The Blue Collar Experience

I have worked on both sides of the collar divide. I have done the white collar thing and the blue collar thing. I can tell you that the blue collar thing is way better. Without a doubt, working inside a climate controlled environment and drinking cocktails for lunch can be pleasant. But it isn't worth it to me. I don't belong in a suit and a tie.

People will think I am crazy for being like this, but I don't think they understand or appreciate the blue collar experience. Without a doubt, the job can be physically demanding. You work in extremes of hot and cold sometimes. You get rained on and dirty. Then, there is the danger that comes with the job. But it is worth it. There is an unbelievable rush that comes from doing real work. Here is a breakdown of the elements of the blue collar experience:

1. CAMARADERIE

Blue collar people don't always get along. Sometimes, there are fights. I've had a few. But these flare ups are short and over with. The reality is that there is a great deal of camaraderie among working people. This is because they work together as a team. There can be friendly rivalry, but it comes from wanting to do a good job. Blue collar people rib each other but in the good natured way of friends.

White collar people are not friends. This is because the white collar world is political. There is no camaraderie. There is only backstabbing and stealing of credit. You don't stab a working man in the back because he will take out a front row of teeth. White collar people are cowards who connive and scheme. There is no teamwork. There is only plotting and revenge.

2. PRIDE

Blue collar people take pride in their work. Sure, there are some slackers, but they are reviled by the group for being slackers. The simple fact is that there is an immense feeling of accomplishment when you get something done. You go home each night feeling like a winner. Even on the rough days, you know you will laugh about it later.

There is no pride in white collar work. This is because you don't actually do anything. You tell people what to do which they ignore. You are degraded by your superiors and co-workers. You feel like a total loser. Then, you go home, drink a lot of whiskey, and punch the pillow until you are exhausted and fall asleep. You grind your teeth in your dreams. You dread the next day. Weekends are all there is until they tell you that you have to work then as well. It is all futility and frustration.

3. PHYSICAL FITNESS

Working hard feels good. If you push yourself, you get an endorphin rush. Of course, some blue collar jobs are not as demanding such as driving trucks or operating equipment. But, for the most part, sitting in an office destroys your fitness, and the antidote is to hit the gym or go for a run. Working a blue collar job is a lot like playing a sport. And, when you get off, everything tastes better and feels better--water, Mountain Dew, a beer, a warm shower, sex, sleep. The only thing you get from being behind a desk is that winded feeling when you climb the stairs.

4. PROBLEM SOLVING

White collar people create problems. Blue collar people solve problems. The world could live without the ties but not the hard hats. The hard hats are what make the world go round. And you ask any blue collar man what his number one bitch is, it will be the myriad stupid rules and policies dreamed up by the bosses that make the job more difficult to do. But strip away the bullshit, and you have the problem which needs to be solved. It might be replacing a transmission on a truck, unclogging a toilet, moving furniture, or what have you. But you have the problem, and you provide the solution. This goes back to the pride thing. Despite the conventional wisdom, blue collar work involves your brain as much as your body. The work is not mindless. You lose yourself in a state of flow, but you are also attuned to your surroundings especially in a dangerous environment.

There are no solutions in white collar work. There is only the gamble. Will it work? Or will I get fired when it fails? White collar people deal with a lot of worry, anxiety, and depression. The blue collar person has stress on the job, but it is the good stress that ends when the clock is punched. The white collar person has the bad stress that never ends.

CONCLUSION

Blue collar work beats white collar work. It is real work that you can enjoy and be proud of doing. White collar work often pays more, but it also costs more, too. It costs you your health, your sanity, your liver, and your life. Some people work in office environments as data entry, customer service reps, or computer programmers and engineers. Those jobs are more like blue collar jobs than white collar jobs. With machinery, a lot of blue collar jobs are as cushy as any white collar job. But overall, the blue collar experience is superior to the white collar experience. At least I think so. I don't mind getting dirty and sweaty.


The people I meet, by and large, appear happier, more balanced, and better adjusted than most of my friends with white-collar jobs. They genuinely seem to love what they do. Most of them seem to be in on some sort of joke that your typical professional doesn’t get.
MIKE ROWE, Dirty Jobs

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