Giving All People Respect
I recently wrote that my grandson Isaac Wei Jai Pressman is a National Merit semi-finalist. I’m certain that wherever he matriculates next fall, he will get an excellent education and be in demand when he graduates.
Most people I know want their children and grandchildren to go to college and end up in a profession or highly respected job. It’s not just about money; it’s about the respect others give to such people. In St. Louis there's a common question: “Where did you go to high school?” It’s used not just as an icebreaker, but to determine how much respect is due, which depends upon the perceived level of that high school.
A similar question people ask at social events is, “What do you do?” Your answer determines how much deference will be shown to you. My father used to tell people who asked that question (especially women he met after his wife, my mom, died) that he was a truck driver. Even though he was a fantastic engineer who wrote several bestselling technical books, he wanted people to judge him on himself and not on his profession.
What’s the point of this? I wonder about this because who is going to do the jobs that we all depend upon when so many young people are going to college? Who will build the buildings, service the air conditioners and fix our plumbing? I ask this because I have marveled at the six-story apartment complex going up a block from our condominium. Seeing the different trades working seamlessly to pour concrete, install plumbing and windows, etc., is fascinating. At the same time the Building Trades Council of St. Louis has indicated that there is a shortage of such workers. Many of the laborers on projects in St. Louis are so-called “travelers,” who come from out of town and are hosted by their employers in hotels. The Council has set up a jobs fair. Additionally, the unions have been advertising the benefits of trade training for which the participants receive salary and aren’t required to borrow money for it.
Yes, I’m proud of Isaac. I wish I could say that I would be as proud if he became a skilled carpenter like his great-great-grandfather Nathan, but I’ll admit that I can’t. I do try to respect everyone regardless of how they earn a living.