Tyler Voorhees

Hunters and Gatherers, Farmers and Fishermen, Merchants and Midwives, Lamplighters and Cobblers, Machinists and Milkmen, Programmers and Policemen The work we do feeds us, the work we do can fulfill us, and the work we do can destroy us. But most importantly, the work we do largely defines us. Since the dawn of civilization, communities have been divided into various roles, all serving their individual purpose and all contributing to the success of the group. The hunters hunt the meat and the gatherers gather the berries. The merchants trade goods and the midwives deliver babies. The lamplighters light lamps and the cobblers make shoes. These roles have evolved over thousands of years into modern jobs and our job title is often the first thing that we tell people about ourselves when making introductions, a sign of its fundamental importance to our self-identity. In The Jobs of Yesteryear, I examine the history of the worker and how those roles in society have gradually shifted over time. In looking at how the work we do has changed, I promote discourse into how our collective identity has also evolved. The work we do is always changing and by studying The Jobs of Yesteryear can we effectively envision the workers of tomorrow.