By The Keystone Newspaper By Logan Wolf
For decades, blue-collar workers have been unfairly stereotyped as less intelligent or less capable than their white-collar counterparts. This stigma began gaining traction in the 1980s during a period of economic transformation, when hands-on vocational training was replaced with a focus on academic pathways. The shift devalued trades and manual labor, despite their critical importance to society.
This story highlights something often overlooked in blue-collar work: intelligence. Society tends to define intelligence narrowly, often conflating it with academic achievement or white-collar professions. Yet intelligence takes many forms, and the ingenuity, adaptability, and problem-solving required in blue-collar work often go unrecognized.
My dad can fix anything. From cars to sinks, heaters, and air conditioners—you name it, he can fix it. He has a gift for understanding how things work, a natural aptitude for breaking down complex systems and putting them back together even better than before. Around March 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown, his company’s 1984 antique oil truck broke down. Replacement parts for a vehicle that old were already scarce, and supply chain disruptions made them impossible to find. But where others saw a dead end, my dad saw a challenge. He studied the mechanics of the missing part and made it himself, salvaging the truck and keeping the business running at this time despite the uncertain future.
Blue-collar workers are the backbone of our communities. They grow our food, deliver our goods, build and repair our homes, maintain the power grid, and manufacture the products we rely on daily. Their work requires physical stamina, dexterity, and specialized knowledge—qualities that often demand as much or more cognitive skill as white-collar jobs.
Unfortunately, the bias against blue-collar work perpetuates harmful stereotypes, creating a hierarchy of perceived worth that unfairly places manual labor at the bottom. This devaluation is not only inaccurate but also dismissive of the intelligence, creativity, and expertise required to perform these essential jobs.
A narrow definition of intelligence that equates solely with academic achievement overlooks the many ways people solve problems, adapt to challenges, and contribute to society. Many blue-collar workers, like my grandfather, never had the opportunity to pursue formal education due to financial and personal hardships. Despite having only a seventh-grade education, he started his own oil company, built a home, and even dug a swimming pool by hand—all while raising a family. His intelligence was undeniable, proving that academic achievement is just one measure of a person’s capabilities.
This disparity in opportunity highlights how societal systems often limit individuals based on their circumstances. Intelligence is not a fixed measure; it is a spectrum that manifests differently depending on one’s experiences, environment, and skill set.
If we truly value the contributions of blue-collar workers, we need to dismantle the stereotypes that undermine them. Without blue-collar workers, society as we know it would cease to function. They make white-collar work possible by building the infrastructure, maintaining the systems, and performing the labor that supports modern life. Yet their contributions are often overlooked, and their work undervalued.
It’s time to shift the narrative. Blue-collar workers deserve recognition and respect for the intelligence, skill, and dedication they bring to their jobs. For my part, I’m proud to know that my dad represents the best of what blue-collar work has to offer.