Thursday, February 21, 2013

Cubes, Writers, and Work

I fear the cube. I did it for a while, sat in the cube processing papers and managing nonsense for others.

And it ate my soul.

I know we need day jobs. I know the day job supports the real joy of our souls but I think it also works to stop the flow of creativity.

I think the brains of writers and artists are wired differently. These brains need space. They need room to breathe creativity in and out like most need oxygen.

Cubicles suck the creativity out of the brain. Its like the cube is a crushing box pushing and shoving the brain into a cramped square where no words can escape. No art can flow. It's where the voices in your head stop talking.

I have an interview tomorrow. I fear the outcome but not for the reasons most would think. Does this make me crazy?

3 comments:

Tobi Summers said...

I don't necessarily agree. There's evidence to suggest that doing a menial task frees up the creative part of your mind to wander and, well, create. Like Einstein working in the patent office when he came up with the theory of special relativity. I've done some decent writing in my cube. The biggest problem I have with it, though, is that there's never a long enough block of uninterrupted time (since I have to, y'know, work too).

Charles Gramlich said...

Fortunately, I'm not quite a cube rat. I have a fairly big office and have personalized it with books and other things. I have a pretty good view. So I don't mind my office and I generally like my work in academia.

Aimlesswriter said...

Tobi, I think my last experience in the cube scarred me. it was bad.

Charles, you're one of the lucky ones. I hope to find a job where I'd finally say I never work because I love my job so much.

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