I find it amazing that finance, sales, etc are held in such high regard when it’s science and technology that advance society.
I mention farming below. Plumbing, well depends on population. We can shit in the field like we did for millennia. It’s just fertilizer.
Also a Cholera breeding ground. Which is why for centuries more people died in cities than were born, despite having no access to contraception.
Most scientific and engineering skills would also be useless if civilization collapses. For example, I am a scientific software developer. Most of my work has been for medical research, which is something people tend to respect. However, I wouldn’t be able to do anything useful with numerical modelling in a survival situation. My limited skills as an amateur home renovator would be far more relevant.
To be fair, most professions that would be needed to survive in an apocalypse or rebuild society, aren’t things that an already functioning modern society can support everyone doing anyway. We need farmers and carpenters and such, but we don’t need so many as to have openings for a majority of the population to be them, these days.
Yes, but then it doesn’t seem fair to pick on the executive international sales and marketing analyst.
I agree with the rebuilding civilization from scratch part, but it’s still what advances society.
*In this case, what will advance society is farming equipment. Machining science.
It’s a bit like Maslows hierarchy of needs. First we need food and water and plumbing. When we are secure in those needs, society can take the next step. But the basis of security must be there before advancement
