“Blue-Collar Brilliance” by Mike Rosie Critique
Mike Rosie in his “Blue-Collar Brilliance” tries to convince reader that working-class is underestimated, however he only partly succeeds in this, since his argument sometimes includes logical discrepancy. Central issue of the text is that working-class, that more often does not have high education, is unfairly discriminated, since physical labor is perceived as simple and that does not require mental effort. In fact, there was luck of credible evidence to fully persuade reader, author also sever times used arguments and sentences that include logical fallacies like emotionally-overloaded terms, biased attitude to the topic, faulty cause and effect, reasoning and incorrect logical conclusions. That is why, after detailed analyze of the “Blue-Collar Brilliance” it could be stated that author failed in attempt to convince the reader in his opinion.
All Mike Rosie’s arguments are largely derive from his personal experience and from the examples that could not be generalized to the whole working class. First half of the text is almost entirely devoted to the consideration of his mother’s and uncle’s experience, both of whom are belong to working class. He tries to convince reader that his mother Rosie is not only good waitress, but also physiologist who “adept at reading social cues” (Rosie, 274) and his uncle Joe not only factory worker, but also specialist it “budgets and management” (Rosie, 277). First of all, it could not be said that this two examples are depict situation of every work-class worker. Secondly, writer’s assumption is could not be perceived as objective, such both examples are refer to his close family. That is why, Mike Rosie opinion may be considered as correct only partly as it is biased and groundlessly generalized. It also should be mentioned that throughout the text Mike Rosie uses faulty cause and effect. In both examples, of his mother and his uncle, he said that despite the fact that their work is perceived as routine they gain new skills and knowledge every day. In case of his mother “There isn't a day that goes by in the restaurant that you don't learn something” and in example of his uncle factory is “a place where you're constantly learning” (Rosie, 276). But in fact the cause that they are learn something does not necessarily has effect on their intelligence or intellectual, since their experience can be considered as a regular knowledge that even unemployed person could get from everyday life.
In fact, experience and knowledge that this two people are gained is too exaggerated and could not be compared with experience that scientist or physician get on their work. So, it could be said that author does not fairly equate experience of the working-class and white collars and go into fault cause and effect.Another logical fallacy that appears in “Blue-Collar Brilliance” text is reasoning, as author does not broadly look on the reasons of work-class’s underestimation. What Mike Rosie wants to say is that unfair treatment of the blue-collars is …
