Is there still a social stigma of the men and women who go to sea today?
I write this from a boomer perspective, and I wonder if today's generations are still faced with the same.
A social stigma is the disapproval of, or discrimination against, a person based on perceivable social characteristics that serve to distinguish them from other members of a society. Social stigmas are commonly related to culture, gender, race, intelligence, and health.
Throughout life, with the many people I've met I think I can say this stigma exists. For some reason society's general perception of a person who has gone to sea is still the same.. So many of these landlubbers have absolutely no idea what a member of the merchant marine does...its astonishing.
We all know that we are highly trained and regulated professionals and we all know we sacrifice a huge portion of our lives to make a living on the sea more often than not to provide for our families at home. Isn't that a testament of life, the desire to take care of those we love?
I believe with most certainty that most of us who go to sea or have gone to sea take great pride in our work and our career. There are so many different talented people at sea, and most lead interesting lives ashore too!
Deepseadreams.com is a place where you can find a tee to express the work you do, the experiences you've had and the life you live.This is why I created my shop and why I continue to explore new tee's and designs. We have something to say.
Fair winds and following seas
Keith