Jake, you have one silly view of the world. I am a millwright in a steel mill. One of those 'mindless manufacturing' jobs. In my job, I have to be able to weld, know hydraulics, pneumatics, and a bit about electrical systems. I also have to have a fairly wide knowledge of lubricants and the applications of each. Now, as I am one of the more senior millwrights, 71 years old, I try to avoid overtime. So I will only gross a bit over 75K this year.
Any job that is mindless and repitative, a machine will do that job. That is why standard manufacturing jobs have gone away. Even the guys on the floor have to be computer adept, and if they are not quick learners, they are replaced.
White collar workes make about half what I do, and about one third of what the electricians make. Why would I want to sit at a desk, playing with a computer and a bunch of paper work when I can do work that is both physically and mentally challenging.