Blue Collar Brilliance Analysis
The Brilliance in “Blue-Collar Brilliance”
As a whole, society sometimes makes many preconceived notions about people, groups and their actions or life choices. These accusations are wrong. Author Mike Rose reiterates this point in his article “Blue-Collar Brilliance” saying, “If we think that whole categories of people-identified by class or occupation-are not that bright, then we reinforce social separations and cripple our ability to talk across cultural divides.”(Pg254), he’s essentially saying if we as a society think that making social divides is acceptable then we only separate the classes more. Mike Rose begins his article with two short stories to give a base to his argument that he will soon present. The first is about his mother Rosie who used cognitive problem solving and many other skills on the job as a waitress at a local diner. In the second, he tells us about his uncle Joe who …show more content…
Rosie and Uncle Joe, are both somewhat an image of the true core of blue-collar work. Mike says it himself “To acknowledge a broader range of intellectual capacity is to take seriously the concept of cognitive variability, to appreciate in all the Rosies and Joes…”(Pg254) If it wasn’t for the true brilliance shown in the many blue-collar professions or the ideas from that of a blue-collar professional, would we be where we are today? Because much of society would agree, that today is a cleaner, safer, much more efficient world than that of even 20 years ago, largely due to the contributions and actions of the blue-collar workforce. Lastly, if we continue to “reinforce social separations”(Pg254), do our actions make us more mentally competent than the thought we have of blue-collar professionals’? Or are we simply doing as Mike Rose said we would, and “reinforcing social separations”? That is the true question
As a whole, society sometimes makes many preconceived notions about people, groups and their actions or life choices. These accusations are wrong. Author Mike Rose reiterates this point in his article “Blue-Collar Brilliance” saying, “If we think that whole categories of people-identified by class or occupation-are not that bright, then we reinforce social separations and cripple our ability to talk across cultural divides.”(Pg254), he’s essentially saying if we as a society think that making social divides is acceptable then we only separate the classes more. Mike Rose begins his article with two short stories to give a base to his argument that he will soon present. The first is about his mother Rosie who used cognitive problem solving and many other skills on the job as a waitress at a local diner. In the second, he tells us about his uncle Joe who …show more content…
Rosie and Uncle Joe, are both somewhat an image of the true core of blue-collar work. Mike says it himself “To acknowledge a broader range of intellectual capacity is to take seriously the concept of cognitive variability, to appreciate in all the Rosies and Joes…”(Pg254) If it wasn’t for the true brilliance shown in the many blue-collar professions or the ideas from that of a blue-collar professional, would we be where we are today? Because much of society would agree, that today is a cleaner, safer, much more efficient world than that of even 20 years ago, largely due to the contributions and actions of the blue-collar workforce. Lastly, if we continue to “reinforce social separations”(Pg254), do our actions make us more mentally competent than the thought we have of blue-collar professionals’? Or are we simply doing as Mike Rose said we would, and “reinforcing social separations”? That is the true question