tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692381608294018617.post3457333584049838236..comments2023-11-05T07:27:43.837-05:00Comments on Narrative and Technology: Question 1: Soldering at Spencer GiftsAdamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16302919444091859459noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692381608294018617.post-30860858279381424172007-10-02T22:33:00.000-04:002007-10-02T22:33:00.000-04:00What's most interesting to me about this post, I t...What's most interesting to me about this post, I think, is that I used to work for Spencer's largest competitor. Yes, I used to sling t-shirts at Hot Topic to kids with way too much eyeliner on.<BR/><BR/>It was a pretty cool job, considering I got paid to listen to music and fold shirts, two things I don't mind doing, but there were definitely downsides. One being that 13 year old girls hitting on me really creeps me out, and the other that I constantly had a manager at work with me, and as such, could not slack off in the slightest.<BR/><BR/>My current job, however, as a valet, I can't do anything <I>but</I> slack off. If I (god forbid) ever need to get a hold of my boss, it's pretty much impossible. But for some reason, the absolute lack of any sort of concrete authority at my job drives me insane. I have nothing but downtime when I'm not in a car, and I hate it.<BR/><BR/>I don't recall Taylor making any points about forced soldiering, but I think he'd have an interesting take on it.A. Beneventhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09836671178367763093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8692381608294018617.post-87481678237702151422007-10-02T21:09:00.000-04:002007-10-02T21:09:00.000-04:00First, I have to say that this is one of the funni...First, I have to say that this is one of the funniest posts we've had yet. Just so you know, my 4 year old dragged me into Spencer's the other week because of the Halloween decorations: "Daddy, I want to go into the scary store."<BR/><BR/>For most of this post, you're basically operating in a mode I think Chaplain could sympathize with - you're offering a funny send-up of retail life in general (part <I>Clerks</I>, part mock-Taylor). This is witty stuff, especially the ending.<BR/><BR/>Let me nitpick, though. You're sort of in a grey area where the assignment is concerned - you're referring broadly to Taylor's ideas, but with no close reading of his text.<BR/><BR/>I know sometimes I seem like a pseudo-socialist; today, let me put on my capitalist hat instead.<BR/><BR/>You both point out that both your boss and the DM had totally unscientific methodologies, with nothing in common with Taylor. Then you speculate that Taylor himself was unscientific (really? What about all those endless pages about experiments with metallurgy? At the very least, you could have done a closer reading of, say, the material about moving pig-iron. <I>Why</I> don't you think he was scientific?<BR/><BR/>So you end with the DM being fired, because of falling sales. Hilarious - but where's the Taylor? <BR/><BR/>One thing that's implicit here for me is this: Taylor doesn't apply very well to retail situations, where human interaction is essential, and probably not to most white-collar work. It's hard for us to appreciate Taylor in some ways because we don't <I>make</I> much stuff anymore - we have highly automated factories, and we import everything from China anyway...<BR/><BR/>Short version: funny and interesting, but shaky engagement with Taylor.Adam Johnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11588769281227456640noreply@blogger.com