Experienced an Epiphany, Now I must vent
While reading another thread on SF I had an epiphany. They wrote about when we were younger that time the trades were considered a respectful career path. Those are not the exact words, but they are what I came away with. It is true. People that worked at trades and became proficient were considered masters or craftsmen. I spent my entire life in the trades and was considered, by my peers and clients, to be the best. I loved my work and never dreamed of retirement. I was so fortunate to have been able to do this for most of my life and I return to a book with Joe Campbell, “The Power of Myth.” There was a line he would often use throughout his life,” follow your bliss”. I am so fortunate to have had that in my life and wonder, how many others can say that? My dream was that someone would find me dead on the floor while doing what I enjoyed. My dream didn’t come true and I was taken out by unforeseen medical issues. My body isn’t capable of doing what it once did. I once made beautiful furniture and created beautiful finishes that made each piece a work of art. I could recreate appliques in perfect detail, and carve original pieces of wood and stone that were simply put, beautiful. Please understand, I am not bragging, only painting a picture for my venting.
Now that I am just an old man to my children and those in their age group, it has been a difficult place to come to accept that what was once an honorable and respected profession is looked at as nothing more than a common laborer. People today, and really for many years prior, do not understand what quality and artistic work is. IKEA is the standard when evaluating quality and then it goes up a notch to some other chain of suppliers. There is this idea among the younger people that if you watch a YouTube video then you are a master at that trade.if you are successful with the final outcome.
When I moved into a small room in my daughter and her husband’s backyard, my son-in-law went out and bought a couple of thousand dollars in woodworking tools. When starting a project he would ask me questions for direction and inevitably end up going on YouTube and following the advice from those videos. I have watched many and came to the conclusion that most are low level, only slightly knowledgeable but provide easy quick ways of doing what he wanted. There are many talented people that post on the site, I am saying that most would not be considered masters or craftsmen. The work he has done is functional and will be replaced, some as I write this, in time. He no longer uses any of the tools, many having been loaned out to friends. (I came to a realization that my son-in-law did all of this to prove to my daughter, his wife, that he could do what I did. Kind of like a competition. I had a talk with him and said that I’m her father, she chose you to be her husband, not mentioning my thoughts regarding competition. That was when he stopped using the tools.)
I never had dreams of being wealthy and was very content with having everything we needed. We enjoyed a comfortable life, owned a home with two cars in the garage, a dog and cat, vacations, all the things most would be happy with.
I mention this as it is part of my epiphany. My children and their friends seem obsessed with having and doing all they can. They are all, by appearances, doing well financially. They all speak of the injustices and inequalities and do nothing more than talk. When I recall the sixties and early seventies, it seems there was more action than words, maybe close, with peaceful anti-war protests, (other than the military killing four students at Kent State during a protest that began peacefully and became combative when the National Guard arrived) equal rights for women and minorities, the beginning of the awareness of the environment issues. People took action and now, I feel, that most have become complacent and we are watching everything that was gained disappearing. There, I’ve vented and don’t feel any better. Well, maybe a little.
While reading another thread on SF I had an epiphany. They wrote about when we were younger that time the trades were considered a respectful career path. Those are not the exact words, but they are what I came away with. It is true. People that worked at trades and became proficient were considered masters or craftsmen. I spent my entire life in the trades and was considered, by my peers and clients, to be the best. I loved my work and never dreamed of retirement. I was so fortunate to have been able to do this for most of my life and I return to a book with Joe Campbell, “The Power of Myth.” There was a line he would often use throughout his life,” follow your bliss”. I am so fortunate to have had that in my life and wonder, how many others can say that? My dream was that someone would find me dead on the floor while doing what I enjoyed. My dream didn’t come true and I was taken out by unforeseen medical issues. My body isn’t capable of doing what it once did. I once made beautiful furniture and created beautiful finishes that made each piece a work of art. I could recreate appliques in perfect detail, and carve original pieces of wood and stone that were simply put, beautiful. Please understand, I am not bragging, only painting a picture for my venting.
Now that I am just an old man to my children and those in their age group, it has been a difficult place to come to accept that what was once an honorable and respected profession is looked at as nothing more than a common laborer. People today, and really for many years prior, do not understand what quality and artistic work is. IKEA is the standard when evaluating quality and then it goes up a notch to some other chain of suppliers. There is this idea among the younger people that if you watch a YouTube video then you are a master at that trade.if you are successful with the final outcome.
When I moved into a small room in my daughter and her husband’s backyard, my son-in-law went out and bought a couple of thousand dollars in woodworking tools. When starting a project he would ask me questions for direction and inevitably end up going on YouTube and following the advice from those videos. I have watched many and came to the conclusion that most are low level, only slightly knowledgeable but provide easy quick ways of doing what he wanted. There are many talented people that post on the site, I am saying that most would not be considered masters or craftsmen. The work he has done is functional and will be replaced, some as I write this, in time. He no longer uses any of the tools, many having been loaned out to friends. (I came to a realization that my son-in-law did all of this to prove to my daughter, his wife, that he could do what I did. Kind of like a competition. I had a talk with him and said that I’m her father, she chose you to be her husband, not mentioning my thoughts regarding competition. That was when he stopped using the tools.)
I never had dreams of being wealthy and was very content with having everything we needed. We enjoyed a comfortable life, owned a home with two cars in the garage, a dog and cat, vacations, all the things most would be happy with.
I mention this as it is part of my epiphany. My children and their friends seem obsessed with having and doing all they can. They are all, by appearances, doing well financially. They all speak of the injustices and inequalities and do nothing more than talk. When I recall the sixties and early seventies, it seems there was more action than words, maybe close, with peaceful anti-war protests, (other than the military killing four students at Kent State during a protest that began peacefully and became combative when the National Guard arrived) equal rights for women and minorities, the beginning of the awareness of the environment issues. People took action and now, I feel, that most have become complacent and we are watching everything that was gained disappearing. There, I’ve vented and don’t feel any better. Well, maybe a little.
