Manual labor in the 21st Century
By Chris Stamas
Two summers ago, I helped build a deck with my Dad and his friend. The rotting wood was removed, support beams added and new decking installed. Six straight weekends were spent waking up early and transforming the outside of the house into a construction site.
Once the sun went down and we finished cleaning, I could enjoy what was left of the weekend. It doesn't sound like fun, but the experience was very rewarding.
However, there was a problem: handling power tools, wood and construction equipment was an exercise in humiliation. While working, my dad and his carpenter friend had a field day with my incompetence. "Your college education can't help you here" and "all that money towards college and you can't _____" are temperate examples of what I had to endure.
Working with my hands is foreign territory for me. When I was young, my chores never entailed fixing anything around the house. I was required to perform the usual tasks: clean my room, bring the laundry downstairs and help set the table for dinner.
When the laundry machine broke, sink backed up or hot water heater stopped working, my dad would take care of it. When he was unable or busy, my family had the means to hire someone.
It seems to me that my ineptitude regarding manual labor is reinforced by the current state of business. Products are not built to last, which is increasingly done on purpose. When something breaks, we are encouraged to buy it new instead of trying to fix it. There is a long list of such products, but furniture is one of the most glaring examples. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard of or seen a furniture repair shop in my life, but I digress. Owning something for a long period of time allows you to grow fond of it whether or not it looks new or runs perfectly. I'm afraid we're losing this connection the more we buy and replace things.
The more jobs and internships I take, the more it seems that my future involves a cubicle with a computer — maybe a private office if I work my way up.
No matter the industry, whether business, politics or engineering, the workplace appears the same. The prospect of spending the rest of my life, especially my 20s, working in such an environment is daunting. Many others my age are realizing the same prospects and are becoming intrigued with the idea of manual labor.
There exists a taboo regarding a profession that involves using your hands, though. To receive an undergraduate degree and take up a profession in the trades may be frowned upon by society. Some might ask "what happened?" as if working as a carpenter or electrician was a disappointment or failure. However, a profession in the trades may be more intellectually stimulating day to day than your typical desk job.
Original problems present themselves for each new project, and it is up to your discretion to solve them. Also, there is a sense of fulfillment involved: at the end of the day, your progress is tangible and can be seen in front of you.
Organizations such as WWOOF have capitalized on these sentiments. WWOOF, where volunteers work on organic farms in return for food, shelter and experience, has become a very popular postgraduate activity. Graduates are having a hard time justifying a 9-5 job while in their 20s and desire to put their youthfulness to work in something labor oriented.
Building the deck led me to think about manual labor in a different sense. After some thought, I won't be deterred from pursuing something based on what others may think. For some time, I fell into the popular trap of putting more importance on who I work for instead of what I want to do, what environment I want to work in and what types of people I want to work around.
Whether it's blue or white collar, these are the most important components to a fulfilling profession and shouldn't be overlooked.
Chris Stamas is a senior political science major.