It's in the Code ep 186: “Blue Collar or Bust”

In this episode of 'It's in the Code,' Dan Miller critically examines Senator Josh Hawley's book on masculinity, focusing on Hawley's chapter titled 'Builder' and his idealization of blue-collar work as the essence of authentic manhood. Miller argues that Hawley's vision is not only ideologically driven but deeply rooted in a right-wing mythos that conflates masculinity with physical labor, dismisses white-collar professions as inherently less valuable, and frames economic shifts as a deliberate attack by the 'left' on men. He highlights how Hawley's rhetoric ignores structural economic realities like automation and outsourcing, instead attributing declining male employment to ideological sabotage. Miller further critiques Hawley's selective and often inaccurate biblical interpretations, showing how he distorts scripture—such as the story of Adam and the Exodus—to justify a capitalist, patriarchal worldview. The episode reveals how Hawley’s discourse serves to uphold elite power structures under the guise of defending working-class men, ultimately exposing a performative and elitist hypocrisy. Miller concludes by setting up the next episode, which will explore how Hawley’s rhetoric protects the interests of the very elite he claims to champion. Key takeaways include: 1) Blue-collar work is mythologized as the only authentic form of masculinity, while white-collar work is devalued as 'feminized'; 2) Hawley’s biblical arguments are weak and selective, serving ideology more than theology; 3) Climate change is dismissed as a 'left-wing conspiracy' to undermine male dignity; 4) The idea that men must work endlessly to prove their worth reflects a predatory labor model; and 5) Hawley’s vision is less about helping workers and more about preserving elite power and social hierarchy.