There is possibly no truer cliche than “Misery loves company.” That being said, no one likes to hear about one’s “enjoyment” of a job, whether love of the actual profession or, worst of all, “working as a team” with one’s co-workers. Thus, even when one might theoretically relish the routine and monotony of the cube life, he or she knows better than to express it out loud.
Thus, commiserating statements like shrugging mournfully and saying, “One day closer to Friday” in that yuk yuk manner are often bandied to convey solidarity–that you, too, hate your life and are counting down the seconds to that two-day period of freedom known as the weekend. By joining in on the herd mentality of “We’re all in this shit hole together,” you are welcomed into the cubicle fold with open arms, never risking ostracism by keeping your head down and not bothering with forced banter that you can’t even relate to because you checked out of your body about two months after working in Midtown anyway.