Since I now can work remotely, today I decided to work in Panera bread. I like Panera for their hazelnut coffee, sandwiches, and free wi-fi. Years ago when I first started going to Panera, it was a different place. Back then, most customers would come to Panera to chat with friends or colleagues over coffee and simple meals. Over time Panera has attracted other customers as well. Now folks are using this place for meeting clients, interviewing job candidates, working on internet (like me), and conducting social and business meetings.
At this moment, there are 3 group meetings going on at the same time: one group of parents discussing school matter, one group of senor forks chatting recent events and planning for upcoming trips, and another group of salespersons are having a business meeting. Earlier I
also observed a lady interviewed 3 job candidates. She scheduled meeting candidates at 20 minutes apart. All those folks don’t seem to care if anyone overhears their business.
I am amazed by how people would conduct their business in public. As we migrated more and more of our activities form physical world to the virtual one, I thought we would live a more discrete life. And, yet, I found myself come to work in a coffee shop. Just like other customers, I could have worked in my private home instead of a public place. So… what drew us here? Could it be that we are genetically programmed to live in a crowd? When we are freed from working side-by-side with colleagues in office, we end up attaching ourselves to a crowd of strangers.
Maybe…. Just maybe…. It also explains why we are searching for friends here in i-part? Just want to get the feeling that we are surrounded by a crowd? Like birds to flock together to stay warm in coldness?
住戶編號:2031336
檢舉原因
心情: 
