"The Case for Working With Your Hands" - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JMela · #1 05-26-2009, 03:24 PM

Anybody catch this article in the NYTimes Sunday Mag? Basic summation: highly educated author works in office job which he finds unbearable. Author quits this job after finding that his after-work motorcycle restoration project to be much more in tune with his passion. Author opens up motorcycle repair business and ruminates on the elimination of 'true labor' from peoples' work lives.

Anyway, read it for yourselves and report back - I thought it was an interesting article, and look forward to reading the book (from which this article is derived).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html

jplinville · #2 05-26-2009, 03:29 PM

I believe that true worth in work is by what you produce physically, not on paper. it's the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day that give true feeling of self worth.

Great article

cscmc1 · #3 05-26-2009, 03:31 PM

I'll enjoy reading that later (after work). I have always found that I like the balance of working a "desk" job in an academic environment as long as I am able to "balance" it with car and bike projects (etc...) in the garage. I also enjoy doing my aircraft maintenance gig with the Air National Guard; the skills I have learned there give me the confidence to tackle bigger jobs at home.

For me, it's all about that balance. I don't think I could do either exclusively... not very happily, anyway! Thanks for the link, BTW.

The Clk Man · #4 05-26-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cscmc1

I'll enjoy reading that later (after work). I have always found that I like the balance of working a "desk" job in an academic environment as long as I am able to "balance" it with car and bike projects (etc...) in the garage. I also enjoy doing my aircraft maintenance gig with the Air National Guard; the skills I have learned there give me the confidence to tackle bigger jobs at home.

For me, it's all about that balance. I don't think I could do either exclusively... not very happily, anyway! Thanks for the link, BTW.

Hey!!!! is that an Ice Cold Budweiser in your avatar?

cscmc1 · #5 05-26-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

Hey!!!! is that an Ice Cold Budweiser in your avatar?

Hey, I love Harry, but can't say much for his taste in beer.

ramonajim · #6 05-26-2009, 03:55 PM

Read that article yesterday (and promptly passed in on to a number of friends and coworkers).

Captures nicely (and far more eloquently than I ever could have) what I truly cherished about my middle/high school and college shop classes. It's not just the act of actually producing something - it's the different way of thinking about objects, processes, and ultimately people and how they relate to each other that comes from laying hands on raw materials and/or complex assemblies.

The Clk Man · #7 05-26-2009, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cscmc1

Hey, I love Harry, but can't say much for his taste in beer.

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! did I ever tell ya about that time that Pete Rose and I downed a 12 pack of Budweiser before the first inning? Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

cscmc1 · #8 05-26-2009, 04:01 PM

"You know, SOSA spelled backwards is 'ASOS.'"

The Clk Man · #9 05-26-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cscmc1

"You know, SOSA spelled backwards is 'ASOS.'"

I did not know that.

raymr · #10 05-26-2009, 04:44 PM

Parents want junior to get a top education so he can be a great doctor or big-time executive. Of course, that's where the money and status is. What parent dreams of their kid being a gardener or painter? Only in more cases than not, junior starts out in the business world and stalls out in middle management where he uses few or none of his learned credentials. Parents should really ask themselves what they are setting their kids up for.

My own kid rejected our efforts to "pidgeon-hole" his future, and we are starting to see where he is coming from. He just wants to earn enough money to get by, and to do what he loves to do. He said if you can follow your passions, you won't have to 'work' a day of your life.

tankdriver · #11 05-26-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

My own kid rejected our efforts to "pidgeon-hole" his future, and we are starting to see where he is coming from. He just wants to earn enough money to get by, and to do what he loves to do. He said if you can follow your passions, you won't have to 'work' a day of your life.

That cuts two ways.

Thanks for the article. It's a great example of why art is so important (the art in this case being writing). Our society has not consciously chosen to walk down the path of intellectual, white collar jobs. What parents want for their kids is not really a mystery, or has even changed in the last 60 years. The how has changed, because society began to believe, under influence, a certain way is necessary.

Kuan · #12 05-26-2009, 07:23 PM

More and more, as I grow older, I find the need to purchase things that are well engineered, well crafted, and made by few people. My last few purchases have been that way. Yesterday I purchased these exceptional pieces of engineering.

http://www.paulcomp.com/mtthumbie.html

strelnik · #13 05-26-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jplinville

I believe that true worth in work is by what you produce physically, not on paper. it's the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day that give true feeling of self worth.

Great article

I have worked as a machinist, a farmer, a Russian-English and French-English translator, a hay truck driver/ delivery man, a cook and a shoveler of animal fertizer fresh from the source...In all these things, there's dignity if the job is well executed.

Each job takes different skills and it's the development of more individual skills which gives the feeling of accomplishment.

I can be just as proud of creating a well-translated sentence as I can of turning out a well-executed part on a lathe.

OOps, forgot to mention (for CLK Man) I once also worked in a brewery...

Hatterasguy · #14 05-26-2009, 09:59 PM

I get crap from my white coller friends and grandmother for not working a desk job. But I hate being inside and sitting still. I enjoy being outside, creating things, and doing a lot of different stuff at once. I love doing all that and its important but the money is as well.

I love doing what I do, I work very long hours and don't really mind it. My typical work week is 10-12 hours a day 6-7 days a week.

tankdriver · #15 05-26-2009, 10:58 PM

What do you do?