Comments on: Office Slavery http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/ Blessays, blogs and blisquisitions Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:18:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: jdaldous http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-21217 jdaldous Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:04:32 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-21217 Ah, despite you informing me as to why I feel so frazzled right now I actually feel less so. Thanks! Ah, despite you informing me as to why I feel so frazzled right now I actually feel less so. Thanks!

]]> By: Farrell Grayson http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16723 Farrell Grayson Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:54:22 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16723 Maybe you need to take a week off from technology. Tweet or blog that you're going to go fall off the edge of the world for a bit, and then do just that. Let the email sit for a few days, turn the phone off. I am aware that this wouldn't be a simple thing for you to do...quite a lot of your digital correspondence is work-related and probably time-sensitive. I bet it *could* be done, though, and the time off might be worth it. Maybe you need to take a week off from technology. Tweet or blog that you’re going to go fall off the edge of the world for a bit, and then do just that. Let the email sit for a few days, turn the phone off. I am aware that this wouldn’t be a simple thing for you to do…quite a lot of your digital correspondence is work-related and probably time-sensitive. I bet it *could* be done, though, and the time off might be worth it.

]]> By: Ghost Code http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16665 Ghost Code Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:46:33 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16665 Lunchtime Hardware buzzing responses The personal revolution Relied on to sketch free love Enslaving executives with typing Police the wrong firmware Graduations in the tech Arrange the news decision maker Direct digital secretaries To finagle meetings with an old TV soul Lunchtime

Hardware buzzing responses
The personal revolution
Relied on to sketch free love

Enslaving executives with typing
Police the wrong firmware
Graduations in the tech

Arrange the news decision maker
Direct digital secretaries
To finagle meetings with an old TV soul

]]> By: LizzA http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16545 LizzA Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:15:38 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16545 My mum's a secretary. :) But that's because her boss can barely read or write to save his life, let alone use a computer. One wonders how he's a manager... ;P <3 My mum’s a secretary. :)
But that’s because her boss can barely read or write to save his life, let alone use a computer.

One wonders how he’s a manager… ;P

<3

]]> By: Saffers http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16505 Saffers Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:04:02 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16505 Oh how true! I used to be a secretary, years ago, and I was constantly correcting my manager's grammar and spelling. Now there are fewer secretaries and the standard of written English has suffered too. And no one seems to check their work; I see so many mistakes on the website (I work for a local authority). Nice little piece, thanks. Oh how true! I used to be a secretary, years ago, and I was constantly correcting my manager’s grammar and spelling. Now there are fewer secretaries and the standard of written English has suffered too. And no one seems to check their work; I see so many mistakes on the website (I work for a local authority).
Nice little piece, thanks.

]]> By: traceychorley http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16463 traceychorley Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:16:22 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16463 I always knew that secretarys were much missed. I worked as one for 9 nine years and got fed up of being called "just-a-secretary" for a large chunk of it. I wish that people were more appreciative, they might get their coffee brought to them then! I always knew that secretarys were much missed. I worked as one for 9 nine years and got fed up of being called “just-a-secretary” for a large chunk of it. I wish that people were more appreciative, they might get their coffee brought to them then!

]]> By: Tony Fisk http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16453 Tony Fisk Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:18:46 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16453 Wading through all those emails gives rise to an interesting question: Who has time to *write* all those @#! emails in the first place?? (I mean, apart from the ones that offer help in allowing you to use your dictaphone!) The issue of not reading spam, on the other hand, suggests that secretaries haven't gone away, they've just been uploaded to gmail Wading through all those emails gives rise to an interesting question:
Who has time to *write* all those @#! emails in the first place??
(I mean, apart from the ones that offer help in allowing you to use your dictaphone!)
The issue of not reading spam, on the other hand, suggests that secretaries haven’t gone away, they’ve just been uploaded to gmail

]]> By: ecnu http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-2/#comment-16451 ecnu Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:29:35 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16451 Stephen, if you are having to strain to think of things to tweet and you find the process taxing, then you should not do it at all! Tweeting is about carelessly tossing around thoughts, feelings, anecdotes and ideas - to give the follower, every time you do it, a little piece of you. Stephen, if you are having to strain to think of things to tweet and you find the process taxing, then you should not do it at all! Tweeting is about carelessly tossing around thoughts, feelings, anecdotes and ideas – to give the follower, every time you do it, a little piece of you.

]]> By: judinw8 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-1/#comment-16445 judinw8 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:27:27 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16445 I love the concept of pinching one's own bottom. I do type my own letters, get my own tea, keep my own diary but do not work in a field where any pinching is approved of. Perhaps this is the solution! I love the concept of pinching one’s own bottom. I do type my own letters, get my own tea, keep my own diary but do not work in a field where any pinching is approved of. Perhaps this is the solution!

]]> By: Rookster http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/comment-page-1/#comment-16443 Rookster Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:18:55 +0000 http://www.stephenfry.com/2009/08/25/office-slavery/#comment-16443 Ah yes Stephen, I remember working in such environments and being a slave to the dictaphone and paperwork in triplicate, implementing filing systems and towers of archive boxes! Then when I moved to PR and remember the dreadful days of dial-up. Oh dear me, having to make half a dozen calls and then logging on only to spend ridiculous amounts of time sending just one image to a publication, before having to stop sending and make more calls as I couldn't do both at the same time. I agree we can be slaves to the information highway but I prefer that to the old way of doing things and being buried in amountain of paperwork and files! Also Stephen, I for one appreciate your personal touch; all too often we get the automated response with no depth, integrity or feeling and can never be sure we are talking to who we thnk we are. I hope knowing your effort is appreciated takes a little the strain. Thank you! xxxx Ah yes Stephen, I remember working in such environments and being a slave to the dictaphone and paperwork in triplicate, implementing filing systems and towers of archive boxes! Then when I moved to PR and remember the dreadful days of dial-up. Oh dear me, having to make half a dozen calls and then logging on only to spend ridiculous amounts of time sending just one image to a publication, before having to stop sending and make more calls as I couldn’t do both at the same time. I agree we can be slaves to the information highway but I prefer that to the old way of doing things and being buried in amountain of paperwork and files!

Also Stephen, I for one appreciate your personal touch; all too often we get the automated response with no depth, integrity or feeling and can never be sure we are talking to who we thnk we are. I hope knowing your effort is appreciated takes a little the strain.

Thank you! xxxx

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