Friday, April 3, 2009

The Return of the Blue Collar Man

Several years ago, there was a book called The Millionaire Next Door. This book detailed the characteristics of typical American self-made millionaires. Perhaps the most surprising contribution of the book was the revelation that blue collar people who own their own businesses are disproportionately represented among self-made millionaires.

That fact is counter intuitive for several reasons. Most glaringly, the entertainment media has long promoted the white collar man as the better and more affluent. Hollywood movies, and promotion of university education at all costs fueled this thinking.

Stigma grew around the blue collar trades and blue collar tradesmen from the recent immigrant waves took over and enriched themselves and their families.

This recession will whittle away at the stigma of blue collar work. I think this is a great opportunity for young American men to rediscover the rewards of mastering a trade.

Get your hands dirty guys and make yourselves rich!

2 comments:

  1. I couldn't agree more. I'm learning to trade online (Seriously and not as some hobby)in order to one day live abroad. Once I'm successfully trading and consistently I will renounce my US Citizenship take up Costa Rican citizenship due to my father being from San Jose and then move to Asia maybe Thailand or China or Singapore and just move abouts with no worries about money or jobs or anything like that. Just be FREE. Be ME and most important of all find a woman who views me as her equal and appreciates what I am and what I can do for her if she sees that she loves me and is willing to make me happy as well. There's no point in pouring into a bottemless pitcher and there's similiarly no point in pouring your heart and soul into a relationship if it isn't never enough.

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  2. Couple of things. One should NEVER renouce US citizenship! If you wish to obtain an additional one, fine.

    Also, a trade, by definition is not something that can be learned online. It must be learned with practice or an apprenticeship. Could you imagine learning carpentry, plumbing or electronics online?

    Get yourself some hands-on training and your certifications and you will be fine.

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