Those are clearly "white collar" jobs. They happen in offices, often require university-level education, are usually paid by salary, and require virtually no manual dexterity. :) I said something about having moved into the "blue collar" world when I became a massage therapist. He immediately jumped to my defense. My work required additional education and used my brain! Don't think of yourself as blue-collar!
What are the traits we normally associate with blue-collar work? Getting paid by the hour, working with your hands, if post-secondary education is required it's usually acquired through a trade school rather than a university, may require licensing, more likely to be self-employed, etc.
Sounds like massage therapy to me!The truth is that no matter what we say publically, the blue-collared worker is looked down upon. The irony is that it's the blue-collar/skilled labor jobs that are probably the safest. They can't be outsourced to China, India, Indonesia, etc. You can't outsource your stuck toilet to a cheaper plumber overseas. You can't get a good massage via the internet no matter how good your connection is.
I heard a great interview with on Mike Rose on Public Radio's "On Being", hosted by Krista Tippett, about the meaning of intelligence. He talked about our assumptions and underlying beliefs about work, education, pay, value, and worth. He talked about how it came about, where it's likely to take us, and what changes we should seriously consider. He also talked about how it's shaped us a democracy and culture.
I found the interview fascinating and enlightening, especially in light of my conversation with my "white collar" friend. I am, by virtually all definitions, now a blue-collar worker. I have no shame or discomfort around that. Part of my belief system is that any job, done honestly in support of family and home, is a good job. One of my grandmothers took in washing. Another worked as a school cook. Blue collar is not so far back in my family tree.
Do you care if you're considered blue-collar or white-collar? Does it matter?
The designation doesn't bother me in the slightest, though I have found over the years that being "white collar" can be greatly overrated.
ReplyDeleteVery few protections or regulations seem to exist for folks in office jobs to keep them from being exploited, overworked, or generally treated like total crap. (Maybe they're there, I just wasn't ever really able to find them!)
Corporations seem to loooooooooove having people on salary - it got more and more towards, "this means you're at our disposal 24/7" than "some weeks are going to be easy and others aren't" while I was an office drone.
I don't think it matters what label you strive for as long as you do what you like doing. The loss is not blue collar/white collar but the 'job fit' for you. I have yet to find a job that didn't require a brain. It is how you view and do the job that matters. In my opinion, it is all about lessons.
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