Nothing happens without the physical world - molecules, atoms, electrons, etc. From bridges to microprocessors, they all require labor to bring to fruition in some fashion or another.
People who focus on using their brains in their career (e.g. Engineers, of which I am one), we figure out ways to use and manipulate the physical world to enhance the way we live. And, we are rightfully and handsomely rewarded for that. But, what should not be lost in all of that is that those who implement the objects of our creative minds are people who use their hands - and also their brains - to bring theory to market.
This has been forgotten in this day and age of outsourcing and focus on the professional sector. But, as an engineer, the way I see it is that the efforts of my intellect-centric labor (telecommmunications, in my case) would be for naught were it not for those in the trenches (literally) laying the fiber optic lines in the backbone and running data connectivity to curbs and cell towers to make it all a reality.
Near where I live, a man died from a 200 foot fall from a cell tower. It was a story in the local news so long as the helicopter had good footage. But, after that, not so much. Was this person who fell a hero? You bet. He (or she) had just as much to do with expanding broadband telecommunications access as I do. The difference being that their focus was more on labor and realizing tangible infrastructure rather than engineering know-how that drives the use of that infrastructure.
But, all the same, we're all in this together and deserve equal accolades for realizing enhanced technology.
Engineers may be different in areas of skill and knowledge per our formal training. But, we are not different in our common humanity. Our contributions are no more or no less important than those who convert knowledge to tangibles - i.e. those who apply what engineers are able to imagine and create.
Kudos to Labor.
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