Today (the 24th), I arrived at my office once again eager to continue work on an important project of mine. All of my research materials, as well as my work accomplished thus far, were within my office at UNF where I left them the day before (the 23rd). Unfortunately, I found the entire building where my office is located closed and locked up (and me without key). Coming home, I learned from the UNF website that the university is “closed for the holidays” and will not re-open until January 5, 2009–almost two weeks from now!!!
I find my consternation on this fact to relate well to my frequent frustration at the lack of availability of food and entertainment options during the peak hours of 2am-5am. Just as I am confident that I am not the only person ready and willing (even eager) to work today, I am quite confident that I am not the only individual clamoring for pizza at 3am.
And thus, my general observation becomes: WHY DOES ANYTHING EVER CLOSE? McDonald’s is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week (365 days a year). This is not difficult. For every individual that expects to have late December off because they are Jewish (Chanukah) or Christian (Christmas) or Pagan (Winter Solstice) or black nationalist (Kwanzaa) or whatever the case is, there are individuals like myself who enjoy the opportunity to work at a time when it is cold and there are less interesting things to be doing outside of work. People are different, have different wants/interests/needs, thus an infinite plurality of “schedules” are appropriate with no one schedule being authoritatively required. If people want late December off, then by all means take it off and let those of us who want to continue functioning go about our daily business uninterrupted. Similarly, when I want to go to Cancun in March, or Paris in July, I will take time off and let those who do not wish to, continue to work in my place. And so on.
This problem is not unfamiliar to me. When I worked for the state government, I used to eagerly volunteer to work during the last weeks of December (when many others desired time off) in exchange for precious time off for New Year’s and Spring Break. If state offices in Tallahassee are open during these times (with the exception of the 25th), why is a state university closed and locked for almost two weeks??
Practicalities first: The UPD can let you into your office. They are always there and they have lots of time on their hands.
On to your gripe: I hear ya, but I believe that the ‘Oh So Merry’ [and somewhat annoying] Christmas holiday season is a side-effect of living in a western society; one that we have to learn to live with. I don’t expect that it will ever really go out of style. Even the Humanists are embracing this time of year as a time to reach out in kindness. You want freedom and 24 hr convenience. And on a day like today (25th) were most Americans are taking a day of, I too find it frustrating that the stores are closed and I can’t get any errands done. Life would be even worse in Europe where people tend to work a lot less, stores close at 4:30 pm, and everyone is relaxing at street cafes or hanging out with their children. What is worse, overtime is reimbursed not in cash but in even more time off. Frustrating! Outrageous, really!
I am, obviously, giving you a hard time. The truth is that society does not care about your needs. What you propose seems to be a society that is targeted only for the single person. It is certainly not conducive to rearing children. Families and particularly families that are producing children have, for thousands of years, proven to be a pretty solid foundation upon which to build a society. I tend to be swayed by evidence. It would be my contention, therefore, that we ought to create societies that to a large degree conform to what is best for families [all kinds of families]. As such, I propose that you just learn to work around others taking time off, keep your work and books on a portable jump drive, and see the gold in a 4-day work week. Less is most def more…an idea which you may be more agreeable to come spring break time or when you have that first baby.
Lin
Linda,
The European example is interesting but still illustrates my point. I actually share the European interest in “working less” that you identify. That has nothing to do, however, with the openness of anything. I could work 30 hours a week on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights during the graveyard shift and have the entire rest of the week available to me (I actually don’t want to do that myself, but I would like the option). Meanwhile, my Parisian neighbor could work a typical M-Fri 6-hour a day schedule during the morning/afternoons with siestas (with someone else picking up the slack during the siestas). And so on and so forth.
I don’t see how it has anything to do with “families” either. I don’t see how working an unorthodox schedule prevents one from reproducing or rearing (indeed, lots of people do it all the time).
I don’t want to work more (I do want to work less–I’m in a masters program for philosophy!!!), and I don’t want anyone else to either. The problem is with the insidious and unexamined idea that everybody is expected to (more or less) live and work according to the same arbitrary standards of when (in the time sense) it is appropriate to do this or that. Distinctions between sunrise and sundown and everything else mean nothing to us given that we are no longer the social equivalent of tailless monkeys. I see no necessary impediment to a society in which, in work and in play, we are all dancers to the beat of our own different drums…