Blue Collar Brilliance Essay

Blue collar workers utilize their knowledge and abilities while working just as much as white collar workers. Most people assume that blue collars only have physical attributes and possess no real knowledge. This isn’t true at all. These workers must be able to read at a decent level, use tools effectively and have social experience. It’s a lot harder than you think. Lots of reading occurs in the blue collar workplace. This includes catalogues, manuals, forms and instructions. Visual interpretation is also an important skill. Things like blueprints and illustrations all require training to interpret correct. Hair stylists interpret requests and turn them into works of art. Another example is measuring, which can involve more than recording dimensions. In “Blue Collar Brilliance”, the author watched a carpenter build a wooden object, and noticed him constantly solving math
problems and expressions in his head. Blue collar workers also require experience with tools that they need to learn.
The workers must refine their stance and fine-motor skills when using tools. They also need to know what each tool will do in specific situations. “Blue Collar Brilliance” explains how workers must have good judgement and problem-solving abilities with these tools, and how these qualities are considered forms of intelligence in the Western Hemisphere. Carpenters, for example, need to cut wood perfectly with a saw. If they fail to do so, their work will be ruined. Lastly, these jobs require social skills. Physical work has always been social and interactive, so communication is a must. “Blue Collar Brilliance” describes a supervisor named Joe Meraglio, who noticed that much of his job involves instruction and understanding behaviors. Movers determining how to get a large object down flights of stairs requires planning and teamwork. Soccer players need to develop friendships with their team-mates. Most white collar jobs consist of one person sitting in front of a laptop for seven hours. This isn’t exactly
social. Since most people consider these workers to only require physical work, it might seem odd to value its smart aspects. However, their jobs require lots of problem solving, which is a big part of what we consider “intelligence.” Plumbers repair broken pipes, for example. Being able to organize and distribute tasks is another necessity. Cake bakers are often working on multiple cakes at once. This can be seen on a Food Network show called “Cake Masters,” where a team of bakers work on multiple cakes (Often more than one-hundred pounds) at the same time. In conclusion, intelligence is diverse, and we shouldn’t judge people's’ jobs because every job requires training and hard work. Blue collar workers must be able to read decently, have experience with tools and social skills. We should appreciate the accomplishments that people achieve based on their knowledge.