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Carlton Nicholson
September 17,2018
Final Draft -The dichotomy between white and blue collar workers
Vocational schools are priceless when it comes to the value they have on students. We live in a society where everyone looks down on blue collar professions. However, they are still valued jobs to our society. This is true for our past, present and maybe even future. However schools today seem to be more focused on filling up white collar and blue collar labor. Where did this dichotomy between the two labor systems originate. Crawford says “in college, by contrast, many students don’t learn anything of particular application; college is the ticket to an open future”. He also goes on to say “ Craftsmanship entails learning to do one thing really well, while the ideal of the new economy is to be able to learn new things, celebrating potential rather than achievement”. It is from these ideas that most of us derive our negative notation about blue collar labor. We can find ideas like those all in our textbooks at school and from the teachers teaching us with those textbooks. Another significant factor would be our parents who believe white collar to be the better option when compared to blue collar labor.It isn’t appropriate for the school system to ignore an entire job market. There are some people that were born to work with their hands while others were born to work in an office. Everyone is their own individual person and i feel the school system should take that into consideration. But the school system doesn’t take that into consideration at all. The system tries to teach, test, and discipline us all in the same way. What works for one person may not work for the other. This is why the student success rate will increase if a different approach is taken.
Crawford has a very specific opinion on labor. It isn’t a close minded opinion at all either. He takes a perspective that criticizes blue collar workers as well as white collar workers. He then goes on to say “The hard- headed educator will say that it is irresponsible to educate the young for the trades, which are somehow identified as jobs as the past”. The author realizes that the common misconception about the trades are not the most intelligent. In fact, He criticizes it several times throughout the passage. Not everyone can understand the advantages and disadvantages of the trade especially in todays society. We live in such a closed minded society when it comes to certain topics in our community. My experiences with education has made me have mixed feelings about labor. I can see from both perspectives well. My mother works as an occupational therapist in a public school. My father on the other hand, works as a iron wielder for the city’s construction industry. I have both a white collar and blue collar worker in the same house as I am. There are some distinct similarities between the two. There are also some similarities and differences with Crawfords opinion on the different types of labor. I feel as if some labor is just wasteful. Being a cashier isn’t the appropriate use of most people skills. However building a house and fixing the plumbing are essential things in our society. At least in our present society its necessary. Who knows; we could have robots and androids doing our plumbing in the next few years. A different type of a labor would result in robots doing those jobs we claim are “blue collar” or “regular”. The labor is different because your working for something long term instead of just a pay check. The labor will have lasting benefits. Crawford prefers those type of labors and I’m with him on that. Who wants to be a cashier for the rest of their lives? I would be surprised if anyone said yes to that.
There are many notions are blue collar and white collar work. They both have their ups and downs. It all comes down to whether you want to be paid now or you want to be paid in the long run. Its all comes down to the individual person. Some people pursue a white collar career and don’t come out of college with a degree. It is very difficult to land a white collar job without furthering your education first. The circumstances in which somebody can land a good white collar job these days, are few and far between. Everyone should really follow the path that’s right for them without overthinking it. I am really preaching to myself at this point but it is the truth. Yes, there will be people along the way that either try to help you or just get in your way. However it is ultimately up to you at the end of the day. You have to make the decisions for yourself and take responsibility for yourself. It is your life and nobody should be living it for you. If that’s the case, then it’s time for a major life change. I support anyone who wants growth and development. Limiting yourself to one skill makes you a professional in a sense. I am with anyone who wants to better themselves. Evaluate your life and make sure in one way, shape, or form, your doing what makes you happy. Because you have to live with that terrible feeling of regret if you let your life slip by. I think a goal many of us should have is to be old and happy the life we lived. That is one of my goals at least.