Q & A

Q: Is computer programming a blue collar profession?

A: Yes, it is.

Author Matthew Crawford made this connection in Shop Class as Soulcraft. Working with code is not unlike working on a motorcycle or building a cabinet. It requires technical skill, and you get the same sort of satisfaction and feedback as you would getting some motor to run or fixing a leaking pipe. Of course, you don't scrape a knuckle or get covered in dirt and grime with programming. You just eat bad food, work on vitamin D deficiency from lack of sunlight, and feel an excruciating back ache upon standing.

I notice how programmers feel a certain affinity for the blue collar folks. This is because they are skilled labor. Their concerns are no different than what a millwright might go through. They deal with bosses who are clueless when it comes to their work. They also work in the shadows keeping the world running. In this age, we need programmers like never before. If they all went on strike, the world would stop.

Programmers don't fit well in the world of managers or financial professionals. So, they certainly aren't white collar. I will let the programmers who read my blog add what they will in the comments.

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