New Theory: Workers and Thinkers

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This is a new a concept I thought of. I know that it's generalizing people, it just explains two personality types that I've observed. It does run on a spectrum just like introversion and extroversion. This society tends to favor workers over thinkers. The workers often pathologize and accuse thinkers of being lazy. I'm kind of hoping that the tide will shift.

Workers
* Tends to get good grades at school because of working habits
* Often has an easy time finding and keeping a job
* Conforms to authority
* Linear thinking and learning
* Tends to be extroverted
* Has good organization skills
* More influenced by environment
* Often requires instruction manuals
* More likely to be politically conservative
* Tends to be close minded
* Lacks capacity for philosophical or deep thoughts
Thinkers
* Often has trouble keeping up with workload at school, work and home
* Tends to be introverted
* More likely to question authority
* Often has trouble finding or keeping a job
* May be diagnosed with Asperger's or ADHD
* More likely to burn out
* May do well in school if their learning style is compatible with the school system
* More likely to be liberal
* Diverse learning styles that may confuse workers
* Creative
* Learns with less external work

Last edited by DevilKisses on 28 Feb 2014, 2:21 pm, edited 5 times in total.

I'm shades of both. Can I be a third category?

I propose we call ourselves 'w*kers'.

I already mentioned that it's a spectrum. Most people that I interact with don't fit neatly into either category. I'm just describing the extremes.

None of the requirements in the workers part applies to me, but all at the thinkers does. Not sure why...

I'd say all thinker for me except
Conforms to authority. I'm okay with taking directions and adhering to rules.
Has good organization skills. Idk with me if it's a skill or just a necessity to maintain order.
Often requires instruction manuals. I find step by step stuff listed out helpful, for getting ready for school in the morning etc.

Nope. There have been working class intellectual cultures. There used to be a vibrant participatory working class press in europe and north america. If they barely exist today, it is largely a result of social engineering.

It is not in the interests of capitalists to have a population that is capable of critical thought beyond what is necessary to their employer, since, philosophically inclined people tend to question the presuppositions that inform societal norms.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF3fHwlyYik[/youtube]

I don't see it. These appear to be 2 list of random personality traits that people may have.

I think it would make more sense to me if i was not at the extreme ends of both lists at once.

I have..
* good grades at school
* an easy time finding and keeping a job
* Has good organization skills
* Tends to be close minded
and
* Tends to be introverted
* More likely to question authority
* May be diagnosed with Asperger's or ADHD
* Learns with less external work
and not like.. "pretty good grades in school" but "very good grades in school". "very introverted"

You have bundled things together which have no correlation with each other except by coincidence in people you have known.

For instance:

has no correlation with

You may have known politically conservative extroverts and liberal introverts but examples do not make a pattern. This is just confirmation bias.

Likewise there is no correlation between



and


Those are just two examples. There isn't correlation between the other things either nor even with the overall division between Workers and Thinkers. These are not actually two separate groups. Even if they were, there is no correlation between the attributes you have put under each category.

I think it's hilarious that people actually took the time to tell you how incorrect you are on an opinionated theory. I personally enjoyed reading your theory and I think it's an interesting thought process. I hope you continue to creatively think and ponder about the world like that, even if it gives you backlash like the above comments.

You misunderstand "opinion" as "backlash". i like to discuss theories so they can be adjusted when necessary.

I don't think she brought it up so it could be adjusted by others. But of course, I don't personally know her and maybe she'll be happy to hear people telling her that her thoughts don't make sense.

I misunderstood. I took "discussion forum" to mean "a place where ideas are discussed".
No worries.

When I was young, I worked in blue collar industries. My co-workers were predominantly conservative. Most of them would listen to right wing talk back radio in the morning, and they would read Murdoch newspapers and porn at other times. I believe their self defeating conservative, and sexist outlook, was largely a result of the media consumed, and patterns of thinking promoted therein. If the input were to change...

Last edited by Stannis on 28 Feb 2014, 11:45 am, edited 4 times in total.

I want people to discuss, but some people go about it in a nasty harsh way, and that really bugs me. I don't want someone to feel stupid.

Without taking this into the PPR direction, as a former hardcore capitalist I have to completely agree with this. No wonder nobody I know that's intelligent has a decent job outside of the physical sciences and engineering! I discovered Noam Chomsky a few years ago and despite all the bad things I heard about him found he understood things better than anyone else I have ever seen.

As for the OP, I am a "worker" (my dream job was construction worker and love working hands on) but looking a the criteria I am a thinker all the way. Even a recruiter once said "it's bizarre for someone like you to WANT to do this (warehouse job that paid well) type of work." as if people can be neatly put into two categories. Fast forward to 7 years later and I'm still happily doing a "bizarre" job and am quite happy at it.

I qualified my opinions with "I" and meant no ill-will. I'm not sure what more I should do. anyway. It's my bedtime.
Peace out