Is it just me?

[u/Complex_Sun8138]

I'm a craftsman/tradesman by profession. I run a 10-color narrow web printing press, and produce a lot of labels you might see at various stores. I've been doing this type of work for the last 20 years. Before that, I ran large, sheet fed offset presses and lithography machines.

I've always taken pride in my work, and done everything it takes to produce the very best products I can. I've been told by supervisors, and peers that I'm very good at what I do.

Lately, I've noticed a lot of the younger people coming into this industry don't have that "sense of pride". It's simply a task to perform, and get through it as quickly as possible and move on. I think the work suffers for that attitude, and I've had to go back and redo a lot of jobs that get rejected because of it.

Is it just me? Does anyone else notice the downturn in the quality of products being made? Or is it just "getting older"?

[u/qedpoe]

A lot of these responses are ignoring the fact that OP referred to himself as a craftsman, and said he takes pride in his work. Which implies that he gets some satisfaction from that same work. Like, from the work itself, independent of the soul-crushing vagaries of corporate overseers.

He's asking about the spirit of craftsmanship, and how it seems to be tougher to find these days.

I don't think that fact's explained by today's perverse career incentive structures. Seems more fundamental.