A moment's reflection on a shameful metaphor... As illustrated by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson in Philosophy of the Flesh and Metaphors We Live By, an examination of our language reveals our core beliefs. Sadly, if you search on the internet for "dirty hands," you find that it is a metaphor for guilt and shame in the perpetration of horrific acts.

How naive I am as a simple craftsman! I thought having dirty hands was a sign of labor and effort in wood, metal, or clay or of the planting and nurture of living things. I guess I've been hanging out with the right people, and maybe not watching enough television to fit in. The historic denigration of labor is pervasive and deeply ingrained at the core of our culture. But the greatest shame is that there are those who know nothing of the true meaning of dirty hands... service, work and creativity.