Blixa Scott è una giovane e brillante avvocatessa americana con un ottimo stipendio ed un lavoro qualificato in un prestigioso studio legale. Una classica protagonista da telefilm americano, insomma. Ha però un'anomalia: ai colleghi ed agli uomini che frequentano il suo ambiente lavorativo, continua a preferire il suo attuale compagno, un lavoratore manuale poco istruito, che svolge una professione ripetitiva, per nulla eccitante e pure sottopagata: in poche parole, un giovane (ce ne sono ancora) della "working-class".
Blixa sa di contravvenire alla vecchia consuetudine che vede la giovane donna chiamata a scegliere il proprio partner tra i giovani che hanno uno status sociale, uno stipendio ed un livello di istruzione almeno simile, o meglio superiore, rispetto al suo (meglio ancora se è un principe). E colleghi, amici e familiari, non mancano certo di farglielo notare offrendo anche le loro interpretazioni di questa anomalia: su tutte, una mancanza latente di autostima e self-confidence, la volontà di dominare il partner ("più toy-boy che boyfriend") e i residui di quella tensione adolescenziale alla ribellione ed alla sterile rottura degli schemi.
A queste congetture, Blixa Scott ha risposto con una sorta di manifesto in cui riassume le tre principali ragioni per cui, ad un giovane colletto bianco in carriera, preferisce e continuerà a preferire un colletto blu, un giovane della working-class. L'articolo completo, lo trovate (in inglese) su Alternet (3 Huge Reason I'd Rather Be With My Working-Class Boyfriend Than a Rich Guy).
Eccone alcuni estratti.
1. He’s fun.
The nature of my boyfriend’s work gives him the freedom to let loose and be himself in a way that that many professionals just can’t afford to do, and that makes him far better company. Because success in a white-collar office is essentially a matter of public relations, professional life has an unfortunate tendency to whitewash one’s personality and homogenize one’s lifestyle. In my office, if an ambitious professional hopes to rise up the ranks, he must set about grooming his image to appeal to his superiors and clients. He must partake of appropriate hobbies, espouse acceptable political positions, and generally refrain from conduct that might mark him in any way as unconventional. (...) Every so often, we’re required to attend a work-related charity auction or dinner party, and these affairs usually manage to be both dull and stressful. They’re always predictable: the guests will almost all be couples (single people are looked on with suspicion). Among those who drink, they will have a maximum of two glasses of wine or upscale beer (never hard liquor). The conversations will consist of the following topics: work, home-improvement projects, recent vacations, marathon or triathlon training, the newest technological gadgets, and recent news items that are acceptably non-controversial. By 11:00, everyone will agree that they’re exhausted and will retire home to watch TiVo and analyze the social dynamics of the evening. In contrast, when I get together for dinner with my boyfriend’s working class crowd, it’s a party. There will be heated discussions of religion, politics, and sex. There will be story-telling that has everyone crying with laughter. Secrets will be spilled. Someone will declare that it’s time for a round of shots. Someone will embarrass themselves, which will provide a good story for the next time. Some people will bow out early, but others will keep going until two or three in the morning.
2. He’s happy.
My job is good for generating income, but it’s not particularly good at generating happiness. Lawyers are a notoriously miserable bunch. The long hours, solitary work, and necessity of tracking your time in six-minute increments produce enormous stress. And there are several good reasons why his working-class lifestyle produces more happiness. First, because he’s paid by the hour, there’s no taking work home. When he’s off the clock, he’s free. He isn’t expected to constantly check his email or field conference calls. He doesn’t have to go in on the weekend to impress his boss (and if he did, he would get overtime, not just brownie points). In general, he doesn’t worry about work unless he’s working. His time is his own. Second, when he gets home from work, he may be physically tired, but he’s mentally charged. There’s a big difference between the kind of physical exhaustion he feels, which is often easily remedied by a big meal, and the more pernicious mental exhaustion I experience. Third, he enjoys a deep sense of camaraderie with the men he works with, which is healthier than the competitive social environment of my office.3. He’s sexy.
This one is simple: a physical job leads to a great physique. I used to wonder how he could maintain such a great body without ever doing exercise, until he reminded me that he does slow but steady exercise all day long. He has no reason to go to the gym when he spends eight hours every day squatting, climbing, and lifting. My boyfriend doesn’t have to face the choice between hours of leisure time spent exercising or physical decline. His work naturally keeps him fit. And his particular brand of fitness seems functional and balanced in a way that’s both alluring and difficult to replicate by pumping iron or hitting the running track. For this, once again, I have his job to thank.
Il pezzo completo su Alternet
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