One of the most prominent themes in our society over the past few decades has been the sapping effect of desk jobs in corporate America. Occupations that were once seen as favorable were suddenly frowned upon, and still today many people dread the possibility of ending up sitting at a desk from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. However, Nicholson Baker is able to put an entirely unique spin on corporate America through the childlike attitude and curiosity of Howie, and The Mezzanine is a direct challenge to the ideology that working a meaningless desk job has to suck all the fun out of life.
Interestingly enough, we never learn anything about Howie's occupation. We don't know what he does or what kind of a company he works for - that's not important. What's important is that he is able to find joy in the small things that people take so often for granted. Nobody knows how to entertain themselves better than Howie does, and Baker makes this out to be key to Howie's happiness. His day, mundane on the surface, is wildly entertaining to someone like him who can appreciate all the exciting things around him. Escalators are fun to ride - why not enjoy them? Why not treat oneself to milk and a cookie? Howie's imagination provides him with freedom, and Baker is arguing that that's really what matters - an active mind.
I think this is a principle that we can apply to the current state of most of our lives. It feels almost soul-crushing to sit in the same chair every morning, preparing for another day straining our eyes at our computer screens. I don't think Baker would argue against anyone complaining about spending our days like this. However, there are so many ways in which we can enjoy and appreciate this time. The next time you feel like you've had a bland and worthless day, take a moment and think: what would Howie do? Maybe you could eat a snack with childhood memories associated with it, or marvel at how the sound travels from your teacher's house into your computer and up the little wire in your earbuds. But I think we should all try to open our eyes to the tiny joys we can create for ourselves.
I also find it interesting how Baker focuses on such a character as Howie. I feel like a personality such as his is so rare nowadays, especially how you mentioned in a corporate desk job, where the stereotype has mindless workers dully staring at their screens. I agree that we couldn't have read this at a better time. Our reality now is much like one of a desk job, and maybe we could learn a thing or two from Howie. You've inspired me to take a piece of banana bread to munch on during my next class, hopefully that'll bring back some childhood joy and memories during these interesting times.
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand your point I don't really see how Baker puts a new spin on corporate America. All Baker is doing is showing how anything, no matter how boring or meaningless, can be made fun and interesting if you look at it in the right light. Even if what we are doing now can be much like Howie's life at his job we have it significantly easier as we have the internet a button press away and as such it's harder for us to do what Howie does, even if it might be preferable to looking on the internet all day.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of applying Howie's mindset to our lives today. It could be beneficial, but it is in such opposition to our normal mindsets its almost impossible to see myself adopting it. Especially since Howie lived in a different time where life wasnt consumed by the internet.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like the idea about how Howie is this guy just going through everyday modern life. On the outside, he looks like the average corporate worker, but he seems to have a diverse thought process in the inside. He's not showing us the outside, he has spit out his insides on paper. I really do admire his gut in this sense.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy Howie's sense of childlike wonder, especially in 2020 when every conceivable form of natural disaster and catastrophe has taken place. Finding joy in the little things becomes increasingly important when the big things in life become fraught and unreliable. We take so much for granted these days, so it's nice to take a pause and examine things closer.
ReplyDeleteI love your take on how Baker is putting a new spin on corporate America. I think it's a really interesting thought and something we should definitely apply to our lives currently. Like you mentioned, our days are so repetitive now and I'm left to wonder what Howie would find exciting. This mentality has really helped me notice many new small enjoyments throughout my day. I've started telling myself "maybe Howie would like this too" and it's become a quite fun game to play sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSome people absolutely dread the possibility of working a 9-5 desk job in corporate America, but others find it comfortable. Living in the suburbs, working this job and having a stable income, and having a couple kids is the "American dream" for some people. Maybe Howie finds this lifestyle comfortable and safe, and doesn't desire an "exciting" life because he is entertained enough by his own shoelaces.
ReplyDelete