That's something I've never considered before, but Sting recently said he's glad he has a manual labor type job because it likely the current lack of male identity in today's world exists because guys don't work as much in manual labor jobs. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/28/loss-of-manual-jobs-could-be-driving-toxic-masculinity-says-sting

As if pondering that isn't deep enough, what really struck me was whether or not I'd consider being a musician as manual labor. I've had the experience of both worlds and I would say for me the answer has been no. I suppose it's really dependent on the individual and how they view themselves than anything. Would a surgeon consider himself a blue-collar, probably not, but he knows how hard it is to stand in a freezing-cold operating room, for hours on end, and can appreciate how hard a surgeon actually has to work every day. He may feel being an electrician would be a vacation.

I worked as a touring musician, and as a grunt building houses, and being a musician wasn't the same for me as construction.

The real point of Sting's theory though is the reason there's so much toxic masculinity is because there's fewer males working manual labor jobs. He's talking about males who use there hands physically on a daily basis. He then goes on to say how he's fortunate as a musician to be able to work with his hands for a living. In his mind he too works a manual job.

I'd say Sting works more as an artist, using his thinking, and his ears, and daresay his brain. He uses the gift of music to create something both material and immaterial.

I think the toxic masculinity we see today may have more to do with comparison.