My parenets always said get two "vocations", if you can't work in one work in the other. I've done it!
My read of this is that while Americans might well be a white collar society, the realization is how one excepts their longing or understanding there own issues.
If a hobby or a pleasure can become a wage earning aspect, so be it!
Some of it may be the wish for the otherside or the old what if's coming out, and they are applling themselves, again I say go for it.
The hardest things to cure is ones own evils, how they get it done well thats just a cure to for them to live, right! :roll:
I also beleive that the States that understand educational matters like those in the article and address both colligiate and technical/vocation needs, are way better of than those that don't!