Remote Work is Not the Problem
Though it’s probably not helping
Most workers in a post-COVID world — and everyone in tech for the last ten years — believe we have too many damn meetings. The potential solutions to this are not clear, or else they’d be implemented more broadly. This parallels a lesson I’ve only recently come to accept about managing people: it’s clearly difficult, or else more people wouldn’t be absolutely terrible at it.
Shopify, apparently feeling these pains, adopted a fairly polarizing approach: canceling all recurring meetings of more than two people. They’re essentially saying that just because it is on your calendar and you can find things to discuss (circle back from the week prior, if you will), doesn’t mean you need to meet. Put this way, I think it’s hard to disagree. The extremity of the policy is a bit more debatable, but when you have ~10,000 employees, sweeping severity is often the only way.
In response to this news, prolific shitposter Alex Cohen tweeted an evidently sincere concern for the remote workforce. The tweet was shared in a group chat with the accompanying message: “boo fucking hoo,” sparking a conversation that inspired this post.
We all agreed that if the outcome of less meetings is truly a lonelier, more isolated workforce, that is a sad reality. And that remote work offers tons of benefits, but they must be actively sought out. Meetings are decidedly not the answer to loneliness, though they may still be satisfying some of our yearning for social connection. Still, we mostly concurred that meetings may actually be a net negative for introverts (often, engineers) who find them draining and not a source of social interaction. We were most passionately aligned that the answer to less loneliness is more genuine socialization. The obvious solutions, if you feel lonely at work, are hobbies and non-work relationships.
Tech companies of the late 2010s, well before the massive shift towards remote-first, started to cater to mental health in the workplace: work seemingly became a place you should feel good, first, and have an impact, second — a massive 180 from the founding ethos of most of those companies. But it made sense: they were printing cash, growing headcount at unprecedented rates, and all competing for the same handful of talent. Tenure shrunk to below two years at most big Bay Area tech giants and the only prescription was more cowbell daily catered meals, unlimited vacation, kombucha on tap, laundry service, just to name a few. It’s hard to know if all of these pamperings had any meaningful impact on their beneficiaries, though I’d hypothesize that, at best, it provided a tinge of headwind to an unstoppable cultural force.
It seems to me that this was mostly an overcorrection that resulted in at least part of the workforce shifting the onus onto their employer. A company’s primary purpose is to profit. And for a while, some companies thought their best path to profit was providing a plethora of perks. Until that wasn’t true anymore, and remote work, with no meetings, was instead the flavor of the month. The reality is probably somewhere in the middle (it always fecking is, innit?). Companies should care more than they did fifty years ago, but probably less than they did five.
But what then, if remote work will continue to contribute to rising loneliness, meetings won’t make a difference, and your company’s foot massages won’t solve endemic anxiety?
Truthfully, I have little to add to this assessment. It feels increasingly obvious that, despite definitely being able to find meaning in your work (a worthy goal, but a different conversation), it’s time to refocus the energy towards urging people to look inward — recognize we have agency, we are the only ones who can determine our own well-being. And outward — start fostering deeper relationships (online is okay!), make more conscious decisions about the stuff (food, clothes, or otherwise) we consume, touch grass, build things, and explore curiosities. The biggest blunder would be to simply expect your employer to make you whole, without ever having even asked yourself what it is you truly need.
A Murder Roils The Cycling World
Gravel cycling tends to attract a certain urban aesthete who still fashions themself as a rugged outdoors person (read: me). As a fan of the sport (“activity” may be a better word), I was shocked to see the news of the murder of up-and-coming gravel rider Moriah Wilson was reported in May 2022. Then doubly gobsmacked to learn that it had allegedly been committed by the girlfriend of gravel superstar Colin Strickland. I don’t want to minimize the human tragedy, but the journalist in me kept thinking that this has all the makings of an excellent true crime story and I hoped that a worthy outlet would recognize that. Thankfully, Ian Parker at the New Yorker did.
—Justin
Why does every store suddenly look the same?
This article was making its rounds through my feed on Wednesday. With a hero image of a store I would unquestionably pop into (and probably have), I had to click. I responded to a tweet about the article saying “i laughed out loud a few times and questioned my free will a few more.” It’s a really fun read, especially if you live in NYC or LA. I’m a big fan of the coinage of “smallwashing” — much like how there’s a “-gate” for every controversy, every intentional consumer deception trend needs a “-washing” suffix. I asked Rachel if she thinks we’ll cringe at the idea that we liked this type of store in a few years. I think the answer is probably “yes,” though I still hope to shop for provisions at “shoppy shops” until then.
—Andrew
Garcia (Remixed) by LP Giobbi
I may be the world’s least informed person when it comes to dance music, but I came across LP Giobbi because she DJ’d at Dead & Company’s recent Playing In The Sand shows in Mexico. That performance dovetailed into her release of Garcia (Remixed), a house remix of Jerry and Grateful Dead tunes and I realized how nicely those two genres play together. (Again, this is coming from the world’s least informed dance music aficionado, but I’d say it’s worth a listen.)
—Justin
Open Space | The Tracey Residence, Rolly A. Andrew 1959
It’s possible I’ve shared this channel before, but I have not shared this video of the almost-perfect house. Almost, because it is just a 1-bedroom, making this couple the ideal owners. Unlike my shoppy shop interest, I don’t think mid-century architecture or design will ever be cringe. At least not as long as there is a coinciding Porsche collection. Cold, modern design on the other hand… that style is going to age like milk.
—Andrew