--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need people who can actually do…" description: "\"We need people who can actually do things. We have too many bosses and too few workers. More college graduates ought to become plumbers or electricians..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/andy-rooney-1253_boss_we-need-people-who-can-actually-do-thing_1479042.png" --- # We need people who can actually do things. We have too… ![“We need people who can actually do things. We have too many bosses and too few workers. More college graduates ought to become plumbers or electricians, then go home at night and read Shakespeare.” quote by Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/andy-rooney-1253_boss_we-need-people-who-can-actually-do-thing_1479042.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/andy-rooney-1253_boss_we-need-people-who-can-actually-do-thing_1479042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/822/andy-rooney-1253_boss_we-need-people-who-can-actually-do-thing_1479042.png) > “We need people who can actually do things. We have too many bosses and too few workers. More college graduates ought to become plumbers or electricians, then go home at night and read Shakespeare.” [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that society overvalues managerial roles and underutilizes practical trades, suggesting a shift toward skilled labor and cultural enrichment. **In simple terms:** Society needs more skilled workers, not just managers. Key Takeaway Encourage practical trades and lifelong learning. Themes workforce education skill development culture balance Mood critical reflective Type social commentary advice When to use this quote - career counseling - education policy - personal development - community planning Key Concepts vocational training social critique human potential Questions to Reflect On - How can we value trade skills equally? - What barriers prevent graduates from entering trades? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on academic credentials can ignore other talents. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-graduates/) [Electrician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electrician/) [Electricians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electricians-318143/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Graduates Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates-ought-5386370/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-people/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Plumbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-plumbers-2008381/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plumber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plumber/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [All I do know, for certain, after 53 years in this business, is that writers who sincerely think that their language can represent reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-sorrentino/all-i-do-know-for-certain-after-53-years-in-this-business-is-that/) [Gilbert Sorrentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-sorrentino/) > [If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, tree surgeons debarked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/if-lawyers-are-disbarred-and-clergymen-defrocked-doesn-t-it-follow/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [We are more casual about qualifying the people we allow to act as advocates in the courtroom than we are about licensing electricians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-e-burger/we-are-more-casual-about-qualifying-the-people-we-allow-to-act-as/) [Warren E. Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-e-burger/) > [Grips and electricians have done more to help me shoot good movies than any other craft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/grips-and-electricians-have-done-more-to-help-me-shoot-good-movies/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [My heroes are the camera crew and the electricians. They work such long hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/my-heroes-are-the-camera-crew-and-the-electricians-they-work-such/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [My father was a guy most comfortable in the company of bricklayers and carpenters and electricians. And I have a lot of that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/my-father-was-a-guy-most-comfortable-in-the-company-of-bricklayers/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-lawyers-are-disbarred-and-clergymen-defrocked-doesn-t-it-follow-2/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [My mothers dad dropped out of the eighth grade to work. He had to. By the time he was 30, he was a master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/my-mothers-dad-dropped-out-of-the-eighth-grade-to-work-he-had-to-by/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [Ninety percent of my best friends back home are plumbers, electricians, builders, or landscapers. Most of our dads worked in trades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/ninety-percent-of-my-best-friends-back-home-are-plumbers-electricians/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [With chefs, the problem is we have to be very confident because people are looking at us for that. So pretty soon, you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mina/with-chefs-the-problem-is-we-have-to-be-very-confident-because-people/) [Michael Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mina/) > [We have to be plumbers, electricians, construction engineers, or workers, on the space station, but at the same time running a laboratory, being scientists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-marshburn/we-have-to-be-plumbers-electricians-construction-engineers-or-workers/) [Thomas Marshburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-marshburn/) > [Everybody, every tradesman that worked for Shafin or built my house got fully paid, well paid. Everybody got paid. I would like that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-filan/everybody-every-tradesman-that-worked-for-shafin-or-built-my-house/) [Shane Filan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-filan/) > [I come from a blue collar family, but my personal life isn't. I didn't get the gene that my grandfather had in spades. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rowe/i-come-from-a-blue-collar-family-but-my-personal-life-isn-t-i-didn-t/) [Mike Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-rowe/) > [I'm a working-class former apprentice electrician; at the age of 14, if you'd told me I would one day be standing on a stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gordon-sinclair/i-m-a-working-class-former-apprentice-electrician-at-the-age-of-14-if/) [John Gordon Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gordon-sinclair/) > [I know when I'm not dancing, and I go home, I usually work with my dad, who's an electrician. So I do stuff like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-macmanus/i-know-when-i-m-not-dancing-and-i-go-home-i-usually-work-with-my-dad/) [Tristan MacManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-macmanus/) ## More by Andy Rooney > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Almost all of us have an elevator or two in our lives somewhere. We wait for them, we ride on them. We're annoyed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/almost-all-of-us-have-an-elevator-or-two-in-our-lives-somewhere-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Last night we had three small zucchini for dinner that were grown within fifty feet of our back door. I estimate they cost somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/last-night-we-had-three-small-zucchini-for-dinner-that-were-grown/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Sooner or later the world will have to return to the good old days when we fought wars and killed people the old-fashioned way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/sooner-or-later-the-world-will-have-to-return-to-the-good-old-days/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-no-matter-how-serious-your-life-requires-you-to-be/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Unfortunately, propaganda works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/unfortunately-propaganda-works/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-re-almost-always-better-off-keeping-your-mouth-shut-but-don-t-let/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [The fastest thing computers do is go obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/the-fastest-thing-computers-do-is-go-obsolete/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Every one starts out being an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/every-one-starts-out-being-an-atheist/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [As an old reporter, we have a few secrets, and the first thing is we try the phone book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/as-an-old-reporter-we-have-a-few-secrets-and-the-first-thing-is-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-it-s-those-small-daily-happenings-that-make-life-so/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [... all of us talk faster than we listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/all-of-us-talk-faster-than-we-listen/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You can't be a good writer without being a good thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-can-t-be-a-good-writer-without-being-a-good-thinker/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [A great many people do not have the right to their own opinion because they don't know what they are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/a-great-many-people-do-not-have-the-right-to-their-own-opinion/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) [Explore all 264 Andy Rooney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## More Boss quotes > [ME AND SUMMER GUNNA BE MOVING IN TOGETHER HELL YA ITS GUNNA BE BOSS!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/me-and-summer-gunna-be-moving-in-together-hell-ya-its-gunna-be-boss/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/) [Stephen Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henning/) > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [It is reassuring for people to feel they have a boss, someone who knows the answers and has charted the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/it-is-reassuring-for-people-to-feel-they-have-a-boss-someone-who/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [I don't have a boss or PR person, so I'm accountable to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/i-don-t-have-a-boss-or-pr-person-so-i-m-accountable-to-no-one/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [ I remember Robin \[Williams\] walked up to me after the last take and said, "Thanks boss! We nailed it!" That will probably be one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/i-remember-robin-williams-walked-up-to-me-after-the-last-take-and/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Your manager is your boss and tells you what to do, what to wear and who to be, so our relationship changed. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/your-manager-is-your-boss-and-tells-you-what-to-do-what-to-wear-and/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. I take everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-kerr/when-i-get-home-i-m-not-the-boss-like-i-am-at-work-i-slip-into-a-more/) [Miranda Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-kerr/) > [I can't say it was challenging for me to shake the image of Frasier. I've been fortunate to have had a very interesting career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-can-t-say-it-was-challenging-for-me-to-shake-the-image-of-frasier-i/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Take lack of candor. ... I'm not talking about boldface lying, but a tendency to withhold information. That behavior is far more common, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/take-lack-of-candor-i-m-not-talking-about-boldface-lying-but-a/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“Pizza as a reward at work, gotta love it. Personally, I'd rather have that than a raise. Give me a pizza, boss, and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/pizza-as-a-reward-at-work-gotta-love-it-personally-i-d-rather-have/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Let me spell it out: with the psychotic boss, nothing you do is ever quite right. They set traps, asking you to do things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/let-me-spell-it-out-with-the-psychotic-boss-nothing-you-do-is-ever/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) [Browse all 1,833 Boss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We need people who can actually do things. We have too many bosses and too few workers. 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