It should not be so hard to write both poetry and fiction. Both arts, after all, make use of the same materials, words and punctuation. Poems...
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While I find the general idea behind this book compelling, the hypocrisy is incredibly irritating. For one point,Crawford discusses how plumbers make great money and parents should be proud to steer their kids into that profession. On the converse, he later writes that "knowledge workers" are all about money and that's just soul-less. I also respect his distinction between craft and trade-- but he claims at the start of the book that he is writing about trade--not craft. So, how can he explain the book's title. I also think he misjudges when he claims that high school students who go into trades rather than college will have a better chance at getting some jobs. Applicants with a college degree and experience in a trade will have the best chance at getting a job. Crawford downplays the important role of community colleges, especially. Finally, I am convinced that Crawford just hates teachers. I like the idea of this book but don't think he supports it well. His bias is too obvious to be persuasive.
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Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
Southeast, November 17, 2009
While I find the general idea behind this book compelling, the hypocrisy is incredibly irritating. For one point,Crawford discusses how plumbers make great money and parents should be proud to steer their kids into that profession. On the converse, he later writes that "knowledge workers" are all about money and that's just soul-less. I also respect his distinction between craft and trade-- but he claims at the start of the book that he is writing about trade--not craft. So, how can he explain the book's title. I also think he misjudges when he claims that high school students who go into trades rather than college will have a better chance at getting some jobs. Applicants with a college degree and experience in a trade will have the best chance at getting a job. Crawford downplays the important role of community colleges, especially. Finally, I am convinced that Crawford just hates teachers. I like the idea of this book but don't think he supports it well. His bias is too obvious to be persuasive.(4 of 7 readers found this comment helpful)