# Anyone else feel like the corporate world is cold, cruel, and lifeless?



## Zima (Jul 6, 2011)

I can't help but feel like the corporate world is a dreary place. The people there seem dead inside...I've worked 2 jobs since graduating college, and this world is the quickest way to kill creativity and individuality and cause depression. Going to the gym before work is the only way I made it through my days without an excruciating headache by the end of the day. 

The reason it feels cold is you're expected to just be a mindless drone and do as you're told, and the overall goal of any corporation is to MAKE MORE MONEY THAN EVERYONE ELSE AT ANY COST. The relationships with coworkers feel weird, because you're coworkers. And if what you're doing with your life is helping some CEO get richer, it's pretty damn hard to feel accomplished...

For some people, driving to the office in a new bmw every day and coming home to watch tv or go stuff their fat *** at an expensive restaurant, with a stressful 2 week pre-packaged vacation once a year is appealing. I like bmw's myself, but not at the cost of my sanity. 

The problem is, it's hard to make enough money to live comfortably and support a family(100k MINIMUM by age of 30 where I live) without going into the corporate world. With a degree in computer science, or an MBA from a good school, that's *easily* achievable. Not to mention the job security and all that. Outside of the corporate world, unless you're extremely talented, lucky, a genius, etc, you'll likely end up working just as much for a fraction of the money, so if you dream of getting married and having kids and being able to provide for them like a father should, you're **** out of luck.


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## komorikun (Jan 11, 2009)

Yeah, most work just sucks the life out of you and takes up 40% of your waking hours. I would say don't have kids then. You might still be stuck with only 2 weeks of vacation a year though...if you can't find another gig.


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

I've never, ever heard the corporate world being described as anything other than warm, kind and invigorating. You are a pioneer, sir.

Yes, it's dull, but such is life. You just have to put up with it. Those old well worn college ideals of doing what you want and being special were false. Turns out you're just the same as everyone else and you have to live as such. Besides, as dreary as it seems, corporate life is far, far better than the vast majority of the alternatives. So deal with it.


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## TenYears (Jan 15, 2010)

To the OP, the corporate environment, especially right now, is about as cold, depressing and uninspiring as it gets. I forgot everything they taught me at university. The only thing that matters is the bottom line. The bigger that is, the bigger my bosses bonuses are, and his boss, and on and on. At most corporate jobs I've had you aren't even acknowledged as a living, breathing human being. Do your job, if your asked to do more, do it, in the same amount of time. The only way to get noticed really is to **** up. And they have a stack of resumes from people just waiting to fill your position. That's my take on it anyway, after putting up with it for 14 years now.


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## JaneSmith (Dec 13, 2011)

Finding rewards in the corporate world is difficult, I agree. But maybe looking at what rewards are out there would make the journey more enjoyable.


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## andy0128 (Dec 19, 2003)

I've spent time in a large corporation and also a smaller company. In the former the conditions tend to be ten times better, however many of the people are goody goody types that have worked hard their whole lives and never put a foot out of line. In the smaller company the people can be a little more interesting but you also get these charachters who act like they own the place and tend to throw their weight around. I wouldn't mind it so much if I got on better with the people instead of having them take a dislike towards me for one reason or other.


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## Melinda (Feb 5, 2009)

The brief times I've worked for large corporations, I've felt like everyone around me had just given up in life. All anyone ever spoke about at work was the weather, their children, cars, clothes, celebrities, and TV news/shows. God it was dull. But then maybe I'm just bitter because I was fired from that environment recently...:stu

Still, I much prefer working for smaller companies. Right now I work two part time jobs assisting small business owners and I would much rather have than than 40 hours behind a desk stupidly hoping that my Toyota might magically turn into a BMW if I smile often enough and don't **** things up too badly.


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## Wacky Wednesdays (Apr 10, 2011)

Story of my life, finished uni last year and pretty much all my ideals have been scrapped since I started in the (un)real world. 
Everything is so impersonal, I like my job but I don't want to spend all my days figuring out variances and looking through trillions of transactions. It's so stressful. I sometimes wish I could go back to student part time jobs, they were pretty mindless but they were easy and interactive and you could actually show your personality.


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## Wacky Wednesdays (Apr 10, 2011)

Melinda said:


> I've felt like everyone around me had just given up in life. All anyone ever spoke about at work was the weather, their children, cars, clothes, celebrities, and TV news/shows. God it was dull.


But what else are people meant to talk about ...

Philosophy, quantum physics? :blank


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## Melinda (Feb 5, 2009)

*I have never been all that good at small talk*



Wacky Wednesdays said:


> But what else are people meant to talk about ...
> 
> Philosophy, quantum physics? :blank


That would be a great start!

I would take listening to those subjects over listening to the latest gossip on the Kardashians any day of the week.

At the job I used to have, there was one coworker who recommended a couple of books to me, and we spoke a little about history and traveling abroad, and other things. Even though I was mostly listening to her, I loved our conversations whenever she'd stop by my desk.


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## Zima (Jul 6, 2011)

Melinda said:


> The brief times I've worked for large corporations, I've felt like everyone around me had just given up in life. All anyone ever spoke about at work was the weather, their children, cars, clothes, celebrities, and TV news/shows. God it was dull. But then maybe I'm just bitter because I was fired from that environment recently...:stu
> 
> Still, I much prefer working for smaller companies. Right now I work two part time jobs assisting small business owners and I would much rather have than than 40 hours behind a desk stupidly hoping that my Toyota might magically turn into a BMW if I smile often enough and don't **** things up too badly.


That sums up the people at my previous job, which was at a large corporation. TV, kids, celebrities. When there was a team breakfast I just sat there awed by how boring their lives seem. And I'm not bitter, I *happily* quit 2 weeks ago 



> But what else are people meant to talk about ...
> 
> Philosophy, quantum physics?


Yes please!

While working with data in excel I often had my headphones on listening to TED talks, and on my last day when I had absolutely nothing to do...I was reading about quantum physics online. So, yeah, an environment where people talk about EXACTLY those things would be ideal :yes

PS I suppose I should mention that not all jobs are like this. I worked at a small company once(~10 people), and we talked about fun stuff, actually discussed our personal lives, joked around. People were very nice and supportive. Our VP was openly gay and rehabilitated dogs that were taken from bad environments - he had 3 bulldogs I believe. How cool is that!


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## andy0128 (Dec 19, 2003)

Wacky Wednesdays said:


> But what else are people meant to talk about ...
> 
> Philosophy, quantum physics? :blank


People don't generally stray from the mundane topics a) because they are unable to talk about anything else b) they don't want to upset or offend anyone that might create a conflict and harm their future within the company. It's the way of the world. If you don't fall into the categories of backstabbing or obedient robotic employee it's very difficult to survive in these companies. Behaving any differently makes you a subversive and a threat to the well being/status quo of the company.


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## JaneSmith (Dec 13, 2011)

andy0128 said:


> People don't generally stray from the mundane topics a) because they are unable to talk about anything else b) they don't want to upset or offend anyone that might create a conflict and harm their future within the company. It's the way of the world. If you don't fall into the categories of backstabbing or obedient robotic employee it's very difficult to survive in these companies. Behaving any differently makes you a subversive and a threat to the well being/status quo of the company.


That makes me so sad. All that negative energy. 
Life should include contentment and happiness. The corporate economic machine didn't take that into account when the Industrial Revolution was born. Although before that there was much more battlefield action.


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## 2me4u (Dec 14, 2011)

One thing you learn about life is that nothing is as good as people told you it would be when you were a growing up. Most people, (even those who do well for themselves) work away many of the waking hours of their life, never becoming half as wealthy as a member of the Jersey Shore cast. They'll buy nice cars (with a loan just as they did their education and home) and they'll spend most of their time sitting in traffic when they drive them to work. 

All the relationships with friends and family that should be primary will actually become damn near secondary to their relationships with co-workers and bosses with whom they can't stand. You'll work and work and work and work and still be labeled a lazy American, despite America having one of the highest levels of productivity in the world. You can thank the measly vacation packages most workers get for that. Just hope you do well enough to retire at some point if you don't die first. If not, you'll be a greeter at Walmart in your Winter years as many people who thought they were set for life currently are. (Job security is an illusion, no matter how educated you are. You're always expendable unless you own a company and you're filthy rich).
The stresses and nonstop social pressures of your job will inevitably wear you down. That's why Americans are always so depressed. They work, work, work and go, go, go towards nothing of true relevance and then wonder why they suddenly feel miserable.

But it won't change. Studies show that when it comes to work Americans generally take whatever they are given. No vacation? They'll deal. 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week? They'll grin and bear it. Even less pay? They'll whine a little and then drink the koolaid from others who say they should just be satisfied they have something. American workers don't rock the boat. They just paddle with their arms until it sinks. They are precisely what a CEO desires. Nice little worker ants who essentially trade off their lives for cars and big houses they never really own.


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## Ckg2011 (Aug 9, 2011)

2me4u said:


> One thing you learn about life is that nothing is as good as people told you it would be when you were a growing up. Most people, (even those who do well for themselves) work away many of the waking hours of their life, never becoming half as wealthy as a member of the Jersey Shore cast. They'll buy nice cars (with a loan just as they did their education and home) and they'll spend most of their time sitting in traffic when they drive them to work.
> 
> All the relationships with friends and family that should be primary will actually become damn near secondary to their relationships with co-workers and bosses with whom they can't stand. You'll work and work and work and work and still be labeled a lazy American, despite America having one of the highest levels of productivity in the world. You can thank the measly vacation packages most workers get for that. Just hope you do well enough to retire at some point if you don't die first. If not, you'll be a greeter at Walmart in your Winter years as many people who thought they were set for life currently are. (Job security is an illusion, no matter how educated you are. You're always expendable unless you own a company and you're filthy rich).
> The stresses and nonstop social pressures of your job will inevitably wear you down. That's why Americans are always so depressed. They work, work, work and go, go, go towards nothing of true relevance and then wonder why they suddenly feel miserable.
> ...


 Well said.


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## ainsleigh (Dec 6, 2011)

I agree. I used to live at the cusp of the financial district of London while I was at uni. I saw people marching to their jobs like zombies everyday. No smile. No talking. Even in my work experience I felt like a part of me was completely dead when I worked in the corporate world. I saw people yelling, arrogance, rudeness. Absolutely no compassion or care. I felt like a fish out of water in that world. 

After studying I was so put off by what I saw I couldn't bring myself to apply for full time jobs a a lawyer and so took a different path.


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## avoidobot3000 (Aug 22, 2010)

*Anti-corporate rant*



ainsleigh said:


> I agree. I used to live at the cusp of the financial district of London while I was at uni. I saw people marching to their jobs like zombies everyday. No smile. No talking. Even in my work experience I felt like a part of me was completely dead when I worked in the corporate world. I saw people yelling, arrogance, rudeness. Absolutely no compassion or care. I felt like a fish out of water in that world.
> 
> After studying I was so put off by what I saw I couldn't bring myself to apply for full time jobs a a lawyer and so took a different path.


I can relate. I worked in an office of several hundred employees. Some of the people were okay, but it wasn't my thing. I felt dead too. I felt I couldn't act naturally and risk being the subject of someone else's intraoffice gossip. All the procedures, guidelines, obsessive occupational health and safety restrictions*, windows that you can't see out of and having to make sure my shirt is tucked in. F*** the man, man. Not for me.

On one occasion my boss was trialing a new cleaner. The trialist was a really friendly and efficient cleaner, but she was really short and needed a step to reach onto high shelves. Rather than finding a way to accomodate her needs, they referenced the rulebook and found a way to make it sound like being short was a safety risk.

*footnote: sorry these days it's "occupational safety and health" safety first!!


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## gaspar (Dec 21, 2011)

I had similar issues during my time in the corporate world. My boss really treated me like an inferior kind of human being. He often berated me for not working during certain weekends or during the night (while he went on vacation to exotic places and had plenty of one-night-stands). Everything he needed was important and urgent, but my pay and my free time wasn't.

After I finally managed to leave him, I never looked back. The corporate world may be more financially secure, but for the most part, it's not worth living for. Better work on your passion, whatever that is.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

It's rough, cruel, etc.
I can just imagine the closed door meetings. 
The weird thing is that sometimes, the obvious is never factor. We have to do things to get them done and sometimes, it is extra work than it should be. Interesting paradox, but sad at the same time.


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## ainsleigh (Dec 6, 2011)

avoidobot3000 said:


> I can relate. I worked in an office of several hundred employees. Some of the people were okay, but it wasn't my thing. I felt dead too. I felt I couldn't act naturally and risk being the subject of someone else's intraoffice gossip. All the procedures, guidelines, obsessive occupational health and safety restrictions*, windows that you can't see out of and having to make sure my shirt is tucked in. F*** the man, man. Not for me.
> 
> On one occasion my boss was trialing a new cleaner. The trialist was a really friendly and efficient cleaner, but she was really short and needed a step to reach onto high shelves. Rather than finding a way to accomodate her needs, they referenced the rulebook and found a way to make it sound like being short was a safety risk.
> 
> *footnote: sorry these days it's "occupational safety and health" safety first!!


Oh wow...the poor cleaner. Yes it's cut throat. And at the end of the day you wonder why...


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## gaspar (Dec 21, 2011)

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it
living someone else's life" - Steve Jobs


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## melissa75 (Feb 16, 2010)

gaspar said:


> "Your time is limited, so don't waste it
> living someone else's life" - Steve Jobs


I love this quote and want to change things for myself.

Anyway, I've been working for corporations since the day I graduated college in May 1999. Corps of at least 1,000 employees. I am so bitter right now over it that I don't even know how to change. I'm overworked...so overworked, working so many hours to what end? Yeah, I'm thankful for health insurance and a 401k (what's left of it), but I have NO life and no rewards from the work I do. Just tons of stress. I'm quite certain work is ruining my life. Seriously, I know I sound dramatic :lol. But, I must make a certain amount of money to pay student loans so I'm stuck...so stuuuuuck. I just want a stress-free 8-5 job :sigh


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## tardisblue (Dec 4, 2011)

Zima said:


> I can't help but feel like the corporate world is a dreary place. The people there seem dead inside...I've worked 2 jobs since graduating college, and this world is the quickest way to kill creativity and individuality and cause depression. Going to the gym before work is the only way I made it through my days without an excruciating headache by the end of the day.
> 
> The reason it feels cold is you're expected to just be a mindless drone and do as you're told, and the overall goal of any corporation is to MAKE MORE MONEY THAN EVERYONE ELSE AT ANY COST. The relationships with coworkers feel weird, because you're coworkers. And if what you're doing with your life is helping some CEO get richer, it's pretty damn hard to feel accomplished...
> 
> ...


Yes, the corporate world is just as you've described, especially the bigger companies. You have to work your *** off, and then when you do a good job, they reward you by promoting you and expecting you to work even harder and take on more responsibilities. You also have to make sure you're ahead of your peers so that you get a good review and don't get fired. At the end of the day, you're usually working on a small piece of a larger project that's not really helping the world, but just making even more money. Yup, it sucks.


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## ainsleigh (Dec 6, 2011)

gaspar said:


> "Your time is limited, so don't waste it
> living someone else's life" - Steve Jobs


I love this quote! I also love the Stanford address he gives www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA. Really worth watching if you haven't already.

Also I think this TED talk on the work/life balance is interesting Nigel Marsh: How to make work-life balance work #TED http://on.ted.com/A71s


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## Later (May 5, 2011)

Yep both couples have to work now unlike back then, which can create more competition our parents could afford a house and have kids so early in age, were going to have to wait until our 30's. No banks are loaning now unless you're a rich person, in which case you don't need a loan! What can we do the economy is never stable and it's cruel, being professional almost means not being a human, just some robotic drone. 

Especially living in the NYC suburbs they want the best of the best it's sad to think that reality nothings guaranteed and our future is not secured. The cost of living is high around here you're so right about needing 100k to support the family I don't now of things will change around... Oh well just gotta live life for 2012 yea we do sound depressing don't we


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