Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan
I should say that this is an attitude I read in the United States in general, it is my subjective impression (I may just hang out in the wrong places), and I don't assume that other countries are like this.
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What you detect is generally real and it is just another expression of the anti-intellectualism and luddism that is a major part of US culture. (And other countries, though it expresses differently in some.)
Writers are not the only unappreciated professionals out there; our society celebrates poiticians, athletes, actors, and plastic airheads but deprecates farmers, teachers, scientists, engineers, and technicians--the people most responsible for maintaining our standard of living. Pre 9/11 firemen and police offers were routinely ignored and villified and even afterwards a lot of the "respect" accorded them and the military is more lip service than heartfelt recognition of their sacrifices for the common good.
Back in my day job the consensus has long been that nobody goes into engineering if they want to get rich or famous. Or even be respected.
Still, it woudn't hurt to get *some* respect, no?