it's too early for me to fake innocence

[seperis]

I think my boss and another employee are fighting very subtly in the next cubicle. I am really trying not to listen, because so far, they have gone (politely) through like, five subjects, all of which seem to be incendiary, and I am afraid of them both.

...seriously, I can't figure out what the hostility is about. Something about validating tests? And something about leave? And something about--something.

You know, I wonder if they know I can hear them. For some insane reason, despite the fact these are cubicles, everyone goes around using them like soundproof booths. The really weird part is, I think everyone knows they aren't, but we are all supposed to pretend they are, like some strange voluntary group hallucination.

And now there is emphatic pounding on the desk.

And the ipod comes out now. Something in Korn for a bit. I need the hit of violence, kthx.

Comments

[deadlychameleon.livejournal.com]

The really weird part is, I think everyone knows they aren't, but we are all supposed to pretend they are, like some strange voluntary group hallucination.


I really want to do anthropology on your office now... I don't think there are actually any studies showing that cubicles improve worker performance at all.

anthropology

[jenna-thorn.livejournal.com]

I can pretty much assure you that involuntarily listening in on my neighbor's conference calls on the speaker phone is not helping my productivity one iota.

They are probably as tired of hearing my conversations, as I'm having to train folks, so right now and for the forseeable future, there's a lot of repetition. But at least I use the headset. My voice carries like a bell, granted, but at least mine's the only one filling the air.