Blue Collar vs. White Collar
Blue Collar vs. White Collar
A lot of US cities — and, by default, their sports teams — are thought of as, and consider themselves to be, “blue-collar.” Pittsburgh immediately comes to mind. As do Philadelphia and Cleveland.
And then there are the “white-collar” cities. Los Angeles, Dallas. Washington, D.C. The list goes on.
But wait a second…
Is this whole blue-collar vs. white-collar thing merely a stereotype? Or is it actually rooted in facts?
Within the realm of sports — where, like I said, teams tend to take on their city’s identity — those two terms make complete sense and paint a very clear picture.
A blue-collar team will outwork you to death. What they lack in talent, they make up for in grit. A white-collar team is the opposite. Loads of talent. Superstars abound. But do they have what it takes to win the battle in the trenches?
Off the field, however, it’s not so black and white.
Because, I mean, think about it:
When you hear someone say “Los Angeles,” you picture beaches, mansions, and movie stars — which leads you to the conclusion: white-collar. And yet, the majority of LA’s residents can’t see the beach, don’t live in mansions, and definitely aren’t movie stars.
Similarly, when you hear someone say “Pittsburgh” a steel mill enters the frame; and when you hear “Philadelphia,” the Rocky theme song immediately starts playing in your head. Conclusion: BLUE-COLLAR! And yet, there are plenty of white-collar folks living in both of those cities.
And so, I ask you: What does “blue-collar” or […]