What’s your views on people doing Low Skilled jobs all their life? Are they stupid?

[Benny91]

People that are bin men, cleaners, bus drivers and work in retail? Do you think they’re only doing it because they’re not very smart?

As I heard this guy talking to his friend in the Gym today and that he’s a manager at a supermarket and all I overheard was that the longest ones who have worked at the place are ‘thick as shit’, and I was actually quite shocked about what he said! 😳

Also saying about those doing this long term. People often assume that people that do this way of living are failures in life?!

Whats your thoughts?

Was the remark made by Boris Johnson, who had the best education that money can buy, and under the carefully crafted image of a blithering idiot lies a blithering idiot?

I remember a line from a TV show: “why do the highest seats of learning produce cabinet ministers with the nous of the lowest earthworm”?

Agree, why should these jobs be looked down upon?

I'm grateful to all these people.

Full respect to anyone able to work that does.

Not everyone can run the company and we need people doing all jobs.

Flowers for Algernon springs to mind.

People do jobs for all sorts of reasons. The vast majority of 'smart' high achievers wouldn't last 5 minutes in retail. It takes a resilient, sharp person to do that job!

I could well say some highly educated people with management level jobs are ‘thick as shit’ too.
I worked in a department store as a student. The older people I worked with were either semi retired but wanted a no responsibility job to earn a bit and have a routine or were on their way up the ladder, working the shop floor as part of training, or like me to earn while in education or until another opportunity arose. I was often treated in a patronising way by customers though - felt like telling each one that I was working this flexible job to help pay for my Masters but that would make me sound the same as them; that I didn’t think it was a worthwhile occupation.
I also know some people who choose the jobs they have for flexibility; because they love it; it allows them to pursue their real passions; and/or they have other responsibilities that prevent them from ‘higher’ level jobs.
My friend, who has a PhD, started her own cleaning company, specialising in helping hoarders. As part of that she cleans herself. She has ambition (she recently won a contract to be the councils go to for these issues) and is putting in the graft. Her employees love the flexibility and it pays better than minimum. They are generally young mothers who can only work school hours, or older people with caring responsibilities.
It takes workers of every strata to make the world function. And all deserve respect.

Pandemic taught these people nothing, who does that make 'thick'!

It depends what you want from life, if you prefer being in your comfort zone or like a challenge, how much income you need for the area you want to live in, family you want to have, lifestyle you want surely?

I thought about this during lockdown. My son works retail(he's management now) and someone I know,pre lockdown was a bit disparaging about it. Then during ld when her son was not working and struggling, mine was one of those keeping us fed, no furlough, just plodding on. It's an honest job, someone has to do it and its hard work. OK, its not the career he envisaged, and maybe its not the most glamorous or intellectually stimulating job, but all the jobs you mention help keep the country going.

My sister went self-employed as a cleaner about 15 years ago as needed a job that worked around her son and 9-5 jobs that she'd done previously didn't. She didn't want to put him in wrap around care 5 days a week as 6 hours a day at school was long enough for him.
She loves her job and, while she knows some people look down on her, she has a degree and is far from stupid. She just wanted a job that worked around her family. She earns well above minimum wage and it still suits her hence she's remained in that profession.
She can afford a nice life, pay her bills and go on holidays. Not everyone wants to "climb the career ladder" - we spend a good portion of our lives at work so you might as well do something you enjoy!

I have a friend who has an MA in history. He's a bus driver. It fits in well with family life, is flexible and there simply aren't enough jobs in museums and academia.

Well, my daughter has a moderate learning disability and she wouldn't be able to work on a till. She wouldn't be able to take cash or give change for starters.

When my DD wanted to do a hairdressing course at college the tutor in the interview asked why did they want to do the course as they were were intelligent enough to do A levels with the high gcse results they got as if they thought the only people that would want to do that course were not very bright. I couldn't believe they said that.

When I was in school, hairdressing and childcare was seen as the choice for girls who did not do well academically.
Sad to see that has not changed.

I work in retail (home grocery deliveries), and I wouldn't say I was 'stupid', though I have made foolish and unwise decisions in my six decades (haven't most of us ?), basically when I was at School, I hated every single minute of it, I wasn't much of a team player, and going to College/Uni after was a definite no-no (I'm pretty sure College was free in the mid-70's), so my first job was a boring one in a TV/electrical counter-service shop, had enough after two years, worked supermarkets, then I became driver for a metal-work factory, I realised then I needed to be outside when it came to employment, and have had driving jobs (regular licence ones) since then, been with current supermarket over 16 years, pay not the greatest, but I can afford a cruise and a holiday in Tenerife each year, and love being on my own when working !........😋

There are different people suited to different jobs
I used to work in a supermarket and I wasn't very good at it.

I now work in a lab which suits me better.
I get irrationally angry at people saying oh I might as well go work in supermarket (like it's some easy job and the shop would be tripping over themselves to get them)

No jobs are really low skilled, they just require different skills.

Yes I agree but in the current culture you feel you have to preface your employment choice with what you 'could' or 'have done previously'.

I've heard in Scandinavian countries there's more of a culture of not being above others, or asking 'what do you do?' to a stranger away from the workplace.

I've also heard that in China the worth of your job is drummed in, even if you are road sweeping.

This would make sense no? We all need these jobs done by people that are happy to do them and their wellbeing is important.

I don't think we've twigged that yet in this country but then we have baked in snobbery. I'm just saying this as an observation, I love the UK and Brits in general but I'd love that aspect changed.

Retail workers aren't low skilled anyway - there's a lot more to a retail job than people think.

And bin men need an HGV licence. How many of you can drive a lorry?

And a bus driver needs a PSV licence. Again, how many of you can drive a bus?

No of course they're not stupid.
It takes all sorts to make any company, school, hospital, factory, transport hub, shop, community service, government department, research facility etc.etc run smoothly and competently. Each individual role has their own part to play in this. If everyone wanted to be the boss then things would come to a grinding halt very quickly!
The jobs you refer to are essential workers that should be highly regarded not looked down upon.

Actually yes care work and support work is actually very skilled. Lots of people drop into it because they think it’s ‘easy’ but also lots of people leave quite quickly. I’ve known new starters walk out during their induction period and lots who leave during their probation period. It’s tough at times. However my colleagues are amazing management are really good and flexible and I feel appreciated at work. That and the fact that I’m less than a 10 minute walk away from my workplace and can chose when I want to work make me very happy 😊

I hate that care work is often seen as "easy" looking after a vulnerable person should be seen as specialist even if it might be popping in to give meds, it is still a person and you should always have good communication skills to do the job.

There is a notorious care company where I live that has a terrible reputation but the L A use them because they were the cheapest.

There are many reasons why people do the job they do. Anyone who pays their way in society deserves respect for whatever job they do. Everybody's job is important to ensure a fully functioning society.

Also, it is very difficult to measure smartness because there are so many different aspects to smartness.

FWIW my dh is a bus driver with a masters in politics and modern history from a RG university.

No they aren’t stupid! This thread is stupid.

I worked in a supermarket when I was younger, and one of the older ladies that worked there (and had done for nearly 30years!) had a PHD in Archeology. She is one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met (as well as one of the loveliest).

Presumably anyone thinking retail workers are thick won't be going into shops asking advice, recommendations or anything remotely technical..oh wait...thats exactly what people do...