Today, since I'm writing all this on my Blackberry, I want to discuss Blackberries for a minute (or "BB"s as I'm going to call them throughout so as to save my poor thumbs). Damn it's getting cold out here; it was so nice a second ago! Anyway, I've had one since the firm days, so like 2.5 years now, and its gotten to the point where I couldn't imagine how much more complicated life would be without one. I just think of all those emails I'm able to deal with at random times so that when I come into work, I'm not swamped by everything I wasn't able to take care of. Yeah, that's right, I rather be able to do stuff on my own time rather than just when I'm in the office. The only problem is that the other side of the equation isn't common yet - a less office-centric workplace. If I'm able to deal with so much after work and during my weekend and from my own computer, then there should be a corresponding decentralization of work so that I'm able to work from wherever and whenever I'm most efficient and only actually show up to an office for necessary meetings and to touch base with people. I'm thinking the new future, coming shortly I hope, will feature an expectation of only 20 hours in-office time with the remaining 20+ hours of full-time work being reserved for you to accomplish as you see fit. I mean, so long as you get your stuff done, why should it matter how or when or where you do it? That's what always bothered me about the firm - face time. They'll tell you "oh no, we dont care about that," but that's a big lie. True, face-time is a lot less important these days, and limited face time is necessary for the feeling of corporate unity, but the extent to which it is still demanded these days is a little behind the times and the direction of technology. If I'm most efficient working at 1pm from my bed, then why deny me that efficiency? I'm telling you guys, we need to get over this office thing.
That said, there's something scary about the blurring of personal and worklife that is happening. I mean, I watch myself on my BB and I realice I'm kind of addicted. I check my email or the news whenever I'm bored or sense a lull in whatever ectivity I'm involved in. I'm addicted to dealing with things immediately. I walk down the freaking street holding the thing up in front of me so I can read/type while moving. My peripheral vision picks up on the person directly in front of me and their movements guide my own.
It's when I'm not behaving in this way that I notice how damaging it is to society. I'm on the subway and everyone's head is bowed as they type away or play with their iphone. No one notices anyone else anymore. No one notices anything going on around them. I thought people stuck to their little bubble before because New Yorkers by nature are skeptical of others and suspicious of interacting with strangers, but this is a whole new level of reclusiveness. Everyone sits in their little virtual cocoons while the world spins around them. Even right now, as write this from the bench, who knows how many things I've missed out on? A funny looking kid I could have laughed at or a dog in a mini-wheelchair or a skateboarder falling on his ass while attempting a trick. Just thinking about it makes me regret sitting on this thing for so long.
Additional note because I just have to mention this - the dude next to me on the bench (playing with his iphone mind you) totally farted. I think it was one of those "it's ok, I'm outside and it's windy, so no one will know" farts, but no, the fumes totally hit me just now.
Yeah OK so I'm kind of turned off from continuing and I think I said everything I wanted to say, so I'll sign off for now. Enjoy your weekends and don't fart next to other people even if you're outside.
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2 comments:
I'm not so convinced that "BB"s are as damaging to society as you say. If people, like you, are using their machines to check email to increase their productivity, or to read the news and follow up on world events, isn't that better for society? Isn't that better than the alternative: people sitting on the subway staring into space, reading ads about philosophy courses, beer as king, si tu habla espaniol, or trying to read over the shoulder of the guy sitting next to you, just to see if he'll sit up a little straighter, harrumph, and try to block your sight. (Fine, maybe that's just something I do.) The point is, you're saying that we walk around in little bubbles with our heads down to a. not be confused for a tourist and b. to get lost in whatever is flashing across our "BB"s. But I think the basic function that a Blackberry provides, email, internet, bursts the bubble because we can gain so much more from staring at that tiny screen than from seeing some schmuck kid fall off his skateboard. If you really wanted to see that, you'd just loiter in Union Square. Maybe join a protest while you're there.
And also, thanks for the heads up about outdoor farting!
-CM
I have to disagree. I just think that real-time, real-life experiences are getting short-changed and we're keeping ourselves virtually engaged while the world goes on around us. Why has it become so much "easier" to have lengthy email/text exchanges with friends rather than give them a call? Why are we always so concerned with our email instead of just living in the moment? I find that, simply by having it available to me, I'm always thinking about it, and always checking it, just because I can and I'm curious, and as a result I find that I'm less available in the present. That's kind of frustrating to me. It's like going on a vacation and being more concerned that your pictures of the place come out looking nice than just enjoying the moment.
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