This is an interesting point. I used to have one of these blue collar jobs (several actually), and you're pretty spot on. In addition to the disdain for this ki

This is an interesting point. I used to have one of these blue collar jobs (several actually), and you're pretty spot on. In addition to the disdain for this kind of work, there seems to have also been a shift to an idea of wanting to derive fulfillment from work. That seems obviously good, but my experience, working in a factory was in some ways more fulfilling. The work itself was not terribly demanding, and so I could do a good job while not tying up much of my mental resources. This left my mind free to wander, and I would write stories, review music theory, and otherwise ponder life's mysteries while performing my various functions. Then, when I got home I was well equipped with ideas and still had plenty of energy to dedicate towards my more intellectually demanding hobbies. I'm not saying it was heaven on earth or anything, but it offered a certain satisfying simplicity, and made self-actualization easier outside of work. Nowadays, I get home and struggle to find mental energy for side projects or writing. The work is better, and I'm wealthier, but I'm not sure that my life is richer.