Today I guest post at The Optimalists, a blog run by Gianpaolo Pietri.
You can subscribe to The Optimalists here.
Gianpaolo reached out to me a while ago to write a guest post for him, and because of the topic freedom that he gave me, it was a pleasure to do it. Thank you Gianpaolo.
Do read my guest post “5 Jobs We Should All Try” here.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Carlos,
Wow! I don’t think I’ve heard anything more arrogant and middle-class elitist in my life than what you just wrote about construction workers. You seem to think that just because manual labor is hard and dirty, no one could ever enjoy it. For some of them, I have no doubt you’re correct. They go into construction, agriculture, plant operation, etc. because that’s the only thing they think they can do. But many, many others love their jobs. I know too many of these hard working people who are proud of what they do and feel LUCKY to be able to use their hands AND minds everyday. They feel LUCKY that they don’t have sit in front of a computer mindlessly typing, typing, typing like so many of us do. And they feel LUCKY to be filling such important needs in society that without them there would be no society. How many of us can say that about our jobs?
Although I now work in the world of dress suits and cubicles, I grew up on a farm and know what it feels like to spend the day getting my fingernails caked in dirt. It was hard work and there were plenty of nights I went inside stiff and aching. But, I loved every minutes of it. Carlos, get off your high horse and find some humility.
First of all: I’ve lived as a kid in a mountain town and in a farming town. I used to help around in the farm and I KNOW what a that kind of lifestyle is, so get your facts together before getting offensive.
Are you one of those americans that I hear about that live in a the bubble that US might be for some? Because you definitely sound like one. I have no idea what kind of employment situation the people that do construction have in the US, but why don’t you come to Argentina and you tell me if those people feel LUCKY of what they are doing.
If you look at the biology of people that work in construction or mining for their whole life, they get older quicker than most of us, they die younger. Those wrongs are just WRONG, because they are not healthy. Read a little about mining in Bolivia, for example, and you tell me how glad those people are of having those jobs. But no, of course everything is great in the United States of America, everything is fill with pride, so you have no idea what I’m talking about.
This kind of ignorance really pisses me off.
I know I just sent you an email, so forgive me. I’m kind of stuck on this though, so bear with me for just a little bit longer.
Firstly, I want to apologize for coming across as harsh in my last comment. The emotions got a hold of me and I unfortunately just went with it. While I disagree with your analysis I don’t want to personally attack you, which it looks like I did. I’m Sorry.
Secondly, it appears to me that you’re talking about two different things: manual labor and the exploitation of workers. Although they’re closely connected, they are different. At least, that’s what I believe. In your original post you talked about a “job that involves mainly physical strength” and “To be out of energy and still have to keep digging/building/hammering, and to know that you have to do it again and again every day.” On the other hand, if you’re talking about exploitation of workers for the benefit of corporations and, well, us, then I’m 100% behind you. Manual labor in and of itself it’s inherently bad, it’s when people are used as tools and not seen as an individual when things go wrong.
You make a good point. I think that manual labor today is bad because of exploitation. Yes, in an ideal world where manual labor were to be well paid, with less forced hours and better conditions, I would never say that it’s BAD. But we’ve made it bad and unhealthy, that’s all I’m saying. I think we should do it to be in the people’s shoes that are FORCED to do it.