Office Space in Real Life
Amanda and I watched Office Space on Sunday night again. It is still laugh-out-loud hilarious, but it actually also resonates a bit at a deeper level.
For instance, the scene where the main character decides he is tired of his cubicle and he unscrews the wall of the cubicle so it falls over and he can see out of the window, I get this scene. For a couple years now I have been saying, tongue-in-cheek, that there is no way cubicles will be in heaven! I mean, really, is life meant to be parked at a desk in a cubicle? I have worked many desk jobs and I'm starting to wonder if we, the human race, have not really gotten off track on what we deem to be "work." I'm no green-thumb, but I wonder if perhaps I should be. Since when does our technology and manufacturing mean that we now work for the benefit of a large corporation rather than one's self? True, for many, a job there is working for your own benefit because its what pays the bills. But really, I cannot fathom this type of work being what humans were created for.
This leads me to the second point from Office Space. The million-dollar question: what would you do if you had a million dollars. Again, the main characters answer resonates with me. His answer is nothing, to do absolutely nothing. For me, I wouldn't do nothing, but I would hike, walk, travel, and interact with no other agenda. I can tell you one thing for certain, I would not use that million as any form of down payment to try to turn it into more and more money. Sales drains my energy, and I don't want to do anything that requires me to contact people to do something, anything, other than hang out.
If I had a million dollars, I'd probably start trekking one of the long trails in the US: Appalachian, Continental Divide, John Muir, etc. Or, I may walk coast-to-coast. I'd take time to slow down and have conversations with anyone I run into. I'd take pictures of the scenery, shops, and people I run into. I'd play fetch with Sonora as we come across parks. I'd enjoy a glass of wine at sunset with Amanda. I'd take time to simply walk alongside people and get to know them. I'd just be a friend.
Basically, I would do something that is completely and utterly outside the norm for our society.
In some sense, I feel that this was also a point of the characters in Office Space. The movie illustrated the absurdity of office work. Sure, for some enjoy the work, but how many kids grow up saying they want to be an accounts manager or salesperson? A few, and to that I am thankful, that each person is uniquely gifted and meant for different parts of life.
But what about my part?
What does it mean when I just want to get out of the mold of this society and start hiking?
Do I even need to have a million dollars to do this?
If my life looked like a movie character, what would I do to have that plot?
Are these even the right questions to have?
--
For everyone who reads this, what are your thoughts?
How would you answer the million dollar question?
What would you do?
--
Perhaps its a matter of knowing what the goals or direction of your life, but do we think about where life is heading, or do we stayed trapped in our cultural and societal situations. If we think we want to break free, why don't we?
I'm asking myself this right now...but luckily I know I'm not an arsonist or criminal, so that part of Office Space won't apply!
For instance, the scene where the main character decides he is tired of his cubicle and he unscrews the wall of the cubicle so it falls over and he can see out of the window, I get this scene. For a couple years now I have been saying, tongue-in-cheek, that there is no way cubicles will be in heaven! I mean, really, is life meant to be parked at a desk in a cubicle? I have worked many desk jobs and I'm starting to wonder if we, the human race, have not really gotten off track on what we deem to be "work." I'm no green-thumb, but I wonder if perhaps I should be. Since when does our technology and manufacturing mean that we now work for the benefit of a large corporation rather than one's self? True, for many, a job there is working for your own benefit because its what pays the bills. But really, I cannot fathom this type of work being what humans were created for.
This leads me to the second point from Office Space. The million-dollar question: what would you do if you had a million dollars. Again, the main characters answer resonates with me. His answer is nothing, to do absolutely nothing. For me, I wouldn't do nothing, but I would hike, walk, travel, and interact with no other agenda. I can tell you one thing for certain, I would not use that million as any form of down payment to try to turn it into more and more money. Sales drains my energy, and I don't want to do anything that requires me to contact people to do something, anything, other than hang out.If I had a million dollars, I'd probably start trekking one of the long trails in the US: Appalachian, Continental Divide, John Muir, etc. Or, I may walk coast-to-coast. I'd take time to slow down and have conversations with anyone I run into. I'd take pictures of the scenery, shops, and people I run into. I'd play fetch with Sonora as we come across parks. I'd enjoy a glass of wine at sunset with Amanda. I'd take time to simply walk alongside people and get to know them. I'd just be a friend.
Basically, I would do something that is completely and utterly outside the norm for our society.
In some sense, I feel that this was also a point of the characters in Office Space. The movie illustrated the absurdity of office work. Sure, for some enjoy the work, but how many kids grow up saying they want to be an accounts manager or salesperson? A few, and to that I am thankful, that each person is uniquely gifted and meant for different parts of life.
But what about my part?
What does it mean when I just want to get out of the mold of this society and start hiking?
Do I even need to have a million dollars to do this?
If my life looked like a movie character, what would I do to have that plot?
Are these even the right questions to have?
--
For everyone who reads this, what are your thoughts?
How would you answer the million dollar question?
What would you do?
--
Perhaps its a matter of knowing what the goals or direction of your life, but do we think about where life is heading, or do we stayed trapped in our cultural and societal situations. If we think we want to break free, why don't we?
I'm asking myself this right now...but luckily I know I'm not an arsonist or criminal, so that part of Office Space won't apply!
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