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Give 'Em Enough Hope: Clashing views on office life

Published: Aug 27, 2009

If you've got a moment to spare, take a gander at "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" from Brooklyn's local culture bi-weekly The L Magazine. (It's part of "The Office Issue.") Compare and contrast the lives of the "have"(an office job) and "have not" from four (mostly) creative environments: book publishing, television, the music industry, and an architecture firm.

There's nothing particularly revelatory here, but the piece is an easy, enjoyable read. What's maybe most striking is how forthright and, well, upbeat the "formerly employed" office workers are. Now working either part-time, freelance, or in another industry, they've all discovered how to make the most of their situations. Most have even found a way to fulfill a dream or two that was previously back-burnered by the demands of office life.

Whether it's your decision or not, leaving the office behind isn't always a terrible thing. Sometimes, despite the economic consequences, a little time and perspective can transform an unexpected change in employment status into "the best thing that ever happened to me."

--Posted by Todd Obolsky, Vault Staff Writer

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