You have the rights of the donkey

 “What are the rights of the beast of burden; like a donkey?”

November 13, 2004 

Note:  I am re-publishing professional articles instead of updating them for readers who missed then 5 months ago.

People used to own donkeys for special works and they still do in many places.

Donkeys are relatively cheap, if you can find them, and are quite obedient and resilient.

Donkeys can endure hardships if you provide them with food and minimal lodging.

Low level employees in data input jobs are far less loved and appreciated than the former hot blooded mammals.

They helplessly endure repetitive musculoskeletal pains and many of the clerks do proudly claim these pains as a badge of honor.

They are remunerated cheaper than donkeys because all that their job entails is to just sit and do monotonous work.

They suffer all the sedentary diseases: neck, head, shoulders, and back pains.

They suffer irremediable hands, fingers and wrists handicaps for the rest of their wretched lives.

Graphic designers are certainly a tad better: 

They are paid slightly better not for their artistic imagination but, may be, because they can also use a few more computer application programs.

Historically, the design of the characters on the first typewriters was meant to slow down typing:

Fast typing used to jam the arms of the mechanical typewriters.

A large order by a big company at the time hampered any redesign of the characters for the newer technological advances in the manufacture of typewriters.

Still, secretaries had to awkwardly learn typing fast to meet production and greed.

The benefits of redesigning the shapes and forms of computer keyboards, which could temporarily alleviate the many cumulative musculoskeletal disorders from harsh continuous and daily typing, did not reach the common typists and data entry clerks.

These low level employees were not worth any investment in upgraded keyboards.

Higher level employees, who barely use computers for any productive task, were honored with the latest gismos.

In fact, I believe that even the best ergonomically designed keyboards cannot solve these disorders:

Heavy computer users, for eight hours daily, are still performing repetitive movements, sitting still, eyes riveted to a display.

They are still asked to perform maximally, under the watchful and tireless computer supervisor:

An efficient program embedded in the computer itself; a program that collects data and analyzes performances of the donkey clerk.

Employees should not demand any redesign of the characters on keyboards.

Any faster typing design will be at their detriment and they will pay the price bitterly.

Their task will come to higher risks to their health and safety with no increase in wages. 

They should know that faster standards will then be required of them;

Instead of 60 words per minutes Mr. Greed might ask of them to be able to type 300 wpm.

It is not enough to improve technology; we need to restrain its consequences.

Bless Rabelais who said: “Science without conscience is the ruin of the soul”.