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Show Of Workaholics or Why Jack’s Becoming Dull JSACKSON I actually know All work and no play makes Jack a asked it just me, or to be getting I'm not sure if work ethic gone placed sense of you does everybody seem really dull these days? it’s that old American amuck, or some misduty, but everywhere turn, everything you see, every- thing you read says Americans are working more hours for less money. Who signed that labor contract, Attila the Hun? Maybe it’s because I now have a child, maybe I’m just not a 90s go-getter, maybe I’m a sloth, or maybe there was some terrible mix-up and I was supposed to be born rich. Whatever the reason, let me off this workaholic bus — I'll walk the rest of the way. Tell me if I have my _ history straight: Originally everyone was a farmer, working sunup to sundown. Then things became industrialized and dirt was replaced by factory floors, but everyone still had to work pretty much all the time. Finally, people got fed up, organized, took all of Sunday off, then Saturday, then pushed through novel concepts like vacation pay and days off. Then, the eight hour work day. We were making progress on the path to civilization Things worked well through my Dad’s generation. When that bell chimed five, doors were swinging shut. Economies boomed. America zoomed. along Then came computers, fax machines, and cell phones promising to make us miore productive. Even more leisure time on the horizon, right? Wrong. Somewhere along the path to leisure, to that big lawnchair in the backyard, Americans took one giant leap backwards. Some idiot got the idea to work more. Yeah, let’s make the 40 hour week that of the underachiever. Real men (and women) work 50, even 60 hours a week. Who needs a sweatshop when you can call it an office anyway? We worked a couple hundred years to get people working less and then in about 15 years we’ve gone back to the days of six and seven day weeks, of sunup to sundown, of living to work. What happened to working to live? I can’t figure it out. Maybe it was collective dyslexia. That would explain the backwards logic. Maybe the Russians put something in the water supply so the Imperialist Americans would be too tired to fight. Don’t know, but I think it sucks and will have long-term consequences for our society. what people who, or tures of our software client and feeding the hungry. Singing the praises of Trolley Square and true enlightenment? The jury’s still out. But my business is big on “living the work.” Translation — not going home until 7:30 every night and coming in on weekends. It even puts such gibberish in the ads it produces. That annoying Infiniti guy asks you why you work so late, why you go in so early. The answer is so you can afford an Infiniti, of course. I'll keep my eightyear-old Honda, thanks. I remember hearing that Microsoft used to check its employees’ computers at the office to see whose were turned on over the weekends. Those who came in weekends were rewarded with bigge1 raises and promotions. Those who didn't were rewarded with a happy spouse, more sex, non-cannibalistic children, and more wear and tear on their hiking boots. such But Big Bill didn’t approve outdated concepts ON when they do for a hobby diversion, derisively reply, “I work.” About the only person for whom I can see that philosophy making sense is Hugh Hefner. After all, he just sits around in his pajamas and looks at photos of naked women. Does everybody think what they do is really so important? They must. I know a brand manager at Ore-Ida, a total stress-case workaholic. She worabout next year’s crop, about mes coupons that don’t pull, about how many Tater Tots are going into each bag. She’s the Mother Teresa of spuds. 1 know better. I write ads for a liying. I’ve got a pretty good idea that hyping the new ergonomic cab on the atest snowcat for our client in Logan won't bring about world peace. Ditto with announcing the WYSIWYG fea- USA WOOLENS ALL WYOMING WEAR | 237-30% Orr 518 Historic Main © Park City, Utah & Jackson Hole Wyoming 801-645-9427 ADVENTURE PRESSES DESIGNS LEER LIDDELL FROM CLL, AL JACKSON HOLE AD email] of as a life away from work, and you wouldn’t want to piss off the world’s biggest computer geek now would you? What, you say, are you some kinda Socialist? Next you'll be asking for a month off, like them happy-go-lucky Europeans. Where’s your work ethic? Hey, between roughly 8:30 and 5, I’m all for it. After that, bite me. You see, I’m really driven... driven to see my son every night for two or three hours before he goes to bed, driven to play gin with my wife in front of the fire, driven to become a scratch golfer, driven to sit on the deck and watch the world go by. It's just that work seems to always get in the way. @ American regional cuisine 4% Menu changes seasonally BREAKFAST Monday-Friday ....... 7:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Saturday-Sunday ...... 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. LUNCH Monday-Saturday ..... 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. DINNER Monday-Thursday ..... 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Friday-Saturday ........ 5:00 p.m. - 10 p.m. A private room is available for special functions. The Park Cafe can also cater private parties at your home or office. Call now for reservations. FAX delivery available. (801) 487-1670 604 East 1300 South * Salt Lake City (just south of Liberty Park) Open seven days a week SAWIL NIVLNNOW dull boy. [: HOLE FORMEREY WYOMING S$ 19Vd Pretty, Damn By Randy Hanskat |