Across the nation, working class and “blue collar” individuals are looked down upon as if they are inferior to everyone else in society. The term working class defines a large group of employees in our country who do not have a completed college degree. In the summary 'Mike Rose's Blue-Collar Brilliance' the essay reveals how Rose raises the idea that the working class acquires knowledge and skills by working with their hands, something that most college graduates will never do. Rose uses her mother to counter the common belief that a factory worker is not as smart or capable of performing tasks as someone who has a college degree. The working class deserves respect and recognition for the tasks it carries out every day and should demand nothing less than the highest appreciation from the rest of society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Unraveling the Most Common Misconception in “Blue-Collar Brilliance” A college degree is like a key to unlock every door in America, no matter what degree is. The degree could be something as complex as aeronautical science or as common as a business degree. As long as you say “I graduated” and go through any university, you are automatically seen as intelligent and superior to those who didn't graduate. But what about those who can't say "I graduated"? Whether for academic, economic, or more personal reasons, many Americans don't go to college and go straight into the workforce to earn money. Mike Rose's mother, along with mine, didn't go to college and didn't earn the fancy "key" to every door. Rose's mother “dropped out of school in seventh grade,” while my mother completed only one or two classes at Columbus State Community College. Once begging for their careers in physical labor, our mothers worked long hours and many days, while others were pursuing degrees at various universities. Planning and problem solving are the two most important traits anyone can have. The working class is forced to acquire these characteristics in order to carry out their work. Most great entrepreneurs see a problem on a piece of paper and think of a way to solve it, from the comfort of their fancy office chair. Workers are forced to solve problems “in the real-time workflow, with all its confusion and social complexity.” The working class must solve problems in the workplace, they must be able to think on their feet. They don't have the luxury of thinking about ideas all day and asking others for their opinions. They must follow their instincts and hope that the years of observation, training and work will not fail them in whatever situation they face. The working class is better at solving problems than those who run companies. My mother, along with Rose's mother, worked in a restaurant after not completing school and began to learn the ins and outs of "work [that] requires... both body and brain." My mother she attended Delaware Hayes High School where she struggled with academics and gave birth to my older brother. She had to start working to support herself and her newborn son, forcing her to put school on the back burner to attend college because she had to support a child. Rose's mother did something very similar, she dropped out to "raise her brothers and sisters." work at school. Men and women all over the country.