[shubb]

Some people do seem to genuinely look down on 'blue collar' work.

Last week, my sisters friends went for a meal out to celebrate her birthday. Her boyfriend drives freight trains, and seems to get some strange attitude from her friends. They are mostly working for free while trying to break into film, or journalism. A few are teachers, which the others seem to see as 'giving up'. Yes, they are hipsters.

I loved this conversation:

Sophie - 'so taking this as an axiom... sorry, have you heard that word before'

Sisters Boyfriend - 'Well, a long time ago my masters was in philosophy ...'

Sophie (double takes) - '... but... why are you driving trains? Surely you could find something better?'

Sisters Boyfriend - 'Well, why are you working as a receptionist for free?'

[randomdata]

I both farm and write software professionally. I find the differences in reactions that I get, depending on which career I claim to have, to be quite amazing.

[conjecTech]

That sounds like a great setup. Care to give more details?

[sanoli]

This was a real conversation? Wow.

edit: Plus, driving trains doesn't seem like a bad job to me. I had a friend who drove freights in the 90's, and he really enjoyed it. Also, your sister's friend is a clueless hipster: driving freight trains was one of the dream jobs of those original hipsters, the beatniks.

[philangist]

That's hilarious. I wish I could've seen her reaction.