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Jim Cummings's avatar

This is such an important piece. There are many different types of intelligence and aptitudes. At the age of twenty, I dropped out of college by financial necessity and took a job with a custom cabinet company. I learned from the ground-up and eventually became a partner in the business. Some years later I sold my share and started my own company. Yes, "per plans and specs" is an absolute rule. I prided myself on accuracy, communication and trustworthiness and I never undervalued my work. It was a tough way to make a living but it allowed me to put two of my sons through college out of pocket and set up my oldest in a second business which I still have a small stake in.

All of that, just to say that some of the smartest people I have ever met are the ones who can fix my car, install an HVAC system, wire a house etc. Thank you for this!

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Control Group's avatar

Because of this relationship with a concrete reality (often that we have helped create), I have found that tradesmen weather the nonsense of the "current thing" much better than the office masses (academics included). It is conversely true that tradesmen are not inclined to write and read about these things. It is heartening to come across a few other voices attempting to bridge this gap as well. Cheers.

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