For instance, I was in a gastroenterology clinic last year, and one of the consultants was talking to me about the London tube strikes. He said, addressing the underground tube drivers "Their jobs are so easy, I could do it. Even kindergarteners can do them - its just pressing buttons."
Another example could be the well-known hierarchy in the professional medical world where orthopaedic surgeons are often called "glorified carpenters". Stereotypically, an ortho is a tall, buff male who played rugby in university. Meaning if one is in that profession, it is implied that one needs or has less cognitive power compared to their other colleagues. After hearing it countless of times, embarrassingly, I got caught believing in this stereotype.
So I brought it home with me. In one of our conversations discussing my future career prospects, I said to my husband, "Do you know what they call orthopaedic surgeons?"
"What?"
"Glorified carpenters. They are quite low down the pecking order."
I expected a laugh, but laughter didn't come. Then, he replied.
"Imagine if there weren't any orthopaedic surgeons, who do you think would fix all those knees and broken bones? Everyone would just be in pain or limping or both."
I tried to think of a smart comeback, but none came. In instances like these, I'm afraid the husband is right. This mentality of perceived superiority is really toxic - fuelling egos and marginalising the work of important groups of individuals.
My husband continued, "It is not who is better than whom. Everyone has their place and their role in society. We need one another." Yup, I married a smart one.
So I thought about what the consultant once told me about the tube drivers. Case and point; look what happens when they do go on strike. London goes into complete chaos. People lining up a block away from the station, buses filled to the brim, work slows down, businesses lose money, and the list goes on. Yes, you might think you are better than them, but you can't deny you need them.
I recently watched a documentary on BBC about China's new rich. After the economic boom, the country saw many young self-made millionaires. However on the other end of the economic inequality divide, there are still many struggling financially - sometimes leaving their children at home in the village on months on end to find jobs in the city. In one of the scenes, the journalist interviewed one of these men, a factory worker who works everyday, 12 hours a day, making car parts.
She asked, "What do you think about the Chinese millionaires? I met some guys in the city who had insanely expensive cars. One of them had a Lamborghini worth 600k."
He replied, "Without workers like me, how can they afford that? The products can only be made because of the work we do."
How right you are man, how right you are.
If you pluck a janitor to do a CEO's job, I doubt he can handle it. But likewise, if you ask a CEO to carry out a janitor's job, I doubt he can do it either. Everyone has their roles - no one is less important that the next. Cause however important you might feel, ultimately you can be replaced.
So next time I find myself feeling superior to others, I have to firstly kick myself... hard.
Then, be reminded that most likely, I can't do what he does.
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