Confessions and professions
I have a confession. I prefer dirty men. Yep, give me a blue collar guy any day over a starched white collar hero any day. Not that there are not some areas that are in the middle, there are. Like security specialist (that icon of RomSus) or even Police officers, etc. Those types of professions I don’t normally associate with any collar, actually. Hmm, that group needs a name. Let’s call them the middle men for sake of argument.
Now, I get the appeal of white collar dudes, I do. I have written a few. There is something soothing about a guy sitting in an office, making deals, making money (face it, the $$$ is what white collar is about), the thrill of the legal and business game. These men are lawyers, business tycoons, leaders of industry, the historical viscount, etc.
I get all that.These men are usually very intelligent, somewhat ruthless and have shark-like instincts. They hold power like a sword and wield it with razor-sharp precision. Good hero characteristics if you don’t make them dull as dishwater or an alphahole.
The Middle Men bridge the gap between the stuffed shirts and common man. They are not so out of reach as to be unattainable but they are a not the everyday Joe. They often are required to have a great body to do their jobs but they are not the kind that come home daily sweaty and grease stained.
They are in command(shades of white collar) but have to do the work themselves (blue collar). They are often the saviors of the day. Firemen, police officers, body guards, etc make up this delectable group. This is a nice balance and I think a greater number of heroes fall into this category.
Still at the end of the day, I prefer those men who have worked with their hands. The salt of the earth type, if you will. A blue collar guys knows his worth and his value isn’t attached to his bank statement. He isn’t afraid to get his clothes dirty to help out a stranger, and sometimes gets kicked in the teeth by daily life.
His hands are rough, he drinks beer not wine and may have told an off-color joke or two in his life. He is approachable, understood and attainable… and yummy. He is the farmer, the mechanic, the logger, the construction dude.
What ‘class’ of hero do you prefer?
First of all, I just have to call you out and say, NOT FAIR! Displaying all the blue collar guys in half-naked chesty poses? Firemen and mechanics are no more likely to stand around the workplace without shirts on than CEOs and computer geeks.
I have to put in my vote for the white collar hero. The power, the jettsetting,the suit — especially when that one button is undone at the neck. *shivers* Like you, I appreciate the down to earth, get his hands dirty sort of guy, but I’m a sucker for the board room and the cool sophistication of the white collar alpha, with his manliness just simmering below the pinstripes ready to be unleashed.
Blue collar all the way. Most of my heroes have been them. My latest in Untouched to be released with Liquid Silver is a Jungle Guide. He’s hot and sweaty most of the time. : – )
Feel free to share pictures of gorgeous white collar men. I can withstand that hardship.
Without a doubt, it’s the blue collar guys that get my blood racing. They definitely have the lion’s share of blatant testosterone. Men who have to get out and earn a living by busting their butts physically have been tried and tested and forged in fire; they are survivors. White collar men, on the other hand, are largely untried. They may have a good deal of manliness lurking beneath the surface—and they may not. There’s no way to know, because they haven’t proven themselves in the primal, male ways that make me sit up and take notice. The “middle men” are very nice too; again, they’ve thrown themselves out on that machoistic proving ground whereas white collar men have not.
I look at it like this. If my life is in immediate, physical danger, who do I want at my side to protect me? Who do I run to? The blue collar guy, every time.
And I’m sure I’m somewhat biased. I married a blue collar man who happens to be an intriguing mixture of two types. He’s a construction guy, and he’s also a drummer in a band. (Do drummers fit into the blue collar group??)
I dunno… I’m a sucker for professors, accountants and other “white-collar” types. I mean, my hubby is a perfect example – he’s sexy as all hell (to me, at least) when he’s all dressed up in his button down shirt and dress slacks, highly polished shoes and eyeglasses… (People mistake him for a professor all the time, too.)
Then again, he doesn’t understand why I go nuts when he’s just back from a bike ride, all hot and sweaty and – yeah – dirty! LOL!
Ooh…jungle guide. Nice.
Let me grace you all with my long time crush, Noah Wyle aka Dr. John Carter. Also majorly yummy playing Steve Jobs.
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=noah+wyle&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=Apf-S8D2MpzAMpGavDs&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CEcQsAQwAw
Okay…I’ve thought long and hard on this. I like them all as long as they have some kind of …dirty past. No men from privilege for me. I want them textured, some rough edges or toughness to them.
I will say there is something about those middle men (I am married to a special agent). The ones that have the polish but can crack a few skulls along the way.
I like them all.
Depends. I like the board room aggression of some white-collar guys, the geek-hot of some technical white collar heroes, the crossover appeal of the middle men, and the earthy reality of the blue collar hero. I can love any hero- provided he is well written.