How did 'work' work in the days before computers?

Well for a start I wouldn't be doing this (well I would except in a journal and a guess no one would every read it!). I also wouldn't have this job (or most of the jobs I have done in my accidental IT career....yeah the money was good, but boy do I hate it!) I would probably be building some mechanical tool of some description I guess (trying to find a suitable analogy between a computer program and another old school type of job). Also I imagine that conditions in bygone offices were not as nice as ours today, and I am sure working conditions were appalling in most situations.

But the point is, I am in an office and everyone is in silence staring at their screens, typing endlessly away on their keyboards. But what is actually happening? what is the this feeding? a huge data bank of what? What did these people do before this?

I am guessing not sit in silence in a office. (but I a maybe wrong). I just feel like that we are becoming more like robots. Instead of asking a question of a colleague we ask google. I guess some of that comes from that fact that 'asking a question' shows that we don't know something....therefore can't
be any good at our job and should therefore be sacked....or replaced by someone who knows everything in the world. This was certainly the feeling I got at my recent interviews, where I had to perform a number of IT tests.

They basically prove that unless you know every single thing about a language (I know some people out there do...full credit to you), you aren't worthy of the job, because lo and behold would you ask someone...or look in a book.

Instead of having free thought and discussing ideas we search the Internet. Is this because it is a sin to talk in some offices? Or you managed to scrape through the interview test and know you got lucky so you can't ask anyone a simple question otherwise you will be shown to be no good....and replaced.
Everyone in fear of failure, you can see it everywhere.....must work later than everyone else and get in earlier asthat is what a good employee does. Even if I don't produce good results, as long as I am here and head down that is key. I mustn't take a lunch break, as they are for losers. I must just be at my desk, tapping away into the endless void of the digital world.

I was once fortunate to work for some one who had the best attitude of all...I don't care how you do it, who you ask, what time you come in, when you come in as long as the work is done and the work is good. That is the best motivation in the world!! and isn't that all the matters really? getting the job done? What does sitting at a desk at precisely 8am prove? ....oops I have gone off on a tangent!

So back to the topic....Don't get me wrong, I love the Internet and think it is one of the greatest human achievements ever, but I am not so much talking about the Internet as I am about machines and the jobs we now do/have.

The computer is basically a tool to make our lives easier, it is a huge big calculator, Which can perform amazing feats. But is it stealing our humanity? I mean the hammer is a tool, so is a drill. But most people do not spend 10 hours constantly banging with a hammer without taking a break, or looking
up from their task....or are afraid to stop hammering (even though the nail is in the wall) because not hammering is a bad sign that they aren't working hard enough.

I guess what i am trying to say is that how come pretty much every office job these days involves a machine and sitting at a desk. Was writing a letter by hand a creative work? is that creativity killed off by typing at a machine. What did a secretary do in bygone days? answer the phone/arrange things etc. Now what would they do without a computer? Now everyone has to be typing reports of some description, or logging things, accounting for things,working with complex inventory tools....all off which produce more reports. We are being inundated with reports for this and for that, and know what everything is doing all of the time...blah blah blah. Information is power, but do we all need to know all the information all the time? The stationary department, is it easier to walk across the room to check to see if you have any pencils rather than access a database, scroll through x number of screens to be told you have 6 left. Will this constant sitting down/working at a machine posture affect our evolution? We sit dormant at machines all day, filling our faces full of treats to make the day go faster and then wonder why we need to go to gyms/exercise classes. If our job involved movement and we liked it, I guess most of us (myself included) would be in much better shape. What examples are we setting for the next generation? 'Listen Jimmy you should aim to be stuck in an office as that is the best career move for you...you will hate it and it will destroy your soul, damage your health and ruin your humanity'.

Will we lose the ability to craft things with our hands as they become metamorphosed via evolution into the shape of a mouse or playstation keypad. Will we lose our 180 degree vision because we stare so intently at a screen. Will we think the sounds of the outside are alien as we are now accustomed to the hum of computer fans.

The Internet is the great source of information, but we are constantly feeding it new information, adding to the vast data banks. I mean I am doing it now, why am I doing this on a machine instead of writing it on paper? Why should anyone be interested in this drivel?

Yes the Internet allows me to communicate like never before, at anytime of the day and night, with my close friends across continents. But being at a computer all day is sucking away the basic human skills of discussion with fellow humans. Why go to a shop now and ask the assistant about an item? Well it
is easier to do it on line, plus you can view opinions of people you have never met on the item you want to buy (the fact that sales assistants these days
generally....I said generally...know nothing about what they are selling is another matter.....don't believe me...go into any pro audio shop...especially one in Central London...no names mentioned....any ask them anything more probing that the price and be met with a blank face...or them telling you about something you should buy as it is on special offer....rant over!).

In days gone by, you would ask your friends about the items, or go to a shop and talk with someone who knew the product. Phone the company perhaps, ask for testimonials. Now that has all changed....who do we really talk to these days? We are so busy typing into machines, that the basic joy of communication seems to be becoming a dying art....or maybe just where i work! =@)

Is it time to start talking again?

Peace

Neil