Most of my professional life I’ve been an Automotive Mechanic, with an occasional departure into to the fields of Machinist and Fabricator. When I started out, any of the three were respectable trades to enter. Since then, public opinion, and with it mine, has changed. Not my opinion of whether being an Auto Mechanic is a respectable pursuit, it is. Just my opinion about whether it’s worth my time to pursue. It doesn’t seem to pay a living wage any more, and it doesn’t pay off in terms of respect either.
Time was when an owner had a personal, working relationship with their mechanic; sort of like the one most people have with their doctor. Not anymore. Used to be most mechanics actually kept records of the worked performed on the customers cars over time, sort of like a doctor does, and for the same reasons too. Not anymore.
But what am I saying? It also used to be a Policeman would pull someone over when they saw that someone doing something wrong. Now the police pull motorists over because they don’t see a safety harness, or on the claim a tail or license plate light is out. Of course the police used to work on the assumption that people were law abiding citizens until they saw something happen to indicate otherwise; or, if they did make a stop over a light out it was to inform the driver of the problem, not to check out the registration and insurance status. Those paper infractions were never a primary issue. Actual, physical, safety was.
Used to be a policeman held a well respected position in the community. Not anymore.
What makes things so different now?
Ask your Legislature.