Why do people look down in those with low skilled jobs?

[GenuineMan90]

Why are people like this towards them? I get the impression that they think they're too dumb to do anything else. Most people I've seen are quite clever and could much better jobs.

Going off on a tangent but genuinely, out of interest, why aren't they then?

I don’t think that what you say is true, most people don’t have a particularly negative view of manual work

I deal with this with my parents. They don't take my job seriously at all. Talk about it like its some big inconvenience for everyone that can be dropped and picked up when ever it suits.

Simultaneously though they get fed up that people are too lazy and think they are too good to do all the jobs that are going like the fruit picking.

Not sure they see the irony

"Going off on a tangent but genuinely, out of interest, why aren't they then?"

I suppose OP means could DO better jobs, not could GET better jobs.
You may be able to do a job, but there will be competition to get it from people with more relevant experience or paper qualifications. There are loads of jobs that anyone could do if they got the opportunity to train for them.

Because they find it validating - 'I have a more 'important' job = I am a better person'.

Do they look down on them though?
I don’t

I work in retail and it's because I want to work school hours around my disabled son!

I've seen for example Labourers on building sites being mocked at by trades because they do the bottom of the barrel jobs on site.

I think most people would like the status of a better job. I'm a civil servant and I've gone for the grade above me about 4 times now. In the race again now, even though, money-wise I've plotted out, it would take about five years before the difference in wages would even be as much as 5k pa. I know more money is always good but I guess deep down I do want the validation of achieving this. I'll know I'm capable of it.

I don't think less of people with low skilled jobs though, often I assume they're earning twice what I am.

Don't see it in real life, only on here at times.

It depends what you describe as a low skilled job. I think working in retail requires quite a complex set of skills. Is that a low skilled job? I imagine working as a refuse collector, or a postie doesn’t require a degree, but they’re jobs I couldn’t do. Except I was a temporary Christmas postie as a student and didn’t enjoy it.

I’m glad there are people who can and want to do the jobs I couldn’t.

I have a low skilled job. I know im clever snd could probably do better but I have zero confidence in myself that I can do it. Also suffer from anxiety and find it hard to handle even minimal stress. There are reasons other than not being clever enough why people do these jobs.

NHS admin here, we really are considered the lowest of the low.

i was looking at roles with local rubbish and recycling company and they start at 45k euro which is a good salary. I know of somebody who is starting with them on this salary soon. I guess it is, still perceived as quite low status, to work for the rubbish companies isn't it? The work literally stinks or the recycling plastic has to have the mouldy milk washed off it, and you have to wear a big protective work wear style jumpsuit!!

I'm at my desk wading through spreadsheets breathing in non stinky air for 12k less. Makes you think
You can trade status for money SOME OF THE TIME

Totally agree that we could all (most of us) do a better job, it's the GETTING it that's the challenge.

Like class, I only see this on MN.

So true, I really value security over status for similar reasons. The fear of not passing probation et cetera. Not a ridiculous fear when you're a single parent.
I just really value security. I know an exciting leap in to the unknown is very challenging an exciting for a lot of people but I think I'd need to know I had time to get the new role right. If there was any chance that they were going to prematurely decide that 'it hadn't worked out for me' then I'd really just prefer not to take the leap.

People associate jobs with status / success. The truth ( never publicised during careers advice generally) is that the only true prize would be to do a job where you are happy, and have enough rather than more. The rat race is a nasty trap.
I hope most people with intelligence don't look down on others doing less 'important' / 'low status' jobs. Only complete idiots would shout abuse at workers on a building site - could they do that work ?🤔
Nhs admin for example are bloody amazing and just as important as anyone else.
As someone with a professional job I dream of becoming a dog walker now. Careers are not all they are cracked up to be.....

yeh, careers advice should be more focused on tapping in to a very personal ambition. What works for YOU? With the personality that YOU have.
What do you need? Freedom? Security? Money? We need all three but we can have different priorities in different decades.

The thing is though someone has to do lower paid jobs everyone can’t do the same high paying jobs so it’s kind of illogical aside from anything else to look down on people in those roles

What's a low skilled job?
It's surely about people fulfilling their potential.
The person who has the intellectual capacity to be a surgeon but not the resilience has fulfilled their potential by doing something else.
The person with significant learning difficulties who has a job for a few hours a week has fulfilled their potential.
The person with crippling anxiety and depression with a first from Oxbridge but who does exams admin at a uni is fulfilling their potential and hats off to them for finding something they can cope with.
Labourers doing backbreaking work on a building site are needed and should be valued.
Bigoted, rude "trades" folk sound as though they are running true to their ignorant selves - they may earn more than the labourer today; they will never be more than the labourer as humans probably men

Why do you equate manual work with low skills? Some of the craftspeople I know are far more skilled that someone sitting at a computer all day.

"The thing is though someone has to do lower paid jobs everyone can’t do the same high paying jobs"

Ideally there would be ways of doing those jobs and moving up later for those who can/want to.

"Also suffer from anxiety and find it hard to handle even minimal stress. There are reasons other than not being clever enough why people do these jobs."

Oh yes, confidence and level of stress you can take is a big part of it.

People in real life won't admit to looking down on people, but some people clearly do.

ideally yes but realistically?

as an example I earn below the national average wage , I am single so no other wage to bump household income up

don’t get me wrong I have a good job I enjoy but it’s a popular field of work and therefore wages aren’t amazing

do you think every single person on a below national average work can suddenly get a better job paying more ?

not trying to argue just logistically is it possible for everyone to move up to a higher paying job?