As I was doing some shopping, I came across a book that vowed to tell readers how to work only 4 hours a week, yet have the same or a higher income. I take it everyone is interested in working less and earning more, but as I opened it up and took a peek, I was wondering what the book would be able to tell me. After all, I do "know" that cutting back on all time consuming crap would earn you more income, relatively speaking. Let me give you a quick example : shopping.
I went out and needed 4 different items, but most of them were probably for sale in the same shop. I went into a shop, fought my way to a crowd of people that shop because they have no other purpose in life, and found 2 of the items I needed. I made a note of the price. I went to a second shop, where I found all 4 items. Needless to say, I didn't go back to the first shop to get the first two items... I purchased everything I needed right there. If that sounds logical, or maybe even efficient to you, let me tell you otherwise.
If I had the time to compare prices online, and order directly, it would have saved me time, effort, gas and a lot of irritation. After all, there is nothing optimized about shopping in a store. Walk the hundreds of products, load them into a caddy, walk over to a sales register, wait in line for the clerk to become available, have all products scanned, load them into bags, pay, head over to your home (or car) and unload it all again.
Anyway, I think there's a lot I can change in my life to optimize my time, yet I don't do so. Why is that? Well, that's one of the questions I still have to answer. Is it because of fear of changes? Is it because I wouldn't know what else to do with my "spare" time? Is it because it's not socially acceptable to be ultra efficient and seen as inhumane cutting anything that doesn't directly benefit oneself? I think the two last statements are the core issues at hand. Peer pressure is a huge factor in how we position ourselves in life and how or why a group of people all react the same generally speaking.
Interesting idea, I must admit. Will need to read up on peer pressure and influencing large groups of people through subtle changes, while correctly predicting the outcome. But first I'll finish reading "Chatter - Dispatches from the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping" which takes a shot at disclosing the secret world of sigint, a book I picked up three days ago.
Why do I always pick these weird techy topics to read and write about?
Comments
Answer (to your last question): because weird issues are more interesting than daily matters.;-)
Posted by: Hilda at December 18, 2007 11:22 PM