final exam rhetoric in cyberspace

Internet and Working

We talked in class about the idea that the internet has changed work in a number of ways. First, the type of jobs and work is changing (e.g. The Lexus and the Olive Tree). Next, the types of people who are doing the work is changing (e.g. Granny @ Work, also Lexus). Also, the way work is done is changing (e.g 21 Dog Years). Finally, the amount of time we spend working is changing.

This final issue, the idea that you can always be working and never be working at the same time got me thinking about my sister's fiance. Jason is a graphic designer specializing in web design, and he's GOOD. I mean, really good. You can link to his website to get a little taste (www.getyourlefton.com) And his experience demonstrates all the areas of work we've been discussing.

Since graduating from my alum, George Mason University, Jason has gone through almost a dozen jobs. He worked for a design firm, for Apple, for a company that did post-production work on films, for an interior design company... and on, and on. With only one or two exceptions, all Jason did all these jobs from home.

But Jason often explained that people who wanted websites didn't fully understand what kind of work goes into create one. His saying, which is a common one, is... When it comes to web design, there are three qualities: fast, cheap, good. You can have any two, but you can't have all three.

As a result of this fact and many others, Jason always ends up quitting his job in favor of free-lancing. And the reason is exactly what we've all been discussing. The internet changes the nature of commerce, and those who are involved in making that commerce function are in a unique position. On the one hand, Jason has the skills, technology, and access to resources he needs to create amazing websites constantly. He's always got his computer(s), he's always got or is near to internet access, and he has the skills (both learned and self-taught). Theoretically, he could work all the time. But practically, he can't. For people like Jason who work for themselves and work from home, the management/balance of time takes on a new form via the internet.

Does anyone else have any experience with this type of work?

(If you go to his page, my big sis is the one sitting next to him on the boardwalk, and that's VA Beach in the background.)

posted by Emily @ 1:48 PM