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Don't ignore the janitor

happychasing.substack.com

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Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#91

Post by halcy »

plaguepilled wrote: post #71

As someone who has worked a few service jobs: oh god please don't start a conversation with me if I'm on my lonesome. This advice needs a huge sticker that says 'mileage may vary'. Not everyone wants the silence to be punctuated with smalltalk.

The person doing the cleaning on our office floor always wears very large and conspicuous probably noise canceling headphones, while working. Guessing she has had one too many person trying to make awkward conversation while she was just trying to get the coffee cups in the wash as quickly as possible.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#92

Post by peterburkimsher »

civilized wrote: post #74
plaguepilled wrote: post #71

As someone who has worked a few service jobs: oh god please don't start a conversation with me if I'm on my lonesome. This advice needs a huge sticker that says 'mileage may vary'. Not everyone wants the silence to be punctuated with smalltalk.

This was going to be my first question!

Full AI likes to be interrupted by SmallTalk programmers making buggy software to fix real life. Thank you, GBY.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#93

Post by peterburkimsher »

halcy wrote: post #91
plaguepilled wrote: post #71

As someone who has worked a few service jobs: oh god please don't start a conversation with me if I'm on my lonesome. This advice needs a huge sticker that says 'mileage may vary'. Not everyone wants the silence to be punctuated with smalltalk.

The person doing the cleaning on our office floor always wears very large and conspicuous probably noise canceling headphones, while working. Guessing she has had one too many person trying to make awkward conversation while she was just trying to get the coffee cups in the wash as quickly as possible.

Headphones are just a social signal of "Do Not Disturb". Or maybe just listening to music. Things have different meanings in different contexts.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#94

Post by turboponyy »

theteapot wrote: post #85
Arainach wrote: post #49

This seems harder in our modern world where everything is contracted out to the lowest bidder. I've had great conversations with custodial staff at schools, parks, and other areas that actually hire the workers. At my day job, a giant corporation which hires its engineers but outsources its janitors, chefs, and so on, there's a totally different vibe. Even the few janitors that speak English are both rushed to comple…

> ... it means that even when I do say hello or hold a door or whatever I don't get a response. I'm sure they find it condescending. This whole post is kind of condescending TBH.

Yeah, you shouldn't need an article to tell you to say hello to people working in the same building as you - especially if they're service workers.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#95

Post by crackercrews »

tomek_zemla wrote: post #30

There is a famous photograph from the White House of Obama stopping to fist bump a janitor with a mop. It would be a great illustration for this blog post.

Justice Thomas is also well-known for knowing everyone's names.

> He knows the janitors, cafeteria workers, everyone. He knows their names, the names of their family members, where they're in school, and he is viewed by the law clerks of all the justices as the most accessible of the court's members.

1: https://www.npr.org/2011/10/11/141246695/clarence-thomas-inf...

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#97

Post by thro388 »

Arainach wrote: post #49

This seems harder in our modern world where everything is contracted out to the lowest bidder. I've had great conversations with custodial staff at schools, parks, and other areas that actually hire the workers. At my day job, a giant corporation which hires its engineers but outsources its janitors, chefs, and so on, there's a totally different vibe. Even the few janitors that speak English are both rushed to comple…

Perceived power imbalance? Many workers are in country on semi legal basis, ex prison... any false accusation could literally destroy their life.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#98

Post by lambdasquirrel »

Arainach wrote: post #49

This seems harder in our modern world where everything is contracted out to the lowest bidder. I've had great conversations with custodial staff at schools, parks, and other areas that actually hire the workers. At my day job, a giant corporation which hires its engineers but outsources its janitors, chefs, and so on, there's a totally different vibe. Even the few janitors that speak English are both rushed to comple…

One of the janitors in my high school once gave us a lecture on linear algebra. I don't know what he did before he left the former Warsaw Pact country he was from, but it was one of those whoa kind of experiences.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#99

Post by idorube »

turboponyy wrote: post #94
theteapot wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> ... it means that even when I do say hello or hold a door or whatever I don't get a response. I'm sure they find it condescending. This whole post is kind of condescending TBH.

Yeah, you shouldn't need an article to tell you to say hello to people working in the same building as you - especially if they're service workers.

Absolutely agree, this is a condescending humble brag that never should have been posted in the first place.

Re: Don't ignore the janitor

#100

Post by bobsmooth »

deltasevennine wrote: post #43
knorker wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to make things worse, adding insult to injury. A 'hi' and smile costs nothing. Please at least give that. We're not asking that you give them part of your salary.

I'm not insulting the janitor. I'm insulting myself. And you. And everyone else who works at the company who steps on him. I'm saying, that a "hi" and a smile is utter bullshit. We all know we're stepping on him and a "hi" and a "smile" is opium to make us feel better about ourselves. You completely misinterpreted the post.

I think ignoring someone because you're embarrassed by them is only marginally better than ignoring someone because you think you're better than them. A smile and a nod are free.
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