This is a great post. I used to work with someone who described the physical atmosphere at many legal aid offices as "Broken Chair Syndrome" - essentially that if you deal with hopeless and shitty situations long enough, you start thinking that you *don't deserve* to have nice office furniture. The broken office chair that leans to one side and lacks a wheel should be sufficient. But this discounts the message clients get from that environment - "Your lawyer isn't good enough to afford a nice chair, mainly because they have to deal with hopeless people like you." It's like an environmental spiral all the way down.
I really love this post. The rooms do speak to us. What we pay attention to, what we hide, what we invest time and money into: it is telling of our values. (I need beauty to function. Like a forest walk.)
This is a great post. I used to work with someone who described the physical atmosphere at many legal aid offices as "Broken Chair Syndrome" - essentially that if you deal with hopeless and shitty situations long enough, you start thinking that you *don't deserve* to have nice office furniture. The broken office chair that leans to one side and lacks a wheel should be sufficient. But this discounts the message clients get from that environment - "Your lawyer isn't good enough to afford a nice chair, mainly because they have to deal with hopeless people like you." It's like an environmental spiral all the way down.
Thank you so much! Broken chair syndrome really captures it - I remember the legal aid offices 😔
Someone give that poor hero at county court a medal.
I loved the rhetorical device of making the various locations speak. I wish Lighthaven had spoken too. Very cool post!
I really love this post. The rooms do speak to us. What we pay attention to, what we hide, what we invest time and money into: it is telling of our values. (I need beauty to function. Like a forest walk.)
Thank you! And my god yes the forest is magical
This writing was stylish and I liked it
Oh, thank you!