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Don't worry, you aren't the only one. I long to be transported to a time or place where humans weren't so accepting... no, seeking such blatant disrespect to th

Don't worry, you aren't the only one. I long to be transported to a time or place where humans weren't so accepting... no, seeking such blatant disrespect to their personal dignity and craft. It seems to be one facet of a theme of infantilization and youth glorification in work culture and society at large. I am not sure whether it has any relationship with the rise of the "social" plague in industry, and the widespread infiltration of VC onto college campuses (and now elementary school playgrounds), where the youth are increasingly primed for dependency through the advertising and systematic denial of experiences. Offices for adults these days are becoming more like playgrounds, and playgrounds for kids are becoming more like jails. I can't understand all the psychodynamics at play, but something is clearly broken with the way we treat our youth and our narrowly defined notions of "fun". Work culture is not about the worker or the work anymore, it is about creating an interdependent unit of labor. But if neither the quality of work nor the quality of life for the worker is emphasized, I am not sure what the purpose is besides to maintain social order.

joslin01 11y ago
I work in this youth glorified startup world. It's awfully critical to imply that those of us who enjoy the atmosphere are "seeking blatant disregard to their personal dignity and craft." There's not as much drinking done as you would think and really it's either an after work hours thing or someone is coming in checking the place out and has a beer. It's really not a big deal. It's actually just more convenient because alcohol can loosen you up and means you don't have to go across the street to an expensive bar. I believe you're taking an overly hard-lined approach to this. I work very hard, and so do many others. There's some who just dick around, but that's going to be in any office. I would ask you though, what's more conducive to meeting new people around the office? A light-hearted 5:00 / 6:00 drink at the bar right outside the work area where there's already other people drinking OR organizing everyone to go to a bar across the street and hope people show up OR just going to the bar? WeWork is a great place because of the community it builds and you might very well argue it does that on the back of its kegs with taps labeled WeWork. Is this really so bad? Think about your typical startup who's struggling to get along. Isn't it better that they have others to talk to especially others who are going through the exact thing they are? I genuinely think you can't understand all the psychodynamics at play because you're stubbornly holding onto your perception of a workplace should be. Hey to each their own, but I see a lot of positives in WeWork's approach.
- moron4hire 11y ago
  I'm not as vociferous as the person you're replying to, but I'm starting to think of the all-consuming social scene of modern startups as one of the reasons why diversity is still a major problem in the tech industry. I don't think socializing with coworkers all the time--either in the office or outside of it--is healthy. It reinforces monoculture. I think it's healthier to have everyone socializing outside of the circle of people they see every day already. If the only friends you have are the people at work, then to whom do you turn for personal recommendations when you need to add people to the company? If employees want to hang out with each other, that's fine. I just don't think it's a good idea, in the long run, for companies to be pushing like this.
  - omonra 11y ago
    Slightly off-topic - but how is diversity (or lack of thereof) a major problem in the tech industry? Is there any proof that it's a problem? Are there companies that have truly diverse workforce that are more successful than ones without?
    - moron4hire 11y ago
      I'm trying to consider how your comment is not an indication that you have actively hidden from the last several years of press and are stubbornly trying to deny there is a problem. This has been known for a long time and it is endemic across companies. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/diversity-stats-10-tech-companies-that-have-come-clean/ http://www.techrepublic.com/article/diversity-stats-10-tech-...
      - omonra 11y ago
        Again - why is that a problem? There is certainly a statement of fact (there are relatively few blacks or hispanics in SV). How is this a problem? Is the goal of these businesses to make good products or provide employment to all society strata? Should I be equally bothered by lack of whites in the NBA or the NFL?
semi-extrinsic 11y ago
> playgrounds for kids are becoming more like jails The solution to this problem is to revolt. Stop taking your kids to the playground. Get them helmets and a kickbike and go to the local skateboard park. Go out hiking with them, even if it's just 300 yards in a park. Run on the beach. Let them eat the sand. Give them proper rain clothing and boots so they can jump in puddles for hours on end. Teach them that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. Show them how a socket wrench works. Let them "help" whenever you're doing something, if it's cooking or cleaning or repairing stuff or whatever. And for gods sake don't buy them a tablet. DISCLAIMER: said activities may require physical exercise and actual parenting.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
  - moron4hire 11y ago
    That's not happening to anyone.
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
      - DanBC 11y ago
        Has anyone "gone to prison" or "had their children taken away" because free range parenting?
        Nadya 11y ago
        Not unheard of... http://www.freerangekids.com/mom-jailed-for-letting-her-9-y-o-play-at-park-unsupervised-and-daughter-in-state-custody/ http://www.freerangekids.com/mom-jailed-for-letting-her-9-y-... Or how about two kids being kidnapped by police officers, driven around for three hours before being brought to the station, and only then was the parent notified. I'm sure that did a world of good for the kids. [1] [1] http://nypost.com/2015/04/13/cops-coerced-our-kids-into-squad-car-free-range-parents/ http://nypost.com/2015/04/13/cops-coerced-our-kids-into-squa...
kiba 11y ago
Sounds like an awful lot like corporate speak.
sillypog 11y ago
I'm not sure that alcohol and infantilization go together... or maybe I should revise my parenting methods.

joslin01 11y ago

I work in this youth glorified startup world. It's awfully critical to imply that those of us who enjoy the atmosphere are "seeking blatant disregard to their personal dignity and craft." There's not as much drinking done as you would think and really it's either an after work hours thing or someone is coming in checking the place out and has a beer. It's really not a big deal. It's actually just more convenient because alcohol can loosen you up and means you don't have to go across the street to an expensive bar. I believe you're taking an overly hard-lined approach to this. I work very hard, and so do many others. There's some who just dick around, but that's going to be in any office. I would ask you though, what's more conducive to meeting new people around the office? A light-hearted 5:00 / 6:00 drink at the bar right outside the work area where there's already other people drinking OR organizing everyone to go to a bar across the street and hope people show up OR just going to the bar? WeWork is a great place because of the community it builds and you might very well argue it does that on the back of its kegs with taps labeled WeWork. Is this really so bad? Think about your typical startup who's struggling to get along. Isn't it better that they have others to talk to especially others who are going through the exact thing they are? I genuinely think you can't understand all the psychodynamics at play because you're stubbornly holding onto your perception of a workplace should be. Hey to each their own, but I see a lot of positives in WeWork's approach.

moron4hire 11y ago
I'm not as vociferous as the person you're replying to, but I'm starting to think of the all-consuming social scene of modern startups as one of the reasons why diversity is still a major problem in the tech industry. I don't think socializing with coworkers all the time--either in the office or outside of it--is healthy. It reinforces monoculture. I think it's healthier to have everyone socializing outside of the circle of people they see every day already. If the only friends you have are the people at work, then to whom do you turn for personal recommendations when you need to add people to the company? If employees want to hang out with each other, that's fine. I just don't think it's a good idea, in the long run, for companies to be pushing like this.
- omonra 11y ago
  Slightly off-topic - but how is diversity (or lack of thereof) a major problem in the tech industry? Is there any proof that it's a problem? Are there companies that have truly diverse workforce that are more successful than ones without?
  - moron4hire 11y ago
    I'm trying to consider how your comment is not an indication that you have actively hidden from the last several years of press and are stubbornly trying to deny there is a problem. This has been known for a long time and it is endemic across companies. http://www.techrepublic.com/article/diversity-stats-10-tech-companies-that-have-come-clean/ http://www.techrepublic.com/article/diversity-stats-10-tech-...
    - omonra 11y ago
      Again - why is that a problem? There is certainly a statement of fact (there are relatively few blacks or hispanics in SV). How is this a problem? Is the goal of these businesses to make good products or provide employment to all society strata? Should I be equally bothered by lack of whites in the NBA or the NFL?

semi-extrinsic 11y ago

> playgrounds for kids are becoming more like jails The solution to this problem is to revolt. Stop taking your kids to the playground. Get them helmets and a kickbike and go to the local skateboard park. Go out hiking with them, even if it's just 300 yards in a park. Run on the beach. Let them eat the sand. Give them proper rain clothing and boots so they can jump in puddles for hours on end. Teach them that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. Show them how a socket wrench works. Let them "help" whenever you're doing something, if it's cooking or cleaning or repairing stuff or whatever. And for gods sake don't buy them a tablet. DISCLAIMER: said activities may require physical exercise and actual parenting.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
- moron4hire 11y ago
  That's not happening to anyone.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
    - DanBC 11y ago
      Has anyone "gone to prison" or "had their children taken away" because free range parenting?
      - Nadya 11y ago
        Not unheard of... http://www.freerangekids.com/mom-jailed-for-letting-her-9-y-o-play-at-park-unsupervised-and-daughter-in-state-custody/ http://www.freerangekids.com/mom-jailed-for-letting-her-9-y-... Or how about two kids being kidnapped by police officers, driven around for three hours before being brought to the station, and only then was the parent notified. I'm sure that did a world of good for the kids. [1] [1] http://nypost.com/2015/04/13/cops-coerced-our-kids-into-squad-car-free-range-parents/ http://nypost.com/2015/04/13/cops-coerced-our-kids-into-squa...

kiba 11y ago

Sounds like an awful lot like corporate speak.

sillypog 11y ago

I'm not sure that alcohol and infantilization go together... or maybe I should revise my parenting methods.