OFFICIAL THREAD about "NOTHING"

[MJZiggy]

Warning: Philosophical thinking--I've been trying to wrap my brain around a concept for a future blog post at work. In America, our society rewards people by making them more isolated, further set apart from the social fabric. For example, when we get promoted at work, we move from the cubicle sea where we can hear each other and throw things over the cube walls (depending on the attitudes in your workplace) to an isolated office with a door to close people out. The more we move up, the more real estate we occupy by ourselves until we're in the huge corner office and everyone's afraid to even speak to us. (As I've worked the last several years with top management, I have seen this phenomenon first hand). We move up in the world and into a huge house on an acre lot with neighbors who we have never talked to.

This results in loneliness which society does not allow us to admit to. If you're lonely, it means you have no friends, ergo you are a loser. So we "stand tall" and go to therapy and persist in the notion that our privacy is so paramount that others should not be allowed to intrude. Yet humans are social animals and actually live longer, happier lives when we have a social network that we can spend time with and we can count on in times of crisis.

I work in a company that, compared to many others, is very social. We have learning lunches and pot luck socials on the first Friday of every month. There will be a bowling outing coming up, a St. Patrick's Day party, take your kids to work day, bike to work day, etc. We used to have a Friday happy hour until concerns about driving under the influence caused those to be canceled. I realize that employers bear no responsibility for the social lives of their employees, but I wonder if encouraging social behavior among employees is a way to increase loyalty and engagement, with the side benefit of increasing their interactions. Otherwise, how do we get back to the social systems that our grandparents had? Where if someone went "missing" for a couple of weeks, someone was there to check on them?

Thoughts?

[Freak Out]

Sounds like the skipper of the Italian cruise ship should get keel hauled. WTF you cowardly fuck?

[mraynrand]

Nice:

[HowardRoark]

Warning: Philosophical thinking--I've been trying to wrap my brain around a concept for a future blog post at work. In America, our society rewards people by making them more isolated, further set apart from the social fabric. For example, when we get promoted at work, we move from the cubicle sea where we can hear each other and throw things over the cube walls (depending on the attitudes in your workplace) to an isolated office with a door to close people out. The more we move up, the more real estate we occupy by ourselves until we're in the huge corner office and everyone's afraid to even speak to us. (As I've worked the last several years with top management, I have seen this phenomenon first hand). We move up in the world and into a huge house on an acre lot with neighbors who we have never talked to.

This results in loneliness which society does not allow us to admit to. If you're lonely, it means you have no friends, ergo you are a loser. So we "stand tall" and go to therapy and persist in the notion that our privacy is so paramount that others should not be allowed to intrude. Yet humans are social animals and actually live longer, happier lives when we have a social network that we can spend time with and we can count on in times of crisis.

I work in a company that, compared to many others, is very social. We have learning lunches and pot luck socials on the first Friday of every month. There will be a bowling outing coming up, a St. Patrick's Day party, take your kids to work day, bike to work day, etc. We used to have a Friday happy hour until concerns about driving under the influence caused those to be canceled. I realize that employers bear no responsibility for the social lives of their employees, but I wonder if encouraging social behavior among employees is a way to increase loyalty and engagement, with the side benefit of increasing their interactions. Otherwise, how do we get back to the social systems that our grandparents had? Where if someone went "missing" for a couple of weeks, someone was there to check on them?

Thoughts?

You should go to church like Wahlberg; they have pot lucks and bowl and whatnot.

[mraynrand]

You should go to church like Wahlberg; they have pot lucks and bowl and whatnot.

Nothing is quite so lonely as that lime jello mold embedded with the little orange slices and carrot shavings on a bed of pretzles, topped off with an oh, so delicate layer of cool whip.

[SkinBasket]

Put my balls in your walls and let them feel your cause.

[Bretsky]

lesbians

[SkinBasket]

I totally had something good, then forgot it on my way to the keyboard. I think it had something to do with my manhood, or maybe a car, or something.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I work in a company that, compared to many others, is very social. We have learning lunches and pot luck socials on the first Friday of every month. There will be a bowling outing coming up, a St. Patrick's Day party, take your kids to work day, bike to work day, etc. We used to have a Friday happy hour until concerns about driving under the influence caused those to be cancel

I think one of the main benefits of working is social, but in a subtle way. Just the regular contact with people who you get to know is valuable. Most people who quit a regular job and worked alone miss the banter and work acquaintances. The idea of having a "social life", as in play time, through company-organized activities such as you describe leaves me cold. You can never completely be free at such gatherings, office politics never end. Roll your own social life.

[mraynrand]

I think one of the main benefits of working is social, but in a subtle way. Just the regular contact with people who you get to know is valuable. Most people who quit a regular job and worked alone miss the banter and work acquaintances. The idea of having a "social life", as in play time, through company-organized activities such as you describe leaves me cold. You can never completely be free at such gatherings, office politics never end. Roll your own social life.

That's good insight, all the way through.

[HowardRoark]

Sounds as though somone's balls are healing.

[SkinBasket]

They're almost the same size now.

[SkinBasket]

Shirley Temple may be the most overrated human being ever.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think she was sexy.

[Joemailman]

Sounds like the skipper of the Italian cruise ship should get keel hauled. WTF you cowardly fuck?

No. It was all a big misunderstanding.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/captain-...119-1q8cb.html

N A farcical new twist the captain of the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia has denied accusations he abandoned ship, saying he tripped during the panic on deck, and fell overboard into a lifeboat.
Captain Francesco Schettino, 52, told investigating magistrates the Costa Concordia was listing so violently there was nothing he could do to get back on board.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/captain-...#ixzz1jwy4yXk2