In this short episode, Bryan goes over the fourth chapter of his new book, Unconformed. The chapter is called "So... What Do You Do?"

Parents always want to be proud of their children, but it seems as though children are more proud of children who attend college than take up apprenticeships. However, these feelings largely seep in due to peer expectations; we want our children to measure up to our friends' standards or success, not necessarily our own. Parents are also less likely to encourage their children to get into the trades and value the time and expertise of tradespeople.

All jobs, even less prestigious jobs, matter and have a purpose. Society tends to devalue tradespeople and manual laborers, but those jobs do a great service to society. Nevertheless, the competitive drive between parents and our fear of failure makes us fall into these mindsets where we devalue manual labor. The media and family members also trap us in these expectations.

Society runs on the ability of people to solve problems and innovate, which means that blue-collar work is necessary for society to function. Not to mention, popular media and DIY culture have also brought attention to the artistry of the skilled trades. These positive changes are important to the perception of blue-collar work, and we can accept (and encourage) a child's choice to find purpose in the skilled trades, not just blindly seek happiness.

Bryan also covers:

• Networking
• Expectations vs. standards
• The pitfalls of happiness
• The merits of working with our hands

 

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