Blue Collar Polymath
Just a puff piece.
A thought came to me while bicycling this afternoon. It was spawned by the memory of so many I have known over the years who could turn their hand to any number of mechanical skills: auto repair, electrical, plumbing, construction, cement work, operating heavy equipment, you name it. There are so many blue collar folks who can do any number of things, and in a sense they are polymaths, but blue collar polymaths.
It was the fashion when I was in university for academics, students, the literati, and so on (yours truly included) to look down their noses at the regular working stiff. I don’t know why, exactly, but it was snobbery, arrogance, elitism, and totally unjustified. Perhaps I overstate my case, but not by much.
I wrote an essay the other day (well ChatGPT did help considerably) on intelligence testing. I think that the aforementioned groups, on the whole, underestimated just how much practical intelligence it takes to master so many skills.
Seems like material for a song, maybe.
As is my custom, I asked ChatGPT to weigh in on this weighty topic, and was surprised to learn that it could work with the phrase:
A blue collar polymath is someone who has a diverse range of skills and knowledge, but who has gained that expertise through practical experience and hard work, rather than through formal education or traditional academic channels. This term is often used to describe individuals who have developed a broad set of skills and knowledge through work in manual labor or trades, such as construction, manufacturing, or automotive repair. These individuals may have a deep understanding of mechanics, electrical systems, and other technical fields, but they may also have a wide range of other skills and interests, such as cooking, music, or history. Blue collar polymaths are often highly respected for their practical knowledge and their ability to solve complex problems in their areas of expertise. They may also be highly sought after by employers who value their combination of hands-on skills and intellectual curiosity. Unfortunately, snobbery towards blue collar work is a common phenomenon. Academics, bureaucrats, artists, and the wealthy can sometimes look down on those who work in blue collar jobs, seeing them as less intelligent, less cultured, or less valuable than themselves. This attitude is often rooted in societal and cultural biases, which place a higher value on certain types of work and education. Many people view academic or creative pursuits as inherently more valuable or prestigious than manual labor or trade work. However, this snobbery is both unfair and misguided. Blue collar work requires a different set of skills and knowledge than academic or creative pursuits, and it is just as important and valuable to society. Without the work of blue collar professionals, many aspects of our daily lives would not be possible, from the buildings we live in to the products we use. It is important to recognize the value and dignity of all types of work and to resist the urge to place one type of work or education above another. We should celebrate the diversity of skills and knowledge that exist in our society and work to ensure that all types of work are respected and valued equally.
Interesting look at what my life has been.
I graduated from a technical high school and learned about many trades. I specialized in the electrical world. Of course that was in the 1960's.
What you need to know about the trades is that there are concepts that apply to each trade and learning about this way of thinking opens you to many possibilities in life. Meaning you are much more likely to take on new tasks with very little fear. You know you just have to get the idea of what you want to learn or create have a clear picture of the desired outcome and the way is much clearer.
My profession as a chiropractor has been easier to do because I have a completely different way of listening for key points that indicate what the problem is and how I will bring about a desired outcome.
I am always looking at the concept behind a technique what would indicate that this would be the one to use in this circumstance. Like a trades person using key tools for a particular job.
By the way Davinci called his genius multiple intelligences. I call it trades person mind.
Using this makes it very clear that our medical system makes very little sense and when it does it is usually for the wrong reason except for emergency care of course.
An example would be drugs. You just have a 51% success rate and you can suggest the drug to almost anyone.
If you offered a tool to a trades person that only worked 51% of the time and it could cause massive failure in your work the trades person would tell you where to go in no uncertain terms.
Not only that the word would spread so no one else would dare use something like that.
I have been able to create a number of different therapeutic tools and approaches that work very well almost 100% on those it would work best for. Right tool for the job.
I could go on. The simple fact is a trades person is highly skilled and a great problem solver.
They should be teaching problem solving at the university level so the academics would have a chance to succeed in the world.
I didn't get this from chat GPT It was all my experience and no fear of trying something new.
Enuf said.
Bob.