Somewhere in the mid-20th century working with one’s hands lost its caché. As machines produced more and people less, it became déclassé to work as a tradesperson; the trades became a perceived dumping ground for those who lacked the capacity to reach a higher socio-economic level. About the same time, a great many people were being squeezed into tinier and more specialized employment boxes that discouraged jumping between boxes for fear of social and economic reprisal. This made for some awfully cramped and uncreative spaces, not to mention unfulfilled humans.
As someone who has recently picked up the hammer, I extoll the value of taking a trade with a missionary’s fervour. I find it astoundingly fruitful for the soul as well as the mind. It is a natural counterpoint to obesity and sloth. It has opened the door to finding my tribe. I can see a thousand ways to leverage my new skills for economic gain and I can absolutely choose the way that best suits my personal and family needs. My work is value-added and useful. It is impossible to be bored. I can do for myself that which I would have relied on others to do for me. I spend extraordinary days outside. It is not an ‘either/or’ proposition, it is an ‘and’, with ever-expanding potential for growth. And when I meet people I can finally answer that insidious little question “what do you do?” in four words or less, though the ensuing conversations are much lengthier. Others have experienced a similar epiphany: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/trends/trends-features/new-breed-of-butchers-cater-to-appetite-for-sustainability/article1882636/page1/
For freshly minted high school graduates, taking a trade results in practical skills that can be sold in the marketplace to help fund a university education or finance a trip around the world. It can be a useful foundational placeholder for those unsure about what really turns their crank. Or it can be the fulfillment of illusive impulses of creation and order that are often difficult to pinpoint.
As Constantin Brancusi demonstrates, anyone who takes a trade has the potential to become an artist in their own right. And it seems to me that it is one heckuva way to become a truly Useful Human Being.