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What makes white collar jobs better than blue
collar ones or even no collar jobs for that matter? It has to
be the money, right!?! I guess in a capitalist society the more
money you make the better you and your job is. Following that
line of reasoning, Bill Gates must be the most important man
in the world. HmmI wonder.
American schools and our society for that
matter push the idea that we should all strive to attain white
collar jobs by running our own Fortune 500 companies; starting
our own law practices; or educating the youth of America. Okay,
I realize I might be stretching it on the last one. Nevertheless,
my point remains the same. Our society encourages us to achieve
white-collar jobs.
A year from now this Wildman will be entering
the job force as a teacher. That's a respectable job, and the
pay is fair. Lately, I've been questioning why my teachers in
high school or even guidance counselor never encouraged students
to pursue slightly more "hands-on" jobs.
By "hands-on," I mean jobs like
mechanics, plumbers, electricians, construction workers or any
job that sends you home dirty and a little sweaty at the end
of the day.
The more I examine them, the more they sound
like fine jobs to me-if we use salary as a ruler. The last time
I went to have my car repaired, the labor bill for one hour was
half of what I can expect to make in one day of substitute teaching.
When was the last time that any mechanic only put one hour of
labor into your car? This was something my teachers neglected
to tell me.
If everyone decided to be a CEO, who would
fix our cars, build our homes or pick-up our trash? Is there
something wrong with getting your hands dirty? With the use of
computers and the expanding changes in technology, these people
have to be intelligent.
Best of all for the people that choose careers
such as these is the feeling of accomplishment at the end of
the day. My grandfather worked construction for several years.
Whenever we drive through the nearby city, he always points out
the buildings he helped to construct. These are testaments to
time. Symbols of hard work, dedication and craftsmanship that
he and the rest of his crew put into these projects.
What can a lawyer say, "I sued McDonald's
for damages when some lady poured hot coffee into your lap."
Those are testaments to human stupidity and the cheap idea of
getting rich quick.
I salute the men and women of this nation
that overcame the pressure and the stigma of the careers to become
the backbone of growth for our nation.
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