Why do people think manufacturing is the only source of true wealth?

I've seen this comment many times here from people biased against service industries. I think it's obvious nonsense. How would you defend that statement? If manufacturing creates wealth, why doesn't providing a service do the same? Explain!Why do people think manufacturing is the only source of true wealth?
I think people are just afraid of change. However, I dont think people really realize that the average service sector job pays more then the average manufacturing job. I find it ironic that that political party in the US that gives itself the title of ';Progressive';, is the one most resistant to evolution and transition in the economy, and supports protectionism and preserving the old industrial base.





What most people dont get is that a service economy isnt just retail and fast food. It includes, doctors and other medical personal, lawyers, business consultants, wealth managment and investment services, information technology, education, research and developement, engineering services, entertainment, media development and so on. Personaly, my econ analyst job is considered a service sector job.





There is a reason why the most advanced economies in the world have larger relative service sectors. I find the current nestagia for manufactoring that creaps its way into political debate to be quite similar to the 1800s where there were those that complained that manufacturing was replacing our traditional agriculture economy, and that would lead to the downfall of the nation. It was argued that production based on land was essential to wealth. This is very similar to people now arguing that producing goods is key to wealth.





Looking back though, I highly doubt there are many that would now argue that we should have put policy in place to restrict manufactruing in order to keep all of our low productivity substidance farms. Restricting the current change now would be just as damaging, and will only lower our future standard of living.





What people also dont realize is that the US is the lagest gross and net exporter of services in the world. Also, despite being smaller as a ratio of the economy then it has in the past, and a smaller portion of employment, the US still has the highest industrial output of any country in the world and is the second largest gross exporter, after Germany (Not China). Its just that we dont see US manufacturing in our daily lives on little tags, because we no longer produce low skill manufactured consumer products. We make aircraft, construction equipment, cars, biotechnolgy, high end electronics, software, chemicals, industrial machinery, and so on. And on a dollar basis, you can import a lot of cheap plastic junk in return for exporting one Boeing 747.Why do people think manufacturing is the only source of true wealth?
Well personally if my budget needed some tweaking.. and I had to pick between a service or a good to cut from my spending, I would cut the service first.





I think manufacturing makes people think of invention. It is a theory (sorry can't recall the name) that a nation must perpetually invent new things to stay on top in the world. Take the calculator or TV.. when first invented it was pricy.. then it got a little cheaper.. then the inventing country actually ends up importing the good they themselves invented. With service industry there isn't much to invent from my point of view. They can develop new ways to advertise or new ways to make people desire more services but it is limited. The only room to grow is to become a better salesman.. who here actually like salesmen?





Even the service industry is getting outsourced to some degree. When you call for service on your computer, is it someone from India or the US?
Well, I would tend to lean towards the idea that the service industry is relatively new. Yes there have been people providing services for everything for a long time, however, not an industry. There's a strong sentiment (in the U.S. at least) that families should be able to provide everything one needs. Although I do believe that families usually have the most to offer, there are obviously many people who do not have healthy family relationships, or the problem they are seeking attention for does not go over well with family members.


A lot of it also, I think, has to do with one's political idealogy. Conservatives generally lean towards more of a traditional way of making a living, where as liberals often are interested in new ways of thinking.