i work in an place that sells to contractors. I would not let 90% of these
fool even in my house..... most can't even read a tape measure.

What a bunch of hateful drivel.

Well put if your looking at it with your shitty jaded view of it all. ( somehow i doubt you have seen the full real picture of constriction and Im also employed in construction and the trades. i fully and emphatically DISAGREE with your view from the "victims" seat.

Yes, you are correct. The worst part of construction work is all the interpersonal bullshit. Much of this is informed by the often dangerous nature of the work and a macho male culture that doesn't allow people to express fear or concern. I've seen men impaled, crushed, backs and other bones broken, cut, set on fire, electrocuted, shot with nailguns, hit by exploding tension cables, etc. The work creates the same sort of background tension you feel when driving in sketchy traffic -- something that might be routine for you, but that nonetheless makes you more aggressive and reactive while you're enduring it. The physical work itself drives up blood serum testosterone levels and heightens the demand for food energy, which is often plugged with low quality food and loads of caffeine. Many workers have enduring pain issues -- back, shoulder, knee, whatever. Addiction is common. And, of course, the weather conditions can often be abhorrent -- the last little while my hands were just f'n frozen all the time, only thawing occasionally to that awful thaw-itch that if you know what it is, you just cringed.

But, it's not a bullshit job. If you actually shut your mouth and pay attention to your craft, however lowly, you have the satisfaction of knowing that whatever calamity might befall humankind, you have a real skill that will always be needed. Most service jobs are socializing masked as a productive activity aka bullshit jobs.

Wtf is it with you? Do you honestly think a bunch of construction workers care what you think?

There are literally 5 percent decent folk who work in the trades. The rest are exactly as you described. Safety officers get bullied just because some jerk doesn't want to wear something as simple as a hard hat.

I dunno.. I am a red seal carpenter myself.. I haven't worked in new construction in years, as now I have a gov maintenance job, and was a self employed carpenter- doing remodeling jobs for homeowners, for years before that.

I wouldn't want to do construction decade after decade, that's for sure.. unless its interior finishing carpentry.but I do love my trade and finishing work.

I worked with guys like you described, and on some sites with a toxic environment. But I also worked on good sites, and made some really good buddies in my twenties working away on building sites. The majority were just average, clean cut dudes with no addiction issues. Most are married with children now, and work hard to provide for their families. The ex con drug addict element was certainly a minority, unless you talk about unskilled labourers.

You work in a place that sells to contractors, and claim that most can't read a tape measure?

I'd love to have you work with me for a day, just to see how skilled you are. My guess is you dont know how to do much of anything hands on, let alone do a major project on your own. Then here you are, bad mouthing the people that actually do the work, and support the business that employs you. Try not being so judgemental, I dont judge sales guys who talk the talk, but I know after speaking to them, that they would be at a first year apprentice level on a site.

You realize that all buildings pass Gov inspection, right? The ones with paper thin walls and ceilings that cost about 1 million too. The builders are the least of the worries, the standards of acceptable construction are abhorrent. For that, blame the Gov.