Standing around
November 12th 2007 19:01
Since we’ve been over here in the UK - and while travelling around Europe - we’ve noticed the enormous number of people whose job it is just to stand in a certain place all day. There are commissionaires of various sorts - some in elaborate uniforms, some not so elaborate. There are security guards, from those who actually guard something important to those who merely stand in shop doorways keeping an eye on things. There are bouncers, of course, and there are people whose job it is just to point you in the right direction.
Some of these people can interact with those passing; some barely do. Whatever, the jobs seem to me to be ones that either give the people plenty of time to think, or perhaps too much time. Standing in one place all day. The thought of getting up in the morning and thinking: I’m going to be standing all day, and standing doing virtually nothing all day. It’s horrific.
I suppose the jobs have to be done, but in these days of CCTV (we’re told that we’re photographed by CCTV 300 times a day in London) you’d wonder why there have to be so many humans involved in watching other humans. Maybe we’re not impressed by the thought that a camera is watching us, whereas a real live person has more clout.
Some of these people can interact with those passing; some barely do. Whatever, the jobs seem to me to be ones that either give the people plenty of time to think, or perhaps too much time. Standing in one place all day. The thought of getting up in the morning and thinking: I’m going to be standing all day, and standing doing virtually nothing all day. It’s horrific.
I suppose the jobs have to be done, but in these days of CCTV (we’re told that we’re photographed by CCTV 300 times a day in London) you’d wonder why there have to be so many humans involved in watching other humans. Maybe we’re not impressed by the thought that a camera is watching us, whereas a real live person has more clout.
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