I'm not a writer. I'm a craftsman. And one of three left In the US in my specialty of antique mechanism restoration. I have had my 65 years of experience dismissed, by the arrogant, the ignorant, the unknowing, and with the desultory denigration of those who feel superior, or are of the instant gratification generation... and by cheapskates who dismiss my experience with the sobriquet "you are too expensive."
This used to hurt my pride of workmanship and my earned title of "Master Craftsman."
Internally I would seethe, and develop an attitude about these customers.
Dismiss me and my skill? Dismiss my whole shop and crew with over 165 years of experience?
Demean us with your superiority, self involvement and your Youtube "knowledge"?
Please, kindly go somewhere and fuck yourself to death...
I would summarily ban them from my shop and tell my colleagues to refuse work from them.
Me and my team work in all mediums. Wood, Metal, plastics, Cad design. robotics, and artwork.
I have well over a million dollars invested in my shop.
After a few years of this, I developed an instinct about customers, based on short conversations with them about what they wanted restored, or fabricated, or designed.
Now, I decided that there was no longer a need to take all work requested, but only from those who were sincere, and would not complain about price. Now we all feel better.
We do have a laugh at the expense of the unreasonable ones. but I still reflect on some of the very personal attacks I've endured from ungrateful bastards..some injuries are slower to heal than others.
As a result of years of this abuse, we are accused of being a bunch of assholes..by some.
Many times true, when the requests are ridiculous..I try to kindly throw them out.
But other customers rave about our work and its quality. Our good ones. whom we go far above and beyond the parameters of the job for. Who we love to see..
Now we are being dismissive, sending some away, the balance of power shifting slightly.
I could rant on with anecdotes about the worst offenders, others who think we should complete the work at Amazon speed, or work for free, but this is enough..
It comes down to being secure about knowing your worth, and that the bad behavior of others is no
reflection about the authentic You. It is their defect, and you need not accept it.
This dismissal is an artifact of the "Critical Culture" of the internet, when those with no demonstrable skills except how to pound a keyboard. try to bring this online attitude to the real world.
I'm ranting...My apologies..
Get to know our own heart, with an honest evaluation of yourself, not filtered through the eyes of others. Then stand firm. It may be scary at first, but ultimately you will feel strong..
Love to all of us work actually work for a living to keep food on the table, gas in the car, and the bills paid..
Just popping in to say I appreciate your vulnerable ending. Your struggle to find a clear ending on these topics resonated with me, makes sense I think. Do we end with hope that the work is changing the world? Do we end with acknowledging the ongoing ways the systems seeks to ignore and erase our visibilities as BIPOC, queer and disabled people? I never know. But I like what you did here.
I'm not a writer. I'm a craftsman. And one of three left In the US in my specialty of antique mechanism restoration. I have had my 65 years of experience dismissed, by the arrogant, the ignorant, the unknowing, and with the desultory denigration of those who feel superior, or are of the instant gratification generation... and by cheapskates who dismiss my experience with the sobriquet "you are too expensive."
This used to hurt my pride of workmanship and my earned title of "Master Craftsman."
Internally I would seethe, and develop an attitude about these customers.
Dismiss me and my skill? Dismiss my whole shop and crew with over 165 years of experience?
Demean us with your superiority, self involvement and your Youtube "knowledge"?
Please, kindly go somewhere and fuck yourself to death...
I would summarily ban them from my shop and tell my colleagues to refuse work from them.
Me and my team work in all mediums. Wood, Metal, plastics, Cad design. robotics, and artwork.
I have well over a million dollars invested in my shop.
After a few years of this, I developed an instinct about customers, based on short conversations with them about what they wanted restored, or fabricated, or designed.
Now, I decided that there was no longer a need to take all work requested, but only from those who were sincere, and would not complain about price. Now we all feel better.
We do have a laugh at the expense of the unreasonable ones. but I still reflect on some of the very personal attacks I've endured from ungrateful bastards..some injuries are slower to heal than others.
As a result of years of this abuse, we are accused of being a bunch of assholes..by some.
Many times true, when the requests are ridiculous..I try to kindly throw them out.
But other customers rave about our work and its quality. Our good ones. whom we go far above and beyond the parameters of the job for. Who we love to see..
Now we are being dismissive, sending some away, the balance of power shifting slightly.
I could rant on with anecdotes about the worst offenders, others who think we should complete the work at Amazon speed, or work for free, but this is enough..
It comes down to being secure about knowing your worth, and that the bad behavior of others is no
reflection about the authentic You. It is their defect, and you need not accept it.
This dismissal is an artifact of the "Critical Culture" of the internet, when those with no demonstrable skills except how to pound a keyboard. try to bring this online attitude to the real world.
I'm ranting...My apologies..
Get to know our own heart, with an honest evaluation of yourself, not filtered through the eyes of others. Then stand firm. It may be scary at first, but ultimately you will feel strong..
Love to all of us work actually work for a living to keep food on the table, gas in the car, and the bills paid..
An Old Guy
Just popping in to say I appreciate your vulnerable ending. Your struggle to find a clear ending on these topics resonated with me, makes sense I think. Do we end with hope that the work is changing the world? Do we end with acknowledging the ongoing ways the systems seeks to ignore and erase our visibilities as BIPOC, queer and disabled people? I never know. But I like what you did here.