Good article from Detroit about the importance of education from the perspective of blue collar work:
Auto culture should embrace education without losing its grit
Walk into two parties, as I did recently -- one in an autoworker town, one in an educated upscale neighborhood outside Ann Arbor -- and you'll be greeted in different ways.
In auto town, the guests are asked: "How do you know the hostess?" or "How are you doing?" They asked about everything from family to health to current affairs.
In educated town, two women cornered me before I reached the punch bowl. Barely introducing themselves, they asked: "What do you do?" Then they grilled me on my professional credentials and my neighborhood's location.
(I've had both those conversations before...)
