The Office was a continuation of the idea that TV started pushing in the 80s/90s that perusing a career could be a substitute for starting a family, except now they were pushing the idea that one's job could be a substitute for one's social life. Which is why you see them having picnics, playing video games, having office romances, and hating on the one guy (Stanley) who just wants to work his 8 hours uninterrupted so he can go home to see his wife and kids.
This corresponded to what all the "hip" tech companies at the time were starting to offer as perks: free lunches at the cafeteria, company arcade rooms, and so on. All to keep you at the office for as long as possible and to keep you from ever wanting to leave a job because to do so would upset your social life too much.
And now 20 years later companies are actively cultivating its employees' social lives with company sponsored clubs and the like. Which is a recipe for disaster for anyone foolish enough to attend them.
The Office was a continuation of the idea that TV started pushing in the 80s/90s that perusing a career could be a substitute for starting a family, except now they were pushing the idea that one's job could be a substitute for one's social life. Which is why you see them having picnics, playing video games, having office romances, and hating on the one guy (Stanley) who just wants to work his 8 hours uninterrupted so he can go home to see his wife and kids.
This corresponded to what all the "hip" tech companies at the time were starting to offer as perks: free lunches at the cafeteria, company arcade rooms, and so on. All to keep you at the office for as long as possible and to keep you from ever wanting to leave a job because to do so would upset your social life too much.
And now 20 years later companies are actively cultivating its employees' social lives with company sponsored clubs and the like. Which is a recipe for disaster for anyone foolish enough to attend them.