Episode Details

Up until maybe the last three to five years, when hearing the term “Blue Collar” one would immediately picture a coal miner, a steel worker, people working in factories, or other types of physically demanding manual labor jobs. But as our society has progressed so rapidly due to advances in technology, a common question that has begun to arise is, “Are tech workers becoming the new ‘Blue Collar’?”

While working in a coal mine or a steel factory might sound imminently more dangerous than sitting behind a computer, it actually isn’t.

“The typical seated office worker has more musculoskeletal injuries than any other industry sector worker, including construction, metal industry, and transportation workers. Today, the World Health Organization ranks physical inactivity—sitting too much—as the fourth biggest preventable killer globally, causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths annually. In just the last 20 years, the simple act of sitting has leapfrogged to the top of the health killer charts globally.”¹

I dive deep into this concept of tech workers and creatives like us who spend endless hours chained to a computer becoming the next blue collar with my guest today, the brilliant Maxim Jago, an award-winning filmmaker, editor, teacher, and futurist. This episode was inspired by an article in Wired Magazine titled, "The Next Big Blue Collar Job Is Coding."

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• How having a sedentary job can be more unhealthy than working in a mine
• The game-ification of personal development
• Ways the mind influences physical healing
• The relationship between cognitive function and activity
• How expressive creativity affects physical and mental health
• The implications of a highly-automated future
• Maslow's hierarchy of needs
• How important is your emotional response to your work?
• Creation as necessity rather than commodity
• Changing your perspective of monotonous work from boring to meditative
• What will labor look like in twenty-five years?
• The importance of pursuing work that invigorates you

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Programming is the New Blue Collar Job

¹Deskbound: Standing Up in a Sitting World

Our Generous Sponsors:

This episode is made possible by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone interested in moving more at their height-adjustable workstation. Listen, standing desks are only great if you’re standing well, otherwise you’re constantly fighting fatigue and chronic pain. Not like any other anti-fatigue mat, the Topo is scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. And they’re really fun and a great conversation starter.

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