The Cube. What does that mean? Anyone who works in an office knows what I mean. Even though physically, the cube has changed over the years. Some organizations have gone to the open workspace model where there are no walls. People work side by side, no privacy whatsoever, conference calls and all. Offices that still have some kind of temporary walls have shrunk the size of the cubes to fit more workers into one space or lowered the walls of the cubes so everyone can see everyone, and of course the boss can see everyone. Some cubes have only three walls because they are as narrow as a doorway, and you have to get out of your chair some way.
What does the cube represent? Different things to different people. When I was in college, being in a cube was my goal. Graduate and get a job in a cube. I was so excited to have my very own cube. It represented owning a position in the white collar workforce. It represented money, respect. Fast forward 25 years, now for me the cube represents obesity, exhaustion, bad health, inactivity, bad indoor air, and trapped people. We have some different words for it like veal pen, prison. We see that sitting is the new smoking, killing people. The modern office is like the coal mines of the 19th century. People are knowingly damaging their health in the name of money to support their families.
As we get older and more experienced in life, our ideas change. Many people change sides as they get more and more firsthand knowledge and take in all facets of a subject. There are many animal advocates that made their living treating animals badly on a farm in a previous life.
In my wise old age… I have decided to exit the cube. More to come.
exitthecube.com 