Strange talk has floated around my apartment regarding the act of doing nothing at work. Max and Blake related to me the difficult struggles they had had trying to find something productive to do with themselves while they sat in their cubicles. They went so far to say that they tried to extenuate any work given to them so they could at least pretend like they were making an effort. Spreadsheets were opened but never updated. During this time they would blog to their hearts content, discuss each other's blog, and esstentially create an entire digital community with other bloggers around the Manhattan area. Though many hours have undoubtedly been spent with this community, no tangible evidence its existence can be found.

Meanwhile, for the past month I've been working under the yoke of a large middle aged man, heavy in accent and downright excessive in his complaining, at a jewelry company. There I spent eight and a half hours cataloging jewelry, counting jewelry, and doing other exceedingly boring things all related to jewelry. Each day I had two fifteen minute breaks, a thirty minute lunch break, and no internet access.
My world was the real world, filled with people counting and recounting little pieces of metal trying to get work completed on schedule. Max and Blake lived in the fake world filled with hour and half long lunch breaks, beautiful women behind every cubicle (though I think this applies much more to Max), and as I have said, sufficient time for blogging to one's content.

They both got paid more than me, had shorter commute times (mine was about an hour), and I believed made their entire world up. I became interested in this fake world, so much so, that I quit at the jewelry company and became a temp again.
So what kind of life is someone who sits around for eight hours a day doing very nearly nothing?

There are a couple different opinions.

1. Dilbert/Office Space Land of Eventual Death



The case could be made that this world of little responsibility calls to mind this famous (though extinct, right?) cartoon and cult classic movie, where employees of an anonoymous company struggle through the daily grind of applying ones efforts towards a job impossible to care about.

Temps, likewise, are sequestered away. Though they may have no work, they still can't skip work and hang out in central park. But temp work is rather different than the slow eventual death that comes to these people, for this is not the resting point for temps, since it is in their nature to not stay anywhere for long.

2. The Leisure Time of the Land Gentry



These people of inherited wealth have things they need to accomplish in their day like paying bills, ordernig dinner, and using the restroom. But most of the day is spent trying to occupy oneself. This lead to such inventions such as billards, reading Jane Austen, and dressing up like a Dandy.

Likewise, members of this fake world have certain responsibilities, but nothing that can really make up for the fact that between 2 and 4 time stands still and winks at you because you already took your lunch break and no calls are coming in. Thus explains the creation of blogs, on-line gaming, and the New York Times Online.
There are differences. However grand Temps might feel, they still have no health insurance, money, or dandy clothing.

The end result is rather a mix between these two. Life in this fake world of a temp is neither depressing or uplifting. It compleats no part of your soul, but neither does it take any away. No significant friends are made, though conversation does occur. We seem to be relagated to some kind of alternate world for those with career aspirations beyond a receptionist, though not enough to actually stop being one. Much reading can be accomplished, but not much good writing.

Those with answers on what's best to do between 2 and 4 please respond.