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Did I say somehow that they were immune to injuries? I said the risks are not as bad. For example, they are, overall, statistically less likely to suffer any

Did I say somehow that they were immune to injuries? I said the risks are not as bad. For example, they are, overall, statistically less likely to suffer any on-the-job injury attributable to inflexibility of muscles and tendons, obesity, loss of bone density/strength, Alzheimer's, arthritis, or dizziness from diabetes-related blood-sugar problems. Those are all risks that go up with age. They are also less likely to suffer any injury caused, or made worse, or made more likely, by some past injury they've already had, because they're likely to have had fewer of those. Also, even given the same exact injury, they will likely heal faster & better than someone even 10 years older. Black & white thinking doesn't really serve here. There's not some age before which 100% of people have none of the problems and after which 100% of people have all the problems. It's a continuum.

watwut 9y ago
What are they going to do when they age? These risks apply to people choosing profession even as they are in the future. No one is young forever and there is no promotion from these jobs to another job. Cumulatively, during career, the longer you work there the more likely injuries happen to you. And the more physical work, the more catastrophic consequences (I can code with two broken legs). All that must be factored in for young people too.
- rdiddly 9y ago
  Yes, as you age, the risk/reward balance begins to shift - sometimes slowly, sometimes all at once. There are paths out of the trades though. You can start your own small (plumbing/building/etc.) company, hire people (younger ones) to do the heavy lifting, and essentially "move into management." Or you can take some of the money you earned, go back to school, and change careers. I know someone who injured his back digging trenches, and while recuperating from that injury, started teaching himself computers. Now he works for a state agency and sits in a chair. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but the question was "Who considers 55-60k 'high paying' especially when the job contains potential life threatening risks and other health issues?" and the answer was "Young high-school grads for whom that's a lot of money and for whom the health risks are not quite as bad." That's a very general answer that deliberately doesn't offer any opinion on whether they are right or wrong in thinking that way. And obviously the less young they are, or the more money they want, or the less risk they tolerate, the less true the statement is.

watwut 9y ago

What are they going to do when they age? These risks apply to people choosing profession even as they are in the future. No one is young forever and there is no promotion from these jobs to another job. Cumulatively, during career, the longer you work there the more likely injuries happen to you. And the more physical work, the more catastrophic consequences (I can code with two broken legs). All that must be factored in for young people too.

rdiddly 9y ago
Yes, as you age, the risk/reward balance begins to shift - sometimes slowly, sometimes all at once. There are paths out of the trades though. You can start your own small (plumbing/building/etc.) company, hire people (younger ones) to do the heavy lifting, and essentially "move into management." Or you can take some of the money you earned, go back to school, and change careers. I know someone who injured his back digging trenches, and while recuperating from that injury, started teaching himself computers. Now he works for a state agency and sits in a chair. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but the question was "Who considers 55-60k 'high paying' especially when the job contains potential life threatening risks and other health issues?" and the answer was "Young high-school grads for whom that's a lot of money and for whom the health risks are not quite as bad." That's a very general answer that deliberately doesn't offer any opinion on whether they are right or wrong in thinking that way. And obviously the less young they are, or the more money they want, or the less risk they tolerate, the less true the statement is.