Blue-Collar Supremacy

Lowly and slowly, I walked onto the path set before me, a humble journey interrupted by powers out of my control. Forces arrested me, yet attested to that very same predisposition. My eyes narrowed at the thought. I just wanted to be left alone.

I just wanted to live a peaceful life, marry, have children and grandchildren. I just envisioned a world where my grandsons would have the same opportunities I had – a country that allowed a man to work hard, make a decent living, and allow his wife to stay home with his children. Not much to ask, and for about half my married life this was true. But, over the years the wealth gap has steadily increased, and more women have been forced away from the home as a necessity for financial survival. Thankfully, my blue-collar still provides a good living so my wife can stay home, but it ain’t easy.

Of course, some of that can be attributed to rampant materialism, “Keeping up with the Joneses,” as we once called it. We buy a new (not used) truck, which will run you around sixty-thousand dollars on the cheap, which is twice what I paid for my first house. Everyone in the family has to have a cell phone, play travel ball; teenagers get new cars instead of a good “beater car” to start. Our homes are two to three times the square footage we grew up in, and some of your wives think it’s still too small. These materialistic pursuits, and many others, are why we are in the societal decline in the South. Y’all are living your best life now, and future generations will suffer because of it.

I was recently listening to Tucker Carlson; he and his guest were discussing the gap between blue- and white-collar workers, the haves and the have nots. And to their credit, they understood the reality that is gripping many American families. Even the guest, who is some international financial adviser with vast amounts of experience and connections all over the world, understands the next phase of economic transition. Information that used to take him days and weeks to prepare for his clients, he can access in minutes. The advent of AI will undo white collar economics. Once corporations are fully invested in these technologies, and they rapidly are, it will destroy safe white-collar workers in banking, insurance, financial planning, legal services, and, not to mention, all the useless paper pushing jobs that will simply vanish.

When that hits, a financial crisis like never seen will devastate the national economy.

I remember the devastation that the internet and online documents did to the overnight package industry. It was an industry that was insulated against economic downturn, for the necessity of speed and its ability to provide that speed. In an instant, new technologies changed everything. Both upper and lower management were told if they did not touch the box, they needed to justify their positions. Suddenly, every manager wanted as many employees to manage as possible. In an economy constantly changing, you have to make yourself a necessity to your business.

Southern man, your journey is about to change, regardless of who wins the upcoming Yankee election. Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, and I’m not saying it’s a terrible thing. But, in the end, you will have to adapt, especially if you’re employment is not tied to a tangible skill. Blue-collar, “dirty jobs” is the path to a stable future for most of us. Living frugally, the old Scottish way, is the path to keeping your family intact.

I’m making my adjustments, because being left alone is no longer an option.

Deo Vindice!

God save the South!