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The Fidel Castro of Office Furniture

by Flexo on March 9, 2006

in Career and Work

Here’s an interesting article on the history of the cubicle. Apparently, the original intent was much different than what we now experience. Companies searching for the most economical solution impeded the ideal.

The new system included plenty of work surfaces and display shelves; partitions were a part of it, intended to provide privacy and places to pin up works in process. The Action Office even included varying desk levels to enable employees to work part of the time standing up, thereby encouraging blood flow and staving off exhaustion.

I try to get up every so often while working to encourage blood flow and relax my eyes and hands. It’s not enough, though.

The article from Fortune also touches on the workspace of the future. It seems like the next step in office furniture is simply staying home. Telecommuting would be wonderful. Even moreso for someone who feels moving to low-cost-of-living areas is the right thing to do. You can keep your high-paying New York City job and telecommute from Montana, dropping by a in person only a few times a year.

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Flexo, the owner and creator of Consumerism Commentary, has been blogging and writing for the internet since 1995 and has been building online communities since 1991. Find out more about him and follow him on Twitter.

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 ken March 10, 2006 at 12:48 am

No, if it were the Fidel Castro of anything it would throw you in jail for allowing the least little bit of information to get out to everyone, and Hollywood types would be throwing themselves at your feet.

Meanwhile people in nearby cubicles would be throwing their baggiess of “toilet results” because of the water rationing imposed on non-tourist areas. No, for the best example of the cubicle, read “Bartleby the Scrivner” by Melville–the first such example of a cubicle every portrayed.

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