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  • Essay / Lack of control, apathy and mundane in "orientation"

    In a world run by large corporations, it is not uncommon to find yourself in a position of very little control, even over your own life . This feeling caused by lack of power and other life sorrows sometimes causes a feeling of apathy towards things that do not directly affect us or relate to oneself. These life factors present themselves frequently throughout Daniel Orozco's "Orientation," a cynical yet witty story that illustrates the rules and circumstances that office workers are subject to and that reflect the values ​​of the business and how people deal with dissatisfaction. Orozco's social commentary addresses the apathy with which people perceive events and actions that do not affect them as well as the lack of control they actually have over their own lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout “Orientation,” the text presents a pressing sense that, within the office, there is a complete lack of control over the lives of employees. workers. From the beginning of the narrator's instructions to the last punctuation mark, the new employee being addressed seems to increasingly see his basic rights as a human being diminished. The first illustration of this is the narrator's instructions on the use of the telephone: each cubicle contains a telephone with which employees are not allowed to make personal calls. While this restriction is not uncommon in workplaces, the following is far more ridiculous: "If you need to make an emergency phone call, ask your supervisor first...[otherwise] you may be fired » (Orozco, 506). So in this office, if one needs immediate medical attention, for example, an employee's safety may depend on this rule. Since it would be necessary to research and explain the situation to a supervisor, the time required to do so could make it too late to respond to this emergency. The company appears to emphasize the importance of worker hierarchy and job security above the safety of its employees, thereby depriving them of any control over their situation. It is also suggested that an employee's time at the company consists largely of being surrounded by privileges that are forever out of reach. The narrator makes a point of informing the new employee of the many utilities available in the office but which he cannot access. The narrator explains the situation at the café and then adds: “You are allowed to join the café pool of your choice, but you are not allowed to touch Mr. Café” (507). The narrator also shows the guard's closet and immediately adds: "You have nothing to do [there]" (508), and informs that there is a telephone in each cabin but that you should never use it. answer. The narrator, through the demeaning rules of the company, illustrates the total lack of power available to employees by highlighting average privileges that are not granted to them. Among the employees of this workplace, there is a feeling of apathy that seems to be cultivated. by their personal demons. The text suggests that what happens in the workplace is of utmost importance; what happens outside workers' offices doesn't matter. The workers are apathetic toward Barry Hacker's tendency to steal food from the refrigerator because "his petty thefts are an outlet for his sorrows" (508), and they are willing to look the other way when John LaFountaine “made incursions into the.