel toed boots and ripped jeans and a safety vest and get filthy dirty in the field.

I kind of enjoy walking back through town post-field work, in my gear, and watching the looks from secreteries and office girls. I just want to grin and say 'Yeah, I might be dirty now - but I'm earning my keep and damn, if I don't look just as sexy as you do!'

I don't want to think it's a measure of intelligence, but the more and more I do this job - the ridiculous duality of desk and dirt - the more and more I realize that blue-collar work is perceived as dumb work that any ol' creature can do. Not in this field, baby - and probably not in most of them.

(Now, if you're working for PennDOT - all bets are off. j/k).

[J-girl]

Sure, guys in suits are hot in a GQ kind of way, but guys in coveralls can be just as hot in a more primitive(?) kind of way.

But you know whats hot, when those construction workers wear suits :D

They usually have nice bodies :lol:

Anyways, blue collar jobs are pretty well paying too. One of my friends didnt take the convetional path. He always hated sitting in front of the computer or sitting on the desk. He went to school for MEchanical diploma or something like that and he is really dedicated towards his goal.

I think as long as you are hard working in any profession thats what matters.

And people shouldnt look down upon skilled labour. WE couldnt live without them.

[ebruening]

J - girl - you're right!

Blueeyes - the "duality of desk and dirt" you talked about reminded me that I know a financial analyst who works as a freelance auto mechanic on the weekends/in the evenings. (And yeah, he looks pretty hot when he's all dirty and sweaty :twisted: )

[J-girl]

Yeah my neighbour is a Brick Layer. Makes Bank. Running off to vacation every second month. Not to mention he has a perma tan and the looks of a Greek God!

[wordsmith]

As far as money made, the year I spent dating an auto mechanic with a two-year community college tech degree, he was able to buy a house and two new trucks and not sweat his finances, whereas I was scraping by in a cheap apartment and beater car on the paycheck my professional job and honors BA got me.

[EmmyC]

You know, that attitude really irks me. I mean, really, where I grew up, a majority of people were blue collar. My Dad as well. I was the first girl in the history of my family to go to college. My DH is also a blue collar guy, and he's incredibly intelligent. He has to explain things to me a lot of the time. He started college, didn't finish, hated the whole desk job idea. He works for UPS, and although he works nights, he likes his job. The money is awesome, great benefits, great vacation. When he retires (many, many moons from now, LOL) he wants to finish a two year degree in business. Guess what he wants to do with it? Go into home construction. He's just a blue collar guy. I dated plenty of jerks in college. My DH was and is the nicest, sweetest, most well rounded, sane guy I know.
OK, enough rant from me.

[Bugsey34]

Yeah, I'm not sure why people look down on it either because those people make serious money. I can tell you from being involved in a construction project right now here in NYC, the Union laborers make ridiculous money. Ridiculous. Makes me want to quit and be one. Also my uncle does that kind of work in my hometown, works for the city as a project manager on their big developments, and makes bank. More than my mother who uses her degree in the city's offices, so there you go.

In terms of dating someone working in one of these jobs, I don't see myself being able to share that much with them or vice versa. It's more a reflection on me and my job than on them, though.

[samender]

Blue collar has nothing to do with intelligence and honestly neither does college. There are many different types of intelligence in my opinion and what I really find intelligence is the people that can make the most out of their lives in the sense of that they can do things themselves and they know how things work. I know many dropouts that are very smart people. I am talking about dropping out of high school. Of course it would have been much easier if they had gotten through that but like I said there are many different types of intelligence. I dont judge blue collar. They do many jobs that white collar people would have no idea how to do. Both types of jobs require a certain amount of intelligence.

[J-girl]

In terms of dating someone working in one of these jobs, I don't see myself being able to share that much with them or vice versa.

Same here. I relate more to people who have been to school and what not. And even when in school I relate to those that are closer to my major more than others.

[Bugsey34]

I know many dropouts that are very smart people. I am talking about dropping out of high school.


Of course, think of Peter Jennings.

[wordsmith]

Same here. I relate more to people who have been to school and what not. And even when in school I relate to those that are closer to my major more than others.

This assumes that laborers haven't been to school, which isn't necessarily accurate. And even if they haven't, you won't know who you relate to until you start talking to them.

[labrat2111]

I think people just look down upon blue collar jobs because they think the people there are less intelligent or simply didn't have the drive to go to school. I know some people like that but most people I know in blue collar jobs do it because they like it and can make decent money plus not having the overhead of having to pay for college and wait at least 4 years to get into their field.

My brother who is a year and a half younger than me does autobody and I know he makes more cash than me and has more money in his 401(k) and has a more flexible schedule and just takes off when he wants to go fishing or take a roadtrip or go skiing or snowmobiling or ride his motorcycle. It was funny though the one time that I asked him what he and his friends do and he just said hang out and drink and some other things and mentioned that sorry but I didn't go to college. I laughed and told him that just because I went to college didn't mean I had any problems with drinking beer and playing video games and watching football on sundays. I think maybe he was a little jealous that I went to school but at the same time I think he does realize that he has it pretty good and if he would just get his head out of his ass he has enough money to buy a house now -- which is more than I can say.

[Bugsey34]

This assumes that laborers haven't been to school, which isn't necessarily accurate. And even if they haven't, you won't know who you relate to until you start talking to them.

I don't know about J-Girl, but that's not how I was meaning my post. I just meant relating in terms of everyday life.

[wtbforever21]

I fine w/ bc workers as long as they don't have the bc mentality. And you think that the "free-spririted recent grads" have a reverse snob complex, wait until you get acquinted with a lot of blue collar workers.

[J-girl]

This assumes that laborers haven't been to school, which isn't necessarily accurate. And even if they haven't, you won't know who you relate to until you start talking to them.

I was talking about the ones who havent been to school. And I do talk to them. Just nothing in common or we are on different levels. Like I wouldnt have anything in common with someone who majored in Visual Arts or something. Ofcourse sometimes all this never matters and when you click with the right person the academic background doesnt matter.

[EmmyC]

My Mother always tried to keep me from dating blue collar guys. She always assumed that we'd have nothing in common, etc. When I met DH, I thought the same thing. I was just out of college, he was working for UPS. However, once we started talking, we have so much in common. We have different interests as well, but we clicked when it came to our whole philosophy of family and life in general. That became much more important to me than whether or not he'd been to school.

[computer guy]

My dad started going to college after he graduated hs and decided it wasn't for him and went back to what he loved doing, fixing cars. This was all before I was born, so obviously he didn't have problems finding my mom :)

Now that he's in his 50s things are a little harder on him, he knows he's getting older and can't be fixing cars forever and the industry is a bit turbulent, his shop has changed hands about three times in the past 2 years and there's a lot of quiet talk about which auto manufacturers will or will not be around in the next 5-10 years.

Personally I think it's a cool job and have never wished my dad did anything else. The new owner of his shop sells high end cars along with the cars my dad is an expert on. It's pretty cool to pull up to the shop and see a Bently sitting on the sales lot and sometimes I get to see new cars before they are released for sale to the public.

Now I can sorta relate to how he feels b/c my field, which a few years ago was huge, is now much smaller, but I enjoy parts of what I do so, I'm looking for a job where my responsibilities include mostly what I like.

My parents have encouraged me and my brothers to at least try college and see if we like it. In my case I enjoyed learning and had a passion to learn about computers so I got a BS BA MIS, one of my brother's is going to be a teacher, and my youngest brother just started and has plenty of time to change his mind.

I'd rather do what I enjoy and be happy, than be miserable and make tons of money. I'm reminded by a law firm's commercial (oddly enough), that life isn't about having the coolest stuff, but the memories you create with your family and friends.

[bridgetjones]

I have found many blue collar type workers that have more money sense than the business school grads I know. There is less pressure to spend money to keep up appearances that is for sure. You can start a nice little business. I know one that owns 2 houses that he is fixing up in his sparetime, rents out and has a band. He has his work as merely a means to make a living it is not his life for 8 hours a day! Plus he gets some freelance work that pays well. Wow! I want that and I am a so-called white collar college grad type.

I know very few white collars with that kind of time and money saved up! Most office job type people I know do not really have hobbies. Hell I feel dumb for spending all that money over 4 years to train for jobs I hate that suck the life out of me.

Plus I have met people that have quit BS office jobs and are working in construction to make ends meet. Or some university grads that do not like the idea of office work so they work construction, make good money and perhaps start a business of some sort. They are smart, tanned and toned. Ummm...

[bumpy]

hum... there seems to be a persistent thread on romaticizing construction labor or manual work. One thing to keep in mind that this is hard work. At 40 or 50 years, what will the impact of that tan-look be?

[J-girl]

Well the tan look is just a bonus (and a steretype). Everyone starts to wither in 40-50 years. I am sure the corporate dudes with pot bellies and flabby asses wont have much going on at 50 either lol.

[wordsmith]

Totally not romanticizing it at all. My dad's been on roofs and scaffolding for about half his life, and has suffered several serious work-related injuries (devastating not only for the pain and suffering, but because contractor's insurance is costly to begin with and doesn't pay out well at all, and when you're self-employed, disability and workman's comp don't apply).

He's in great shape from the physicality of his work (at pushing sixty, his body's in the condition of somebody probably 15-20 years younger), but he's still getting older and the idea of him having a heart attack in extreme heat, etc. scares the crap outta me. It's very hard work.

[bridgetjones]

Well the tan look is just a bonus (and a steretype). Everyone starts to wither in 40-50 years. I am sure the corporate dudes with pot bellies and flabby asses wont have much going on at 50 either lol.

Ugh. That is a fear of mine - becoming the fat lazy yuppie that I swore I'd never become... Yeah a fat lazy yuppie that has her hubby run off with the skinny hot aerobics instructor or nurse. NOOOOOOO!!!!

Although one of my friends complains that construction work just works him so hard that his body looks skinny as hell now. Wheras he used to be small with nicely defined muscles from wieghtlifting. Working construction leaves him a little too wiped to be able to lift weights.

However there are blue collar folks that work indoors and have less strenous jobs.

[wordsmith]

Yes, not every laborer job requires heavy lifting...some people are sitting at machines or an assembly line all day and are gong to be just as out of shape as somebody who spends all day in front of a computer.

Which brings up another reason blue collar jobs get the rap they do...the tedium and mindless factor of, for example, a lot of factory work. Working in factories summers in college, stenciling serial numbers on boxes of service parts and stapling them up for 8 hours straight is a sight more tedious than even most cubicle jobs.

[MetFanL]

I always say that there are two types of dateable guys: Those that can fix stuff and those that can afford to pay somebody to fix stuff. Both are total catches, and dudes that do manual labor definitely fall in those categories. I don't see anything wrong with it...

[ebruening]

I've always wanted to date a guy who would teach me how to fix my own car.

[bridgetjones]

Then there are some office jobs which supposedly require so much education to be considered for that literally a trained monkey can do!

Then there are blue collar jobs that I hope the person doing them is not an idiot. For instance, the guy that rewires my house, installs my furnace, fixes my A/C unit, fixes my indoor plumbing, my auto technician, my auto mechanic, etc. Heck it is can be so hard to diagnose car problems nowadays that I am sure that to be a good technician or mechanic requires more brains than most office monkey jobs do.

Then again I also know a guy whose farmer father got a PHd in philosophy. The winters left alot of time to read and study such things. Too bad that lifestyle is less sustainable now!

[wordsmith]

Yup, my dad's the most well-read carpenter I've ever met.

[k.monster]

I have a friend who's ex was in construction and she said that she didn't want to be with him long term because of the effects it would have on his body and I found that to be really harsh. Personally I think sitting in an office all day has just as much impact on a person as being physical all day does.
Sometimes I wish I had more of a blue collar job. I get bored being inside all day, answering phones, making/drinking coffee.

[tina1979]

Sometimes I wish I had more of a blue collar job. I get bored being inside all day, answering phones, making/drinking coffee.
me too.



dsadsa

[bridgetjones]

I've always wanted to date a guy who would teach me how to fix my own car.

Take my ex-BF please! Ugh. Lets just say he was an engineer with the stereotypically boorish manners of his so-called small town "blue collar" upbringing!

I always say that there are two types of dateable guys: Those that can fix stuff and those that can afford to pay somebody to fix stuff. Both are total catches, and dudes that do manual labor definitely fall in those categories. I don't see anything wrong with it...

I'd prefer someone that can do both! Yep. I think it is a strange turn off if a guy I am dating is freaking helpless should a tire go flat or the electricity goes out. Then again I come from a family where the men AND the women are handy. So perhaps part of my definition of being a man in my mind is being able to fix things...

One of my guy pals does not even know where to put in coolant, oil or windshield washer! Ugh turnoff!

[wordsmith]

My ex BF was a mechanic and he HAAAAAAATED to fix my car. Much the way my dad isn't gung ho about making home repairs.

[ebruening]

I'm not saying that the guy has to be a mechanic by trade; I do think it would be nice if he could give me a little help with my car from time to time...NOT fix it himself, but teach ME how to fix it...it would be a testament to his patience, I'm sure :eek:

[bridgetjones]

They must be sick of "friends" hitting them up for favours after work. My bro put his foot down about fixing other peoples computer problems for free. Now it is only family!

Ebruening, seriously you can take my ex BF! I would go into a coma when I asked him anything about cars. SHUT UP!!!! He would do major car repairs for fun. Then again he was a frustrated engineer who stares at computers, paperwork and fixes factory line problems all day long.

[tina1979]

Well I think its awesome if a guy knows how to work with his hands.

[shimmer728]

Well I think its awesome if a guy knows how to work with his hands.

Yeah, me too. ;)

[SunDevil]

I am thinking it has a lot to do with your upbringing. In my high school 396 out of 411 went to college. 4 went into the military. 11 did tech school, or worked at a blue collar job I guess. I guess it is nice to be able to apply to more jobs now that I have a degree, and I could never work outside in the snow and freezing cold. But it wasn't even an option for me. I think they would be disappointed in me, no matter how much money I made.

I agree that both types of jobs are unhealthy after a long enough time. I actually always wore sunscreen when I was working outside for a summer job. And I would probably want a desk job by now if I still was working there.

And I am making 3 times the amount of money per hour now, but I live exactly the same way. I do build my own furniture, fix my car, cook my meals, fix computers, and a bunch of other stuff. So, I am pretty self-sufficient. But I still miss building big things sometimes.

[Outdoor_Fun]

I get this a lot. I work heavy Industrial Construction, as a field engineer, so I’m in the office some and in the field some. Most everyone I hang out with is in some sort of construction, and I’ll tell you that smart has NOTHING with graduating from college. Just yesterday one of my buddies and I were laughing at the number of tricked out / 40- 50 K cars that are in the parking lot, for just being ‘construction trash’. One of my good friends is 23, a licensed electrician and makes $32/hr (Not to mention we work 50-60 hours a week). Most of the people that look down on us are women and there perception of what makes a guy successful, rather than the guys, because most of them can’t compare bank rolls, and they know it. Plus we work in blue jeans and t-shirts, I’d die if I had to wear a tie. I have another close friend that bought a BMW, because women dig them, and he was laughing that more women like his 35K BMW, than my 40K truck. I just laugh at this whole situation, because quality of life is far more important than what those around you assume, and general public perception.

[Lumburg]

In the course of my job at a law firm, I see the salaries of hundreds of blue collar workers. Many of them barely speak English, have zero education and make 18-25/hour. This is somewhat interesting, considering the contract attorneys at my firm start out at 25/hour. In other words, after all that schooling, the attorneys earn near what an illiterate manual laborer learns. Granted, there's a hell of a lot more room for advancement being an attorney, but it's worth noting that some blue collar workers make really decent money, especially the union ones. I think it's a misconception that a) blue collar workers are all poor and b) white collar workers are all rich. Still, that's what society is stuck on.

[monicat]

I like this post!! My boyfriend is a blue collar worker and I love that about him! I have always dated blue collar types, they are more fun and down to earth. Also, I'm an artist and I think it is so important to work with your hands. You have no idea how envious men with office jobs really are over blue collar boys!! They think they are less macho and capable, and I think that's why they try to take cheap shots at them.

Their is nothing sexier than a man coming home all dirty and sweaty with a nice tan and sun kissed hair!!! YUMMY!! And I love caloused hands! I love hands period. Nothing is cooler than a man with strong hands. Okay, I'm done being horny now..LOL

Seriously though, having a skill and a trade is very important. It is practical and if you have a good work ethic the hard work pays off...sometimes it can REALLY pay off! Other times it can just be a good reliable source of income that can hold together a family and teach children the importance of hard work.
Hope this post helps a little!!
xox-Monicat