Craftsmanship vs. Convenience: What a 1960s Chair Can Teach Us About Modern Work Culture

The other day, I watched a documentary on Netflix called “Join or Die.” First off, I highly recommend it. The premise of the film is about how Americans' membership in clubs, community involvement, and social interaction has been on a dramatic decline. Did you know loneliness is a major contributing factor to both major and minor health issues? As a member of Generation X, I am part of the last generation to experience a world with and without the internet as a staple. We used our voices, our wired hand-held phones, and would knock on doors unannounced to contact our friends. There was a time when human interaction was still… human.

We use Teams, Slack, Outlook, Monday.com, and a slew of other software to do the job face-to-face conversation used to. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for technology! Especially A.I. (huge fan), but I think the American workforce has become imbalanced. We are losing our sense of quality, community, and club-like approach to collaboration. If you don’t believe me, watch the documentary! It’s no joke!

I am fortunate to work with a team of people that prefers conversation over software to stay in the loop. I hate to “toot our own horn,” but our production and efficiency as a team are among the best at our organization because of this approach. Do we use our technology? Yes. Is it what makes us productive and efficient? No! Although it serves its purpose, it cannot replace consistent and thoughtful human connections. It is natural and normal for us all to want to take the path of least resistance in life. Technology helps us take the easy road. However, what is the cost?

We needed a few extra chairs for Thanksgiving this year and my mom brought over some awesome vintage folding chairs I remember from my childhood. The first chair pictured is circa the early 1960s. It belonged to my grandparents, and it is part of a set of eight. There are no tears in the seat, scratches in the paint, bends in the legs, or dents. The screws are solid, and the mechanics are sound. It is made from real metal in a factory by actual people versus a robot. It was designed by someone using pencil and paper and machined using manual measurement. The workers who made it were from a generation that stayed with the same company for 30 years, becoming experts at their craft. This chair is nearly 70 years old!

 The second chair pictured I bought online a few years ago. On the second day of having it, the hydraulics broke, and it would no longer raise or lower. A year later, the screws holding the seat to the base broke, and I had to fix it. This chair was designed by a computer, made with machines, and shipped with software to my home. It wobbles when you sit on it, and now we just look at it. Is it better? Nope! I think I will toss it in the garbage on bulk day this week…

Conclusion:

In an era where technology dominates our lives, it's easy to forget the value of genuine human interaction and craftsmanship. Just as the sturdy, well-crafted chair from the 1960s stands the test of time, so too does the importance of face-to-face communication and community in the workplace. While technology offers convenience, it cannot replace the quality and connection that come from human effort and collaboration. By prioritizing meaningful interactions, we can ensure that our work, like the solid metal chair, remains strong and enduring, rather than becoming something that merely "sits there."

Sell well my friends,

-Peeps

Robert Peeples

Sales Performance Consultant