I just wanted to take a break from Africa and discuss practices/things that are quickly becoming obsolete as my generation sets out to lead the world.
1. Newspapers. I don’t understand why you would purchase a newspaper subscription if you have a laptop. I have to credit Mike for first bringing this pondering to my head. But each weekend morning, I stumble over to the coffee pot, stumble back into my room, grab my laptop and sit down in my chair to read www.nytimes.com. Which is free, and much easier to navigate that those awkward, large papers. The only time I see newspapers as a somewhat intelligent option is when you find yourself bored, and w/o the use of a computer. Like, at the airport, or, the doctor’s office, or anywhere else. And, if you get the Sunday paper so you can look through all the print ads that come along w/ it. You can’t get those online.
2. Landlines. At the moment, I couldn’t think of a less useful, waste of money than having a landline. What’s the point? You can talk on your cell phone from home people. I’m not sure how this will work out as we become parents with children old enough to talk on the phone, but I’m guessing that they will get their own cell phones by age seven or something ridiculous like that. Should be interesting to see how that one turns out.
3. Phone books. What a waste of space. You can find any number that would be in them on www.whitepages.com, or www.yellowpages.com. As for personal cell numbers, well, they aren’t in phonebooks anyway. Save the planet, prevent the use of phonebooks.
4. Offices. Ok, maybe this is wishful thinking. But, I’m pretty sure I could do most of the work I do imprisoned behind these beige cubicle walls in the refreshing pink environment of my room, or the comforting, north woods environment of Caribou. As soon as my generation’s in charge, I have a feeling the corporate office commune will become extinct. I’m counting on it.
5. C.D.’s – I can’t remember the last time I bought a c.d., other than a blank one. iTunes people, iTunes.
OK I don’t want the list to get too long so I will stop here. Please feel free to add to my list of potential obsoletes.
Your innovative friend,
Me
6 comments:
I wonder if we'll ever have "work from home lounges" with couches, free internet, coffee shops, etc. where you can go to work but not have the soul-stealing cubical walls, motivational posters, or the alt+tab games. I'd go. Maybe I'll make one.
Actually, come to think of it, I just described a coffee shop. Back to the drawing board.
Perhaps the office of the future will just look like large coffee shops?
Dude Mike but you can RENAME the coffee shop, giving you another market w/o changing anything. Plus the work from home shops would have fax machines, printers and signs that say "Aren't you glad you aren't in an office!!!"
Hmmm, there may be hope there. Printers and fax machines assume someone is still using paper in the future, won't we just email PDFs around? I like your sign idea. Maybe I'll serve imported beer too. I hope this really is the office of the future. You'll be encouraged to take as much time as you like and work whatever hours you please. You'll be payed based on how much you produce, not how long it took you to do it. And of course, for the first time since the industrial revolution, we'd realize that meetings are actually unproductive and do away with them. This could work.
I like it. And btw - corporations could save so much freaking money if they would only get the concept of QUALITY over QUANTITY. Making people work 40 hours is the lamest idea EVER. You should make people work as long as they have stuff to do. Duh. At least Best Buy is getting it
About itunes: It's great and I use it and all, but until they get their act together enought to include some of the greatest music ever made (ie ACDC, Led Zeppelin, The Black Crowes, etc.), I'll still have to keep buying CD's.
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