How do you like physical labor for a living?

[ab9924]

I hate work, all kinds of it. I was brought up to look down on it. But I am fascinated and puzzled by it, so I do it when I can, without the knowledge of the people around me. But what is interesting, really, is how closely work is intertwined with our very health. It appears, that the more work we do, the healthier we get. And non-physical labor doesn't help.

So, now, that most non-physical jobs can be done over the internet outsourced for a petence, how about this for a replacement for those unsustainable liberal social programs.

Everyone who doesn't have a job or business, would be classified into weight groups, like in sports, and then given physical labor tasks with his/her group-mates. These tasks would include all labor that is physical, such as road maintenance, industrial trash collection, environmental clean-up, construction, transportation loading/off-loading, and so on. The people would be rotated between job types and sites daily, as well as between teams occassionally.

This would give everyone a healthy body, happy life, and an opportunity to meet new people. This would provide a valuable infrastructure support service, as well as a possible elimination of social program deficits. And I bet this beats retirement and mid-life too.

So, what would be your opinion?

In case this sounds communistic, it is not my intent, I am a conservative. But I like looking internationally for ideas and some of those communist countries did manage to make the low segment of society happier with well organized and managed large scale communal physical work. We could introduce it in the US, will eliminate obesity and stress, I bet.

Would it make sense to sell this to the republican campaign?

 

[RabidAlpaca]

I hate work, all kinds of it. I was brought up to look down on it. But I am fascinated and puzzled by it, so I do it when I can, without the knowledge of the people around me. But what is interesting, really, is how closely work is intertwined with our very health. It appears, that the more work we do, the healthier we get. And non-physical labor doesn't help.

So, now, that most non-physical jobs can be done over the internet outsourced for a petence, how about this for a replacement for those unsustainable liberal social programs.

Everyone who doesn't have a job or business, would be classified into weight groups, like in sports, and then given physical labor tasks with his/her group-mates. These tasks would include all labor that is physical, such as road maintenance, industrial trash collection, environmental clean-up, construction, transportation loading/off-loading, and so on. The people would be rotated between job types and sites daily, as well as between teams occassionally.

This would give everyone a healthy body, happy life, and an opportunity to meet new people. This would provide a valuable infrastructure support service, as well as a possible elimination of social program deficits. And I bet this beats retirement and mid-life too.

So, what would be your opinion?

In case this sounds communistic, it is not my intent, I am a conservative. But I like looking internationally for ideas and some of those communist countries did manage to make the low segment of society happier with well organized and managed large scale communal physical work. We could introduce it in the US, will eliminate obesity and stress, I bet.

Would it make sense to sell this to the republican campaign?

I completely disagree with this proposition. I for one, am a mental labor type. I'm an electrical engineer who prefers to have my head in the clouds designing circuits and electronic devices. I was in the army for 7 years where I mostly did physical labor, which is completely contrary to my nature.

The important thing in the end is that the worker is happy. For those who enjoy physical labor and a hard day's work, such a thing would be fantastic. For the people like me who thrive under mental duress and physical comfort, long term physical labor is a nightmare.

"I'm a mathlete, not an athlete!"

 

[StillBallin75]

definitely prefer a job that requires a bit of both but leans more towards physical labor. It's not as if construction workers and plumbers are robot meatheads, after all. Most jobs involving quote-unquote physical labor will also have some sort of mental or problem-solving aspect to them.

 

[ab9924]

I completely disagree with this proposition. I for one, am a mental labor type. I'm an electrical engineer who prefers to have my head in the clouds designing circuits and electronic devices. I was in the army for 7 years where I mostly did physical labor, which is completely contrary to my nature.

The important thing in the end is that the worker is happy. For those who enjoy physical labor and a hard day's work, such a thing would be fantastic. For the people like me who thrive under mental duress and physical comfort, long term physical labor is a nightmare.

"I'm a mathlete, not an athlete!"

The premis of the thread is under the condition that you would be unemployed. (Or long term unemployed.)

 

[Rosie1]

I didn't vote, because there isn't an answer that my response fits into. I like both. I like to read, write, do computer things, and non-manual things. But, I also like to get out and get some fresh air. I do yardwork, we do the hay, clean the barn and other farm tasks all the time. I like to camp, hike, hunt and fish and ride a horse. I think a blend of physical and non-physical things is pretty healthy (for both mind and body) in my case, anyway.

 

[clownboy]

Rosie1 nailed it for me. But in terms of profession, when I was younger I preferred work that came with a physical labor component. As I grew, less so. Now, I'm almost strictly mental work in profession.

 

[tessaesque]

Too much government control. I'll pass.

 

[Mach]

The issue is that I suspect most physical labor as job is bad for your long-term health.

Posture, wearing out joins, injury, repetitive disorders, the vulnerability to being unable to work should you be injured, the short-duration exertion that is unhealthy, etc. Now, is it worse than a sit-down job when you couple that with no exercise? I don't know. But moderate physical labor type jobs take a toll on the body, they are not a great cardio workout. And often the environment they are in is more hazardous. Painters dealing with paint fumes, brick laying dealing with powdered mortar, and if you do it every day it's hard to follow all safety requirements, wear heavy and hot protection equipment, etc.

There is a fine line between healthy exercise and exercise that wears your body out faster or puts you at higher risk of injury.

The issue with the U.S. and various perceived societal ills is not a lack of ideas, it's a lack of follow-through. I meet with people daily who have "great ideas" and the only ones who get anything done are the ones who sacrifice it all, put it all on the line, and dedicate a signficant chunk of their life to succeeding at it in some shape or form. That's what it takes to get things done, a terrific amount of hard work. 99% perspiration, it's the real deal.

So they can already help themselves and stay happy and active and help their community, they are just not doing it for whatever reason. Forcing them to, not something I'm interested in. Of course, one has to wonder what public schools are teaching if the vast majority of people don't know how to set goals and follow-through, and thrive in the most prosperous and free nation on earth. Always back to those inner city schools eh?

 

[Fisher]

I prefer physical labor over mental labor but unfortunately my back does not, so it quit on me.

 

[lizzie]

I love to work, physically or mentally. Give me a garden to dig, or a house to build, and I'm happy. Give me a math problem to solve, and I'm happy. My job is a combination of physical and mental, but if I had to pick between the two, for the amount of stress is induces, I'd pick the physical over the mental stress. I'm conscientious, and I tend to obsess a little too much if I second-guess my ability to look at a patient who has had a change in condition, and make the completely right call, so I tend to err on the side of over-caution.

At my age, physical labor is getting to be more taxing, admittedly, but I'm still very strong compared to many people my age and stature.

 

[Harry Guerrilla]

I had one job in particular that was related to design and I had to display some "art" elements in it.
I definitely enjoyed that more than my current job, problem was my employer grossly underpaid me for that position considering my skill level.

It wasn't very physical and I gained a bit of weight during that time.
The only downside.

 

[celticwar17]

I don't really like any form of work... I'm lazy as ****, but I suppose I feel better about myself if I do mental work, it's more satisfying.

 

[Neomalthusian]

Well I clearly prefer mental labor considering that's the type of labor that I do, and at no time have a looked for physical labor jobs. Two main reasons: I'm kind of an idiot when it comes to physical labor (I was not raised as any sort of a handyman... I'm having to learn all this from scratch, via YouTube and painstaking trial and error), and 2) because the mental labor that I do pays better than any physical labor I'd be qualified to do.

With that said, I find manual and physical tasks fulfilling. I can go out in the yard or woods all day doing all sorts of stuff until my arms and legs are ready to fall off.

 

[Goshin]

I hate work, all kinds of it. I was brought up to look down on it.

You were brought up to look down on work?


Really?


That calls for some explanation methinks....

 

[Neomalthusian]

Everyone who doesn't have a job or business, would be classified into weight groups, like in sports, and then given physical labor tasks with his/her group-mates. These tasks would include all labor that is physical, such as road maintenance, industrial trash collection, environmental clean-up, construction, transportation loading/off-loading, and so on. The people would be rotated between job types and sites daily, as well as between teams occassionally.

This would give everyone a healthy body,

I don't think enough significantly physically demanding jobs exist out there to accomplish this unless we decommission a bunch of our petroleum-drive machinery. Replace these:

With these:

And these:

With these:

I guess we've been using oil to produce food and keep us lazy and make us fat for long enough. Time to switch it up and use our fat energy to do our work which will make us thin. Put another way:

 

[NitroHangover]

I've always preferred physical jobs. To me, there is nothing better than finishing your day with a tired body that's gotten a good workout, and a clear mind that is not overly numbed or stressed out. I find that deeply satisfying.

I learned a long time ago that I was not built to walk into the same room, sit in the same chair in a little cubicle, and stare at a computer screen all day, year after year after year. I've had a couple of jobs like that and it was always the most tedious thing in the world to me. I never lasted long. The thought of doing that for 30 years is appalling to me. I needed a career that allowed me to go different places, and do different things. I need every day to be different. Throw in a little fresh air and exercise, and I'm a happy camper.

The career I ended up in is a pretty good mix of mental and physical. 80% of the work I do is going on medical calls, which is much more mental (although still hands-on), and 20% is things like fires, extrication and rescue operations, which are highly physical yet still require an immense amount of mental knowledge and on-the-spot problem solving.

It's a perfect mix for me and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

Still though, if I had to choose between sitting at a desk all day or swinging a hammer on a construction site, I'd grab the hammer every time.

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

I prefer to do what I like to do, since that involves both metal and physical might then I cannot honestly pick an answer.

And I agree with Goshin you need some explaining on how anyone would seriously look down on work. Were you raised by grasshoppers?

 

[ecofarm]

Organic agriculture: physical, mental, philosophical and spiritual.

I prefer physical labor when my workmates are in my league mentally.

 

[ab9924]

Too much government control. I'll pass.

But isn't it still better than the government getting you fat (and dependent) by those free cash handouts?

 

[tessaesque]

But isn't it still better than the government getting you fat (and dependent) by those free cash handouts?

Trading one bad form for another.

 

[ab9924]

I had one job in particular that was related to design and I had to display some "art" elements in it.
I definitely enjoyed that more than my current job, problem was my employer grossly underpaid me for that position considering my skill level.

It wasn't very physical and I gained a bit of weight during that time.
The only downside.

Exactly! The physical labor rewards your body and self esteem and hotness to catch, much more than the money that mental work can flood you with.

 

[Mya]

I do appreciate both.

Some kind of physical labour is better than others.

 

[ab9924]

Well I clearly prefer mental labor considering that's the type of labor that I do, and at no time have a looked for physical labor jobs. Two main reasons: I'm kind of an idiot when it comes to physical labor (I was not raised as any sort of a handyman... I'm having to learn all this from scratch, via YouTube and painstaking trial and error), and 2) because the mental labor that I do pays better than any physical labor I'd be qualified to do.

With that said, I find manual and physical tasks fulfilling. I can go out in the yard or woods all day doing all sorts of stuff until my arms and legs are ready to fall off.

Let me risk to say, that the highlighted part is what makes you more wanted and loved too.

 

[ab9924]

I don't think enough significantly physically demanding jobs exist out there to accomplish this unless we decommission a bunch of our petroleum-drive machinery. Replace these:

With these:

And these:

With these:

I guess we've been using oil to produce food and keep us lazy and make us fat for long enough. Time to switch it up and use our fat energy to do our work which will make us thin. Put another way:

HAHAHA Your post is absolutely excellent. I couldn't agree more. Maybe when the Chinese buy up all the gas, this will be feasible again. Actually, there is a movie called "Happy" and in there they interview all kinds of people all over the world about how happy they are, and it turns out, that comparatively, actually those indian footed-drivers are the happiest in the world. (This seems true, not doctored.) HAHAHA

 

[ab9924]

I prefer to do what I like to do, since that involves both metal and physical might then I cannot honestly pick an answer.

And I agree with Goshin you need some explaining on how anyone would seriously look down on work. Were you raised by grasshoppers?

You were brought up to look down on work?


Really?


That calls for some explanation methinks....

I don't know. My grandfather worked though sometimes, he was a nonconformist. I would like to work too one day. But I will probably never get to it. People smell how I disrespect the entire idea of it even before I come through the door. They don't understand that I don't want to disrespect work, I want to familiarize myself with it. In middle school, the mother of a classmate got me a job one summer, which was to spread and level concrete for a new car park. I REALLY got told off for it at home, but when I was doing it I enjoyed it a lot, walking on the iron rods, pushing the dispenser arm, then pushing the leveler (or whatever that translates to in English). I really liked the resistance of the materials.