The whole world works in an office - rant

RetiredGreyFox · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:18

Bear with me because for the last 30+ years this has been a major hate of mine.

I've been buying magazines for as long as I can remember eg mid 70's. The magazines I've bought over the years have been vary varied taking in sport, TV, videos, music, animals and more up to date mags like Stuff, Guitarist, Sound On Sound etc. I'm also a fan of watching the News and today just tipped me over the scales to have a rant.

Its as though journalists whether writing for magazines or on the TV think that the whole world works in an office. The next time you pick a mag up and read about a new mountain bike or latest gadget, see how many reviews use office workers as a reference point. I realise that journos are office workers and thats where their world starts and ends but there are millions upon millions of workers who don't work in offices who buy all the latest gadgets.

The 6 pm news tipped me over the scale by talking to 'Office workers' who have had to endure the heat while they sit down and press keys on keyboards (oh dear). What about us real workers in factories and warehouses and stuck up chimneys and down coal pits?

Old mans rant over.

Hate · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:25

yeah, some offices have no air con! its horrible

scorza · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:25

Welcome to the "Knowledge Based Economy". Britain no longer makes stuff, we just have a bunch of service companies who service err... other service companies :rolleyes:

Carzy · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:42

scorza said:
Welcome to the "Knowledge Based Economy". Britain no longer makes stuff, we just have a bunch of service companies who service err... other service companies

What's the problem with a shift from manufacturing to the service industry if it's where our strength lies?

Gilly · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:47

Real workers? So to be real work it has to be manual labour, right?

Right.

Its a good job those of us in proper jobs have you skivvies to do all our fetching and carrying y'know

Scott Salisbury · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:51

dmpoole said:
What about us real workers in factories and warehouses and stuck up chimneys and down coal pits?

Yeah, I'm angry on behalf of my dad about this.

My dad works in a factory and has done all his life. Horrible horrible job. I've actually tried doing his work (welding) as part of work experience and it really is an ugly job. Fun (for a 16 year old at the time) but definately not a place I'd like to work.

In the winter, the factory walls/ceilings/windows leak constantly. They only have "ceiling fires" which only heat up the immediate air around them and not the workspace you're working in.

In the summer (like this one) everywhere is hot, whether you're inside or out and the only thing they can do is open the big doors which makes no difference.

They have to wear big bulky safety gear and sometimes full suits with visors and extractror backpacks. In 30 degrees of humid heat, I would really hate to imagine those working conditions. Not to mention the fact you're actually welding metal at 1500degrees.

Me on the other hand will most likely end up working in an office for a living, or at least indoors and I don't suffer from the heat at all. Going outside, though, and I almost drown in my own sweat.

Andr3w · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:54

Out of interest,what job do you do dmpoole?

RetiredGreyFox · 26 Jul 2006 at 19:57

I think you are all missing the point of my thread.
This is about people (especially journalists) who only think that people work in offices and magazines prove this time and time again since I was a young lad.

I'd love to see a review such as -
When you've finished working on the shop floor all day how great it is to get on your ................ and forget the past eight hours.

Instead it will always be -
When you've finished working in the office etc.

So this is a heartfelt plea to all future journalists on here -
when writing your articles please remember that millions of people work in factories, warehouses and on shop floors etc and we don't all work in an office.

Gilly · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:00

I saw the point of your thread but as most (or a lot, anyway) of the workers here will work in an office you should expect a response like mine if you have a go at them.

Thing is, if a mag is aiming something at certain people, and the majority work in an office, they're going to draw comparisons to that aren't they?

Scott Salisbury · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:04

You know what dmpoole you're dead right. I never really gave it much thought before, but it is always "and when you get back home from a long day at the office."

It just seems like the default thing to say for people who don't live in the real world (referring to adverts, news etc)

On the other hand, what would you say is the percentage of the working population that work in offices?

I always like to think that "real work" refers to actual manual labour, whereas a "real job" is an office job or a non-manual job. Unfair? Maybe. But my dad would agree with me that his job as a welder isn't a "real job", as he would much prefer to be in the same working conditions and pay packet as the guy who does the tech drawings of the jobs in the office. But he would say it is "real work" because he works his guts out every night.

weescott · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:18

I can see your point dmpoole, Journalists don't take into account:

1. The traditional trades and dying out trades.
2. The more common office based trades.

I suppose in a way they are covering the masses by saying "office" workers when they could say "after a hard day working..." instead.

I think it's down to the fact that publishers are in built up areas surounded by office workers and as such are talking about what they know. They have come a long way from the sweat shops of yesteryear where the printing presses would eat small boys once in a while.

RetiredGreyFox · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:23

Gilly said:
I saw the point of your thread but as most (or a lot, anyway) of the workers here will work in an office you should expect a response like mine if you have a go at them.

Thing is, if a mag is aiming something at certain people, and the majority work in an office, they're going to draw comparisons to that aren't they?

I haven't had a go at anybody on here except members that may become journalists. My rant is at journalists.

I also think that the majority of people who buy consumer goods don't work in offices. In fact, I'm trying to think of the 1000's of people I know and if any of them work in an office. Even those that have an office are out on the shop floor most of the day.

james.miller · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:25

Gilly said:
I saw the point of your thread but as most (or a lot, anyway) of the workers here will work in an office you should expect a response like mine if you have a go at them.

Thing is, if a mag is aiming something at certain people, and the majority work in an office, they're going to draw comparisons to that aren't they?

he didnt have a go at people in an office. he only touched on the heat subject and he's totally correct. try working in a kitchen, or a factory, or any other place where you have to put some graft in. Its a lot harder on the body than sitting in an office.

RetiredGreyFox · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:31

james.miller said:
he didnt have a go at people in an office. he only touched on the heat subject and he's totally correct. try working in a kitchen, or a factory, or any other place where you have to put some graft in. Its a lot harder on the body than sitting in an office.

No no no James - you're missing the point.
Its about journalists and the world they live in.

james.miller · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:34

dmpoole said:
No no no James - you're missing the point.
Its about journalists and the world they live in.

no i got it completely lol - and i agree. With the vast majority of media you do find everything is centered around the office worker, with almost no mention of other professions.

Mirage · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:40

This is a generation of office workers. That is why journalism will use the office as the general example.

Times change, people don't have to endure the kind of conditions their parents had to. They have more of a right to a comfortable working place. It's just generally the people in factories/warehouses etc are surrounded/were surrounded when starting by fewer people who are willing to exercise these rights and more willing to put up with poor working conditions.

RetiredGreyFox · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:42

Mirage said:
This is a generation of office workers. That is why journalism will use the office as the general example.

I can guarantee for the last 30+ years since i've been buying mags that this type of thinking by journalists has always been used and its always got on my nerves.

weescott · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:48

I cringe saying this but; is it a class / social thing?

Mirage · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:48

I'd imagine that's down the whole 80's Office thing too.

What I was also getting at is that office workers seem generally more aware of their rights when considering to working conditions and exercising them.

I've worked in a garage, and the kitchens. I worked in far worse conditions in both these jobs than what I do now in IT. But it was always more of a feeling that we just had to put up with bad conditions.

When you work in the office people are more likely to shout about things like this, which is probably the same for journalists.

Bumhucker · 26 Jul 2006 at 20:54

I don't think its just a problem with types of jobs either. Whenever I watch BBC news I find that it always focuses on London. If there's an article about schools with poor funding they'll find a primary school in a wealthy suburb of London.