Of Autos, the Internet and the new General Store

Some would claim that we have become increasingly socially isolated as a result of the internet. However, more recent research is suggesting the opposite. You have already read the research reports on the subject. Personally, my own opinion (please note this is MY opinion) is that far from tearing us apart, it is actually bringing us together and even strengthening social ties.

In many ways, it was the automobile which "drove" us apart. Prior to the advent of the automobile people tended to live, work, shop, go to church and engage in various social activities within a fairly constricted area and with the same people.

The automobile made it possible for you to work in one part of town, shop in another, go to a club in another part of town and attend church the next town over. Our social lives fragmented we had coworkers, business associates, the guys/girls at the gym and fellow students as fairly distinct categories. Frequently none of them lived in our neighborhoods.

Geography which previously drew people together now separated them. However, the internet, and particularly Web 2.0 technology, has begun to undo that fragmentation. I have reconnected recently with people I knew years ago and lost track of until I saw them responding to a Facebook post of a friend.

It's a new dynamic that is recreating the pickle barrel at the general store. The neighborhood is much bigger and more diverse, but the conversation is pretty much the same.

What do you think about this? Agree. Disagree. Post your comments below if you wish.

Of Sick Days and new paradignms

I'm still struggling with the pain of shingles today. I don't have a face-to-face class, just my required office hour today. So, I'm taking a sick day. I can work in short 10-15 minute intense bursts and then rest. I can get most of the work done that I would normally be doing today. Nevertheless, I will lose an entire sick day.

Okay, I have something like 74 sick days saved up over the years. So, that is no big deal, but it does raise a question. If one completes the same amount of work, is it really a sick day? Well, I'm going to let the lawyers for the Teachers Union and the Board of Trustees work out those issues in negotiations over the next several years, but it does point out the changing nature of the workplace.

As CMC technology makes it possible for an increasing number of people to work (or attend college) from home whether sick or well or even on vacation the lines between work time and personal time becomes increasingly blurred. Even the way we think about compensation gets a rethink. In a way teachers and other "salaried" professionals have blazed this trail somewhat. Teachers, in particular, have always taken their work home with them. But what about traditionally hourly workers. Suppose the secretary is working at home. How do you calculate her/his hours? Is time spent emailing a question about an assignment or checking a phone number on a corporate web site part of the time? What about texting to clarify the time of a meeting? Is time even relevant in that case. Maybe the time based model will give way in those cases to an accomplishment based one. Finish a certain number of assignments and you get your salary.

As one of those telecommuters, I begin wondering about how the workplace will evolve in the next 20 years as more and more work and home, professional and personal concerns merge. But right now, I'm hurting badly. I'm going to go lay down and act like a sick person for awhile.