I hate "fun"

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I'm working at the customer service call center for General Motors this month. Ahh, ths life of a temp.

Have you ever wondered what those girls in high school who decorated for pep rallies do when they grow up? I know now. They come here. This office -- pfft, "office," what a joke -- this place is crawling with decorations. Brightly colored walls, paper flowers atop every cubicle, huge promotional art projects of brightly colored paper, drawn with brightly colored marker, and brightly colored balloons everywhere you look. It's a like a gigantic Romper Room.

Now, I'm sure the intentions are good. I imagine this is meant to keep spirits up, as sort of the opposite to the usual dull grey. It doesn't have that effect on me. I find it childish and demeaning and condescending and very de-motivating. I keep waiting for someone to pass out crayons. It's a nightmare, really. It's like beoing a man trapped inside a daycare center. I want to stand up and scream: "I LIKE COFFEE AND SCOTCH AND SEX! I AM AN ADULT! CAN YOU BUBBLEHEADS PLEASE TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE IN HERE?"

But that would get me labelled even more of a sourpuss than I already have been. People already think I'm weird because I throw away all the candy they constantly pass out.

I am dying inside.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

decorate your cubicle with black crepe paper and little halloween skeletons.

if anyone asks about it, tell them it's because you don't believe in the easter bunny.

― martin m. (mushrush), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Naw, still too cutesy. I want wood grain and handsome briefcases. I probably should have stayed in college longer.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I work in a daily newspaper, and my desk is right next to the one where interns sit. Every 4 months or so I am barraged by some perky know-nothing with an unrealistic idea of what the newspaper business is like.
I'm dying inside, outside, all around the house.

The worst part is that today is the current one's last day and she expects me to come to her "farewell" post-work drinky-thing. There is not enough booze in Canada to make me feel agreeable enough to do this.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate fun as well. Think "fun pub", or "it was just a bit of fun", or "we want people to have a fun experience" etc fun=sux0r.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, I went to the farewell party for a real co-worker last fall, but fuck, for an intern??? Esp for one that I hate???
My co-workers think I'm anti-social anyhow, and I would hate to force them to re-evalute the cozy little pigeonhole they've put me in.
the fuckers.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Wear leather and sunglasses and be all mysterious and hardcore, and you can be that "bad boy" that they always get with in lieu of the nice boys what actually like them. And when you don't call them they'll be all like "oh how dreamy!".

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

You're right. I need more leather. As it is, I just wear ties sometimes, which immediately makes me the creepy old guy. Hey, I look sharp!

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

You don't have to be crazy to work [at Kenan's work], but it sure helps!

Fun is shit.

― estela, Friday, 2 May 2003 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate the 'do you hate fun' meme more than I hate 'fun' -- but I hate that too.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 May 2003 19:56 (twenty-two years ago)

You're either with fun or you're against it, Neddy. There's no grey area.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Just put up some hardcore porn pics to balance things out. Problem solved.

― buttch (Oops), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes, if the 'problem' is having a job.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:12 (twenty-two years ago)

If you post hardcore porn pics of YOU it may lead to another job

― buttch (Oops), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Somehow this has never been a problem where I work

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned vs Fun FITE!

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I really don't understand the problem here. It does sound to me as if you're being pretty miserable about no real problem.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Friday, 2 May 2003 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"I LIKE COFFEE AND SCOTCH AND SEX! I AM AN ADULT!..."

This sounds like the most desperate Dewar's ad ever.

Haha. Actually, I had several truly soul-destroying moments at work myself.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 2 May 2003 21:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Being forced into fun activities with your co-workers would be the worst thing ever were it not for the fact that this is now a prime opportunity to FUCK SHIT UP (along the lines of shooting coworker point-blank in the back of the head in paintballing team-building exercise stylee then hissing "only the strong survive" in their ear though clearly this would be the action of a wanker I'm sorry I'm sure I had a point to make a moment ago etc)

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 2 May 2003 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

You hate fun? I feel at home now.

― Maria (Maria), Friday, 2 May 2003 23:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I really don't understand the problem here. It does sound to me as if you're being pretty miserable about no real problem.

I think the decorations may not be the ROOT problem, but for me, they exacerabte the problem. It's a constant reminder that you're not allowed to be unhappy. Because if you express unhappiness, they just fire you and find someone else. And the job -- listening to people bitch all day -- ranges anywhere from monotonous to tear-inducing. And yet -- be happy! Look, happy balloons! Forget about that woman who just screamed at you for ten solid minutes. Balloons!

The turnover rate is extremely high. Most people don't last three months. The job is absolute, bottom of the barrel misery. And in light of that, the balloons seems like some sick, misguided, thoroughly insulting attempt at mind control.

Or maybe you're right, Martin. Maybe I'm just grumpy. Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Saturday, 3 May 2003 04:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I work in a daily newspaper, and my desk is right next to the one where interns sit.

Now see, your problem there isn't the newspaper part, it's the "daily." Get yourself to a decent weekly. A deadline every 7 days is much more humane. And the interns are a lot more fun. (By "fun" I mean, "wear their older brother's Sonic Youth T-shirts and have excellent joint-rolling skills," which may not be the working definition of fun on this thread.)

― JesseFox (JesseFox), Saturday, 3 May 2003 04:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate fun.

Fun which I avoid, are Engineering society socials, most university club nights (do I really want to dance to the same music my parents danced to in the same room they danced in 30 years ago, or for that matter pop), karaoke, 50p
'vodka' shots, it's a scream pubs etc. etc.

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 3 May 2003 05:56 (twenty-two years ago)

what about FUNLADYNOW?

― di smith (lucylurex), Saturday, 3 May 2003 06:45 (twenty-two years ago)

i once got fired from a temp job for not being "chirpy" enough.

― Tad (llamasfur), Saturday, 3 May 2003 07:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Those people were crazy. Chirpy temps be trying my patience right now (then again, they get the work done).

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 3 May 2003 09:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Kenan, I don't want to give you a hard time, and I find your explanation above much more understandable. I do wonder if what you talk about is the way a lot of your colleagues keep themselves going, and keep reminding themselves that they need to act pleasant and cheerful even when they don't feel it? But pressure to conform is indeed always a very bad thing.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 3 May 2003 10:06 (twenty-two years ago)

fun is the best.

my definition of fun may differ slightly from others'.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 3 May 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I empathise, I hate fun as well. And even worse, I hate people who act happy at work. I work with several "runners", by which I mean, people who run at work, by which I mean, fools. They run from the cubicle or office to get to meetings. They run to catch the elevator. They sprint around like fucking cartoon characters with happy elf smiles on their faces. I work with one idiot who has cut all of his hair off but left only one long braided bit at the crown of his head, and he is the main offender, sprinting around the damn floor like some deranged imp, with his "wacky" sparkly cord that he hangs his badge from. OH HOW I HATE HIM!
People in the US may have seen the new Dell commercials with the wacky interns. This is a corporate plot, along with all workplace sitcoms, to convince the populace that their work should be "fun" and somewhere people should be happy to be. it's brainwashing. That is all.

― kyle, Saturday, 3 May 2003 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

The corporate plot to convince the populace that work should be "fun" really isn't that different from the dotcom era belief that one's workplace should be "hip." I think I bought that one for part of the time I was involved in that optimistic chaos, but now it just makes me wince.

As some have pointed out, the definition of "fun" in this thread isn't terribly clear. I think it is possible to have a "fun job" (though I can't really say I've had one), but I suspect the fun in it would come from feeling respected as part of a team and respecting the rest of the team.

I had "fun" classes in high school (and not just creative writing and art and other "non-academic" classes). Most of them were fun because of the teachers. The teachers were geniuinely interested in the subject (or faked it well) and were friendly as well as authority figures. Curious how the teachers who were absolute cunts were almost always the ones with tons of silly cardboard cut-out decorations in their classrooms or the ones who couldn't keep straight the line between governing a class of kids and goofing off with the same kids.

Oh, and people who post completely off thread as part of some social or political agenda are also complete cunts.

― martin m. (mushrush), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)

(That last sentence was in response to some post the system claimed was posted before mine but didn't show up when I posted. It's not a comment on any of the posts/posters actually in this thread.)

― martin m. (mushrush), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It's been posted everywhere, martin - I've deleted about twenty of them. I've not been deleting them if someone has already responded, but we must have crossed over there.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I figured as such. With moderators so quick on the draw, I feel bad I had to trot out the C-Bomb again at the end of that post. (Note that, as an American, I use that word only when I'm feeling fairly vehement.)

Right on, Martin. Cheers.

― martin m. (mushrush), Saturday, 3 May 2003 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

six years pass...

http://i39.tinypic.com/21eqcud.jpg

― turkeylurkeyknull, Saturday, 27 March 2010 09:33 (fifteen years ago)

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