this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2024
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I hate to break it to that guy but packing boxes isn't skilled labor either.
All labour is skilled labour. If you have to be trained how to do something it’s a skill.
You think packing boxes is just putting things in boxes but I’m sure there is more to it, particularly when working for dystopian Amazon where they’re very strict with KPIs.
People called it unskilled labour as a means to pay people less.
Given the size of the boxes my Amazon stuff comes in you'd have to be extremely challenged not to be able to get that stuff in there. They're not exactly solving the Knapsack Packing Problem multiple times a day.
My understanding is some algorithm decides what size box to use for an order, the packer packs that box.
The skill comes from the repetition of doing the task to become efficient enough not to be taken out back and put down by Bezos.
i would consider this being abused, not being skilled but ok
semantically sure, but im pretty sure the implication is that it's a heavily skill based field, something that you can't just show up and start doing. As the term skilled labor would imply.
Would you consider someone who just learned chess to be a "skilled player" or would you consider someone who has quite the substantial knowledge of chess, and the ability to play very competently a "skilled player"
I would consider they had different levels of skills. A skill level if you will.
i don't disagree with you, but the point that i'm making here is that a high level chess player, would be a skilled chess player. A novice who just started last week, isn't going to be a skilled chess player either, they're going to be an amateur/novice player.
Same can be said for skilled labor, it's a specific type of labor that requires training and as you've said, a very specific skill set to be utilized.
Eh. If you can replace someone with practically any able bodied person off the street and a week of training, it's not skilled labor.
Can you technically argue that 1 week of training equates to becoming "skilled"? Sure, but it's a dumb line to draw IMO.
It's dumb to draw any sort of line.
I think it fits the dictionary definition. Don’t you?
skill /skĭl/
noun
Proficiency, facility, or dexterity that is acquired or developed through training or experience.
"painted with great skill."
A developed talent or ability.
"improved his writing skills."
An art, trade, or technique, particularly one requiring use of the hands or body.
"the skill of glassmaking."
If anything, I'd claim that burger flipping requires more skill than item boxing.
It's a skill. Just a lower skill, as it's not that hard to learn or become good at it.
Yeah and that's what "skilled labor" means. It is about people with higher skills required for their job, skills that are in high demand. There is a huge difference between a doctor, programmer, CAD designer, and a cashier.