It was early, before sunrise, when I headed North on the Tri-State on my way in to the office. I always like to leave early enough to beat the traffic and also get a head start on the sedimentary deposits of email silt that have settled since the last time I logged in to my corporate account via my company issued laptop. My laptop is complete with cool high tech VPN software that gives me the handy ability to automatically log in to the company network and work at any wireless "WiFi" internet hot spot. This means any time I venture into a WiFi equipped Starbucks, McDonalds, Barnes and Noble or major airport I can get caught up on work. Oh, and of course --I can log in wirelessly at that WiFi haven of peace and solitude I call home where I can get caught up on, er, work at any hour of the day, even on weekends. That song by the Stereo MC's popped into my head.
Something ain't right
I'm gonna get myself
I'm gonna get myself
I'm gonna get myself connected
As I set my cruise control I thought about email and what effect it's having on corporate culture. Are we talking less? We're saying more words to one another, that's for sure. But are we talking (you know, with our voices) less? On any given day the office I work in is almost silent, except for the soft clicking from the cubicle dwellers using their mice and keyboards. It's not uncommon for me to receive a one sentence question about something business related from a co-worker three feet away. ((clickety)) I reply to their question with a one sentence answer, via email. ((clickety click)) Are these clicks replacing human interactive speech? Occasionally you'll hear someone out in cube land let out a random chuckle, no doubt enjoying the latest broadcast email we all received of a humorous joke or silly image shared with someone else's entire electronic email address list. Sadly, I always seem to miss out on the humor of those things, since I usually hit the delete key before I get to the chuckle part. Maybe I should rethink that strategy...
I'm brought back to reality when I spot a white sedan ahead on the left that might just belong to one of Illinois' finest, potentially laden with a cornucopia of speed sensing gadgetry and ticket producing technology to fill any driver’s heart with dread. As I glance down at the
digital readout on my speedometer, I briefly think of that timeless scene from “The Blues Brothers”…"I bet that cop's got SCMODS." I did the math to make sure I was within seven miles per hour of the posted limit. I was. "The light was yellow, sir." I then thought about the design of the dashboard on my new 2006 Honda Civic with the i-VTEC engine, side air bags, ABS and drive-by-wire throttle system, and how the brochure I downloaded from Honda.com happily informed me that engineers placed the digital speed readout, gas gauge and temperature gauge way out at the front end of the dashboard just below the base of the windshield because their advanced laboratory testing proved that drivers only need flick their eyes for a few milliseconds from the road to the bottom of their windshield to check the vehicle's vitals, then back to the road again almost instantly. This new design lets us keep our eyes on the road for those few extra precious fleeting moments, unlike all those other unfortunate drivers who are forced to crane their necks dangerously to look down in between the spokes of their steering wheels to check the same information. I wondered how had I made it this far along without having this technology advancement? Thankfully, I'll never again get in a collision because I was distracted from the road while checking my speed. This departure from the dashboard design status quo might just completely change the world! Untold millions of rear end collisions would never happen if only every car maker would leverage the knowledge Honda has given to the world and redesign their own dashboards accordingly.On second thought, maybe that's a bit too ambitious.
Maybe I should be satisfied with the fact that my new dashboard looks really cool, like a fighter pilot's, and may even help keep my eyes on the road for a few more scant milliseconds. Now, if I could only stop fiddling with that cool new stereo they put in with all the neat buttons...
Almost at the office now as I approach the second toll booth of my commute. As always, I choose the "iPass Only" lane, reserved for the exclusive club of members such as myself that allows us to glide freely past the invisible electronic hand that effortlessly slips into our wallets to silently remove $.40. Talk about building a better mousetrap! Pick pocketeers would surely love to get their hands on such technology. Some would argue that they already have, hence the iPass lane I just passed through.
I round the last corner before pulling into the parking garage at my office when I realize I forgot the little magnetic key fob needed to enter my company's lobby. At this hour, I'm hoping I spot a fellow early riser I can sneak in behind before the lock clicks shut. But slipping in on someone else's key fob is a corporate American faux pas -- it negates the whole purpose of the security system in the first place. Believe me, I know. An email was recently sent out discussing this very serious risk factor. In the CPG industry, anyone at all could sneak in and steal all of our trade secrets about oh, I don't know...spatulas, cereal bowls, and maybe latest Pyrex non-stick measuring cup. Thank goodness, I'm in luck. I spot Dan from Marketing and rush up to chat about...something...anything to divert his attention from my inherent foblessness. What will I talk about? He's a sports fan, but I know zilch about sports, how can I get to my desk so I can get that early start on my emails? I take the leap of faith and chat with him about last week's White Sox World Championship Victory. We wax nostalgic about the games of last season which I never saw as I slip behind him and past our impenetrable cutting edge security system.
I boot up my laptop, plug in my desktop speakers and fire up that
awesome little icon of technological hipness I take with me everywhere, like a child with a little square white teddy bear -- my beloved iPod containing the whole of my ridiculously large music collection, which fits easily in my shirt pocket. As I wade through the myriad colorful technological logos and imposing looking security logins I think about how easy life must have been five hundred years ago before email, magnetic security systems in buildings, invisible automatic toll collectors, digital speedometers, and snooze buttons.Life must have been grand before technology!
Then I thought about Johann Gutenberg and his famous printing press...that was also about five hundred years ago...but that's another blog for another day.
8 comments:
Love it, bleeb...how cool I get to read what goes through your head during your morning commute. It's funny how your office is so silent...my office is the complete opposite. Tons of people yapping away on their headsets all day..sometimes I have a hard time hearing the person I am talking to, when someone walks by my desk with a loud laugh...doesn't help that I sit near the bathrooms. On the other hand, its nice that this way I can make my usual multiple trips to the restroom without many people noticing!
There is another very interesting spin on the whole email v. talking phenomenon.
When a lawsuit is filed, each side has the right to make reasonable demands for records and information from the other side. It is not enough to say "That's private." If it is not actual privileged communication with an attorney, you have to cough it up to the other side even if it is damaging.
Here is a conversation that would take place on any given day at an office:
"We should consider backing out of this contract with ABC. Market prices are dropping fast and we can do better by bailing on ABC and buying at current market prices."
"Good idea, but we signed a contract."
"So what. Let them sue us. By the time the thing actually gets anywhere it will be years from now, and we have in house counsel. We're paying the guy regardless, why not make him work for his paycheck?"
If this exchange is had verbally, it is NOT discoverable. There are no records. The other side could get the info during a deposition, but what would even prompt them to ask about it?
This exchange IS discoverable if it is held via email. All the other side has to request is "All documents and written communications pertaining to the formation and cancellation of the contract in question."
You now have to cough up this email exchange. You now have lost every potential defense you would have had to the breach of contract suit they are going to bring against you. Anticipatory repudiation? No longer available. Reasonable grounds for insecurity? No longer available. You breached to get a better price. That is a bad faith grounds for breach and the other side just scored a slam dunk.
This is becoming a huge issue in the law. A major company a couple of years ago had to spend over $150,000 to search through years of backup data storage for emails relating to a particular situation. And what they turned over extinguished their defense. It was a Title 7 Sexual Harassment suit in which high level managers had actually traded emails with graphic sexual descriptions and comments about several female employees.
Obviously, the best defense to the Title 7 suit is to not be a moron neanderthal that still views women as playthings for men.
That minor sermon aside, the true message here (this is a personal opinion from someone who has yet to pass the bar, this is NOT legal advice and should not be taken or relied upon as such)is that you should not put ANYHING into an email that you would not also gladly type up and print out on company letterhead.
What else is discoverable? Instant message communications, text message communications, and even voice mail.
When was the last time you said something via any of these formats that you would rather NOT have a jury reading? How long will it be before a plaintiff somewhere asks for it?
Interesting note on your title paragraph at the top of the blog:
I'm pretty sure that bringing a ball point pen into an MRI machine would cause serious problems.
This proves my theory that technology is bad. ALWAYS BAD.
I'm off to the office supply store for some more old-fashioned legal pads to write on. And they BETTER have an automatic door opener.
It's sobering to think about the risk carelessness behind the keyboard can and has posed to companies. Gives new meaning to the cliche "Loose lips sink ships".
This proves my theory that technology is bad. ALWAYS BAD.
I'm off to the office supply store for some more old-fashioned legal pads to write on.
I know a bit about the backend systems processing behind the manufacturing process from raw goods procurement, to factory line production and forecasting, to just-in-time supply chain management -- right down to the consumer's hands. It's quite technical, I'm afraid. But just you wait until RFID becomes commonplace.
By the way, my company is already laying the foundation for that as we speak.
(evil laugh)
Legal pads are all hand made by old men who are recognized as artisans in their craft.
Anyone who says otherwise is a liar and hates America.
Let me please preface this comment by saying I am new to blogging. This got my wheels turning and got me thinking about where I am now, literally. I have recently found this great place to study on campus, the meditation room. The first door to enter said room says: "please turn all electronic devices to silent." Upon entering the first door you enter a small hallway with some abstract art on the walls, and another door with the message: "a place for meditation and prayer". You then enter a large room with opaque glass partitions, pillows and padded benches. I quickly look to find a vacant space, quietly as not to bother anyone else. I then immediately take my new computer out of its bag and power it up for the third time today. First on the agenda e-mail, maybe there is new, earth shattering information I know nothing about since checking earlier this morning. Now mind you, my I-Pod has been stuck in my ears ever since my last class dismissed. I was able to relate with things that are my newest "tech gadgets" some of these include a finger print scanner integrated into the computer, a proximity card to access the parking deck and "smart chip" granting me access to gym before my 8am classes. This all makes me think about what I am doing here, now. I'm in a meditation room for prayer and study, e-mailing via the wi-fi connection on my computer. In the space next to me I keep hearing a cell phone vibrate, indicating incoming calls every few minutes. Is this what the room was intended for? The sign on the second door would indicate otherwise but, there are electrical and network jacks in each "aera". What gives? Now in order to find a quiet place in this world to utilize technology I must turn to a prayer and meditation room? It just doesn't seem right when technology finds it into places like this, whats next wi-fi in the sanctuary at church??
wifi in church
Cell phones are becoming an increasing problem, so you never know. It's a shame, really, that there are fewer and fewer true escapes from the pull of the technology leash.
Don't get me wrong, it's great and absolutely necessary when we need it, and fun to let it ease our lives but I think to preserve some of our humanity we need at our core to strive to remain grounded in what's true, to remain grounded in the natural world or at least alone in a quiet dark room with our own thoughts from time to time.
exactly!
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