A Few Words on Evolution and Corporate America
I remember passing by some boutique a few years ago and seeing a t-shirt with the following picture: (Note I had to remove this link as it is dead and went to a porn site. It was a pic of man evolving to sitting at a computer. Sorry about the porn-dd 6/28/07) That image stayed in my head and I'm thinking of it right now. In fact I've been thinking about it quite a bit lately.
While, it is a comical take on the evolution theory. It is also very serious and true. Whether or not you believe in Adam and Eve or the Big Bang, or whatever the pundits are preaching these days, man has indeed evolved into a sitting position. We begin our lives in a warm, happy, safe bubble called a womb. Once we are out of the womb we are left to fend for ourselves. No umbilical cord can feed us automatically. Once our little eyes open to the brightness of the sun, there is no going back.
And so we go on and on, learning how to scream, crawl, walk, speak, poop, pee, hit, sleep and learn. And as humans we do nothing but learn everyday; hell every second. I do believe that. But as the picture demonstrates what does it all mean by the time we get to the chair and the computer?
We've learned to be slaves to technology. Slaves to progress. Slaves to the Corporate system. Corporate America folks. Yes that branch of the life tree that just sticks out and shades the living from the beauty of the world. Sure leaves fall off and naturally recycle themselves into the earth. But ultimately Corporate America aint going nowhere. And I have a problem with that.
I really have deep admiration for the guys that deliver Poland Spring Water, or the UPS guys with their brown shorts in the summer. The pizza guy that comes to your house at 1:45am in the middle of snowstorm. These folks aren't quite as caught up in the whole Corporate Scheme, because they are out there in the fields. They are actually in society.
I always thought, like a large portion of people in the world that you are supposed to go to college and get a good job in an office. Boy was I wrong. Let me tell what I've found since working in an Office environment.
It is stale: There is no air circulation. The walls in my office are painted in dull, slate-grey/blue colors. The cubicles are grey as well. Minimal windows. Fluorescent light, which is perhaps the most evil invention ever created. I truly believe that fluorescent light is harmful to your soul. It sucks your life force right out of you. People in the Corporate Scheme know this. They want to keep the situation stale and regimented.
It is damaging to your health: Were human beings really physiologically made to sit down all day looking at a computer screen? Is this really conducive to a healthy well being? As said before, there is no circulation, so when somebody comes in with a cold on Monday morning, by Friday 2/3 of the company has that same cold. Open a window goddammit. Better yet, put some more windows in the place.
It is mentally damaging to you and your family: I work in a cubicle. Walls are all around. It's just me and my little space for long periods of time. Don't they call that solitary confinement in prison? Stress comes in out of your cubicle like the tides. And you know what? You bring that stress home with you. You don't want to, but how can you not? You just spent 8 hours in that little space dealing with God knows what. Or worse, you have nothing to do and you have to make a job out of making it look like you have something to do. It's a bad scene man
It's a bad scene and it isn't meant for me. Going back to the evolution thing and the picture. I think it's funny. But think it's sad. Don't get me wrong, I love sitting here at the computer typing this stuff. But if I had my way I'd be outside with a lap top. I do believe that progress and technology is a good thing despite my aforementioned dabble with being a slave. I think it's a good thing in moderation. I think it's a good thing if you don't let it take over your life. I think it's a good thing if it isn't part of your job. I don't want to look at databases anymore. I know somebody has to do it. If there were no databases out there, things would move a lot slower and we'd still be in paper. But the point of this rant is that I just cannot do it anymore.
So how bout you?
Tell us.
1. Do you like your job?
2. Do you feel like a slave to progress?
3. If you don't like your job, what do you want to do for a living?
4. Would you be content if you never had to work again an all of your finances were taken care of?
My answers:
1. Hell no
2. Yes
3. I want to create. If I could earn a living creating something I would be a much happier human being.
4. No, I will need to feel like accomplished a goal. I have OCD remember.
By the way does anyone else think that Rachel Ray would be fun to go bowling with?
Latron,
Dee
While, it is a comical take on the evolution theory. It is also very serious and true. Whether or not you believe in Adam and Eve or the Big Bang, or whatever the pundits are preaching these days, man has indeed evolved into a sitting position. We begin our lives in a warm, happy, safe bubble called a womb. Once we are out of the womb we are left to fend for ourselves. No umbilical cord can feed us automatically. Once our little eyes open to the brightness of the sun, there is no going back.
And so we go on and on, learning how to scream, crawl, walk, speak, poop, pee, hit, sleep and learn. And as humans we do nothing but learn everyday; hell every second. I do believe that. But as the picture demonstrates what does it all mean by the time we get to the chair and the computer?
We've learned to be slaves to technology. Slaves to progress. Slaves to the Corporate system. Corporate America folks. Yes that branch of the life tree that just sticks out and shades the living from the beauty of the world. Sure leaves fall off and naturally recycle themselves into the earth. But ultimately Corporate America aint going nowhere. And I have a problem with that.
I really have deep admiration for the guys that deliver Poland Spring Water, or the UPS guys with their brown shorts in the summer. The pizza guy that comes to your house at 1:45am in the middle of snowstorm. These folks aren't quite as caught up in the whole Corporate Scheme, because they are out there in the fields. They are actually in society.
I always thought, like a large portion of people in the world that you are supposed to go to college and get a good job in an office. Boy was I wrong. Let me tell what I've found since working in an Office environment.
It is stale: There is no air circulation. The walls in my office are painted in dull, slate-grey/blue colors. The cubicles are grey as well. Minimal windows. Fluorescent light, which is perhaps the most evil invention ever created. I truly believe that fluorescent light is harmful to your soul. It sucks your life force right out of you. People in the Corporate Scheme know this. They want to keep the situation stale and regimented.
It is damaging to your health: Were human beings really physiologically made to sit down all day looking at a computer screen? Is this really conducive to a healthy well being? As said before, there is no circulation, so when somebody comes in with a cold on Monday morning, by Friday 2/3 of the company has that same cold. Open a window goddammit. Better yet, put some more windows in the place.
It is mentally damaging to you and your family: I work in a cubicle. Walls are all around. It's just me and my little space for long periods of time. Don't they call that solitary confinement in prison? Stress comes in out of your cubicle like the tides. And you know what? You bring that stress home with you. You don't want to, but how can you not? You just spent 8 hours in that little space dealing with God knows what. Or worse, you have nothing to do and you have to make a job out of making it look like you have something to do. It's a bad scene man
It's a bad scene and it isn't meant for me. Going back to the evolution thing and the picture. I think it's funny. But think it's sad. Don't get me wrong, I love sitting here at the computer typing this stuff. But if I had my way I'd be outside with a lap top. I do believe that progress and technology is a good thing despite my aforementioned dabble with being a slave. I think it's a good thing in moderation. I think it's a good thing if you don't let it take over your life. I think it's a good thing if it isn't part of your job. I don't want to look at databases anymore. I know somebody has to do it. If there were no databases out there, things would move a lot slower and we'd still be in paper. But the point of this rant is that I just cannot do it anymore.
So how bout you?
Tell us.
1. Do you like your job?
2. Do you feel like a slave to progress?
3. If you don't like your job, what do you want to do for a living?
4. Would you be content if you never had to work again an all of your finances were taken care of?
My answers:
1. Hell no
2. Yes
3. I want to create. If I could earn a living creating something I would be a much happier human being.
4. No, I will need to feel like accomplished a goal. I have OCD remember.
By the way does anyone else think that Rachel Ray would be fun to go bowling with?
Latron,
Dee
posted by DeesKnees at 2:00 PM
15 Comments:
Guess nobody wants to talk about their jobs. That's cool. It was a pretty heavy Blog. But that's how I was feeling when I wrote it. Just really heavy man.
I've seen the picture of Rachel in FHM but not in a while. If you got a link please post it.
Rachel is just bootylicious. $40 a day is the way to go for me.
Later on I will talk about Ann Curry.
1. Do you like your job?
2. Do you feel like a slave to progress? No
3. If you don't like your job, what do you want to do for a living? I like my job.
4. Would you be content if you never had to work again an all of your finances were taken care of?
Hell yes!
Brad,
Don't you want to run?
Running is not really a job unless you are a Kenyan or an Ethiopian.
It is more of a passion for americans and you are lucky if you can make any money doing it. Besides I did said I'd love to have all my finances taken care of. That way I could spend more time and energy running, or at least more time recovering from it. I would really like to see the day light more. Running in the winter sucks. I run in the dark all the time. Not very fun or motivating, and it is freaking freezing out there.
Let me ask you a question about running in the the artic blast of New England winter.
Does your sweat freeze?
I don't know if you will read this cause I am replying a few days after you initially wrote it.
This is a blog I can relate too. As for people not replying, try cutting it shorter so that we dont' fall asleep before we get to the end of what you have to say.
I agree that working in a cubicle all days sucks. But what I think sucks more is working with people and for people that are assholes.
IO worked with derek and know that the office environment is full of treachery, fakeness, and inadequate leadershipt. In addition to that I now that most of the people that work at your level derek are underpaid, under appreciated, overworked, and just exploited in general.
I feel your pain man. I hated worked for PES, and I hated that
c--t rag you call a boss. What killed me the most (and I dont' meant to took my own horn) is that I was clearly far superior to any of my bosses as far as intelligence, as do you derek.
But it doesn't pay to sit there and complain about it. You have to make the move, get the hell out of there while you still have a bit of sanity left.
Fortunately for me that c--t rag you call a boss fired me (under false pretenses) and it turned out to be a great event for me.
To answer your questions
I love my job.
I don't feel like a slave to progress. I welcome progress. Progress is good, especially personal/financial progress.
I like my job, but I don't want to stagnate. I want to keep moving on up to the east side.
I like working, and most anyone would to if they were doing something they truely enjoyed, with co-workers that were good people.
CNR
If it is cold enough my mustache and beard become quite frosty, but that is mostly from breathing. I don't believe I have ever noticed my sweat freeze. I don't think It is cold enough to if I notice any accumulation of sweat. So I believe it is rare to actually become moist from sweat while being cold enough to freeze. Good question though. Why does yours?
CNR,
I read everything. So do lots of people.
I write what I write and then post. That is the way it is.
I'm not really sitting around doing nothing and complaing. I was posting about Corporate America to see what other people have to say. In doing so I added my take on it.
For me, it's more than just having a tyrant boss or poor leadership. It has more to do with being boxed in and caged by a system that has to funciton. I don't really like being part of something that has to do anything.
One of the saddest ironies about Corporate America, or at least my situaiton is that I would welcome getting fired because then the government would help me out while I find something new. But I don't want to get fired because I have OCD and that wouldn't realy fit in with all of the order that I need to take place.
As for keeping sanity while I am still here at my job. This Blog helps. I am doing this all under their dime. But I don't care. Because it is my time.
Brad,
Somtimes when it is really cold, I get snotty freezeballs stuck to my mustache. Or, when it is super cold, my nosrils get frozen together.
That's fun.
Derek I'm just busting your chops about the length of your blogs, and probably will keep doing so, don't take it seriously.
I know what you mean about not wanting to get fired. For me it was a bit similar. I'm not the type that likes to quit. I feel like I have let myself down and I can't let myself live it down. Perhaps it just a neurotic tendancy much like your OCD. In my warped logic I think it's better to get fired than to give up. I wish I had been fired for screwing up, and not soley based on a political/personal agenda. Stupid as it may sound, I felt better getting fired than quitting.
I also think that some people are not meant to be pinned inside 5' by 5' enclosure(of which category in my opinion you hapen to be a part of). Life sometimes doesn't want to cooperate. Sometimes you can't really do what you love to do becuase you can't live off of it. My pragmatic approach is to tough it out. Work long enough to get some cash in the bank and then move on. For me it either that or find myself an 80+ old heiress...lay down the sausage right, and have her cut me in on 2 or 3 million (i'm not greedy).
If push comes to shove I say let me pimp you out. I'll give you 60% and then you can do whatever your heart desires with the rest of your time.
I think I'm finally getting the hang of this blogging. I say that because I couldn't help but not respond after the fury of comments between DD and CR regarding the pragmatics of Corporate America, Cubicle Crush, and the dog-days of professional distress. You both have wonderful insight into what works for EACH of you. In otherwords, what might work for DD, might not work for CR. However be what that may, let me please give you AD's response.
I quit. Yep, I quit Corporate America and some of the bullshit that comes along with it. And please remember the word, "some" in that last sentence. For now, I've put the beast to bed. I had spent a bunch of years working for different companies all tied into different machines. I understand what you're talking about with regards to the number counting, rather than the quality and achievements of personal performance within the workplace.
I think though that your workplace, at PES, is different and doesn't pertain to ALL of Corporate America. What works at PES, might not work at the United Way. OR the leaders at Putnam Investments are not the same leaders at The Red Cross. I mean really? Is it not that obvious? Processing payments, providing customer service, and finding ways to streamline applications for individuals who need to take their nursing exam? How can anyone take fun out of that? It's where you sit, where you place yourself, and where you need to be. Basically, you have not seen them all. AND I understand that you only need this one to sour your taste, but my only request is that you please don't fall into sterotypes, even to Corporate America.
You have a choice. You have a vision. Go do it.
Andrew,
We can keep doing this little dance where you and everybody else tells me that it is just PES. That is just the particular company that I've worked for that has tainted my vision of the Corporate system. But, that just isn't true. It deals more with a basic human need to not be locked up inside of confined spaces. Whether it's in a large rectagnle (skyscraper) on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Or in a Corporate park in Chiccoppee, Mass. The effect is the same. Some humans can tolerate this. I cannot. It is not PES. It is not PES.
By the way, aren't you contradicting yourself? When you say that you had to get out of it all and now that you are you understand me. But in the end you still think that I've been tainted by PES. It is not PES. It is not PES.
Nice use of the name dropping, huh? Anyway, as I was saying, the bottom line is this. Some people aren't meant to do this Corporate thing. I am not one of those people. It is time now to start my training as a Jesuit Preist.
Good luck my children.
Dee
Fuck'em all, fuck'em all, fuck'em all in Boston. I don't know Dee, take that plan you put together a few nights ago and go do it. What are you thoughts about Tony Danza?
I think Tony and Angela should have stayed together and created a new show called. "Who's the Boss now Bitchass?
Dee
And maybe Samantha and Johnathan could have started a show called, "I'm the Bitch-The Johnathan Bower Story."
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