Have you Ever Seen Dirty Jobs?

I found this on Instapundit this morning.

The first 8 minutes or so talk about the castration of sheep; the last half gets a little more esoteric. How many times have heard someone talk about Greek philosophy and sheep castration in the same sentence?

But Mike has the same idea that I do. Hard work is what built this country. Why don't we encourage more young people to do a little of it?

Its almost axiomatic that there are no great hereditary fortunes in this country. Its because the first generation makes it, the second generation conserves it and the third generation squanders it.

Gen 1 worked hard to amass that fortune; sometimes starting off in a very physical occupation and working long physical hours. Gen 2, never being forced to earn what they are spending, doesn't squander, but they also don't know the value of RISK, and don't grow he fortune. Gen 3, never having saw the fortune being built, has no concept of its worth, takes there ownership of wealth as a birthright, and promptly spends without thought of earning. Obviously there are exceptions to this rule, but I can probably name more followers off the top of my head than you can exceptions.

How does this equate to the lack of expertise in hard work today?

Well, we are the third generation. Not physically, but metaphorically. We enjoy the fruits of the prior generations, but we haven't worked to build the country; we didn't conserve what we were given, and we sure haven't worked to earn what we've spent.

Through regulation and over education we have driven manufacturing from this country, and we have not yet even begun to pay the price for its loss.

Grant didn't win the Civil War by out managing or out maneuvering Lee; he won by out manufacturing him. For every cannon Lee destroyed, Grant was able to field 2 more, and have them delivered quickly by railroad. the more agrarian South could do what the industrial North could; hence we all speak Yankee now.

The Great War wasn't won by military strategy; it was won by American production, just like WWII was. Who ever can replace a lost element fastest wins. If you replace every two soldiers with one, how long until you can no longer fight?

And that is what we have been doing for 40 years; replacing every two manufacturing jobs lost to other countries with one new one. Because we have trained our young, collectively, that dirty work is for people who are less than ideal. You are somehow 'substandard' if you are forced to work with your hands.

My Dad worked with his hands his entire life, and could also quote Greek poets. Working with your hands is not a sign of stupidity; not being able to work with your hands is.