an observation on being ‘skilled’
July 30, 2009, 3:07 am
since labor issues keep coming up in my daily readings, and they simultaneously rub up against some existential thoughts i’ve been having about my education (past and future), i’ve been finding it kind of sad that i’m considered “skilled labor” when i indeed have very few useful skills.
i just read the road by cormac mccarthy, set on earth after some anonymous apocalypse, and after some reflection on my “skills,” i’m pretty sure i’d die pretty early. post-apocalyptic media is supposed to make me think, “how would i react in this do-or-die situation?” and i like to imagine myself the clever or brave or calm one. but when i really think about it, the chances are i’d be one of the people who’d die in the initial attack/event (i live in the city and relatively near the coasts). and if not, i don’t even know how to start a fire or fix a car or spot clean water, so i’ll probably die from dehydration or salmonella poisoning. my only chance is if i have will smith by my side.
I can attest to the lack of skills. Is capitalization deemed a skill?
I have a very smart / somewhat crazy friend that believes strongly in this. His goal is to start a self sufficient colony deep in the woods of pa. Since your concern and location line up with this, i can try to get you in. I’m already the resident engineer; you can help regulate the economy, i guess? Town newspaper? Maybe you don’t have skills
i apologize for the emoticon. They look so much lamer when they switch it to the graphic. ugh
i think i will learn to hunt w/ a spear.