A Compromise on Bob Black's Dream
Remote work and async are the real way to a Ludic life
Hey reader,
Last Saturday, I competed in my first-ever snowboard competition, at the fresh age of 39. The crew of guys I’ve ridden with since college got together to compete in the Neverland Banked Slalom race at Loveland Ski Area. First place went to an up-and-comer undoubtedly bound for sponsorship. The legendary Summit County pro rider Chad Otterstrom took 8th place. I took 95th, out of a field of 150.
At least it happened.
This week’s essay has nothing to do with snowboarding. But it’s equally compelling.
Let’s get into it.
Resouces from this week’s essay
Mountain Remote back essays for further reading:
More on Bob Black
A Compromise on Bob Black's Dream
Recently I came across an essay titled, “The Abolition of Work,” by the anarchist writer and commentator Bob Black. In it, Black argues for a life of revelry and the end of employment.
I agree with Black that a lifestyle allowing for ludic impulsiveness is for the benefit of all. I disagree on how to go about getting there.
Rather than bailing on work entirely, giving up on the progress it allows, society should embrace and enact modern technologies on a rolling basis to make work more enjoyable, less time-consuming, and more productive — with a continued focus on tasks that are both personally and collectively beneficial.
Technology helps more and more people realize their own full potential rather than somebody else’s — without having to sacrifice the benefits stemming from work and productivity. The increase in workers opting for self-employment and contract work — now 30 percent of the US workforce — is proof of that.
Here’s more.
Productivity and happiness are closely related
The motivational speaker Brian Tracy is a big proponent of how productivity makes people happier. Tracy, and many psychologists and scientists as well, has laid out the case that moving oneself through the day by completing productive tasks, be they professional or personal, makes people happier.
There’s ample evidence that supports this being a two-way street. Happy people are also more productive. I personally take much satisfaction in completing tasks and even more when I look at my daily Google Calendar and realize I have made it through everything.
Black argues that rather than working, we should “play,” and that this play can be equally productive.
Play can be productive. But it seems that the impulse to move too far one way or the other in this argument is where society begins to fall apart. Much like in politics, a wise viewpoint is one that considers the others, and moves forward with them in mind.
The same digital technologies that allow for remote work also allow for the freeing up of more of one’s time, without having to sacrifice even a shred of productivity. Without commuting, without a boss breathing down one’s neck, without unnecessary meetings, a worker can complete all necessary tasks and then move on with their day, embracing Black’s vision of spontaneity and revelry.
In this case, however, society still moves forward, and humanity continues to advance on its quest to solve big problems and improve its overall quality of life.
Automation and technology will continue to push this forward
One of the most common misunderstandings of technologies such as Generative Artificial Intelligence is that it’s “coming for your job.” As I argued in a back essay on the topic (linked in the resources section above), AI is instead coming to reshape the structure of modern work, particularly careers in tech, media, and art.
The people for whom it’s “coming for their job” will be those who ignore it and hope it goes away, thus making themselves irrelevant as workflows continue to evolve and adapt to an ever-changing technological landscape.
Learning how to use Generative AI will be key to remaining a needed part of these industries. AI will provide more free time and mental bandwidth to those who do so. Here’s how, in an example taken from my own day-to-day:
A freelance copywriter takes on a new client. After the onboarding meeting, the writer dives into keyword research and strategy planning in order to begin work on deliverables. Once this is complete, the writer opens Jasper.ai, inputs a keyword and prompt, and receives a structured outline for a blog article in just a few seconds.
The writer uses their own ability combined with Jasper’s to flesh out a 1,500-word blog post. The writer edits and fact-checks the piece and then inserts its main points into a new Jasper template to create a 5-part email campaign to amplify this article and similar studies/articles to the client’s audience, with a catchy Call To Action at the bottom that boosts the client’s sales. With some time spent cleaning up and editing the email series, the writer has produced six pieces of useful content in a couple of hours.
This same task used to take the writer two hours per day spread across an entire week. The amount of money earned is the same.
At this point, a bit of basic math and big-picture thinking reveals two breakthroughs for this writer:
They now have way more time to take on additional clients or pursue other angles of work life, thus increasing their income.
There’s still plenty of time left over to go snowboarding, hang with family, or pursue other hobbies.
In other professions, AI and additional forms of technology will make workflows like this increasingly attainable, underscoring a growing ability for workers and freelancers to charge rates based on deliverables rather than time.
Technologies behind remote work reduce on-the-job degradation
About halfway through the essay, Black discusses the degradation workers experience while on the job. Thinking back to my days working in restaurants and bars, in particular, I can recall far more instances of being yelled at and scolded by half-cocked chefs and high-strung customers than I can the times I was complimented on an honest day’s work.
Simply by removing forced confines and most face-to-face interactions with assholes, working remotely eliminates much of this degradation because communication in a remote workplace is far more selective and intentional. You can delete or edit a typed sentence before hitting “send,” but you can’t unsay something already said.
This allows for better, more constructive feedback in many situations, largely because the digital buffer provides a moment to gather thoughts rather than succumb to the desire to respond impulsively to someone.
It also allows for the person on the receiving end to take that same time to respond, letting a comment sit so as to better understand any subtext or subtlety. There’s also the option of simply not engaging.
An example of this in my daily life is that I intentionally don’t read the social media comments on stories I write for publication, simply because people are far more inclined to take the effort to say something negative than they are to say something positive (as any who have experienced an election cycle through the lens of Facebook are well aware).
Coming of age
Twenty years ago, I would have embraced Black’s essay wholeheartedly. At least, I would have done so on the outside — even then, in the height of my days as a spikey-haired punk rock kid with a mantra for rebelling against anything society deemed as “normal” — I knew deep down that I valued being productive and moving myself forward. Ironically, it was playing in a punk band that showed me that I could take big steps to make things happen for myself simply by working hard, putting myself out there, and being consistent.
My view on the supposed “anarchy” embraced by the punk scene is in line with the final conclusion reached by Matthew Lillard’s character, Steve-O, in the movie, “SLC Punk!” — you can do a lot more damage from the inside than by sitting on the sidelines.
Remote work and self-employment are the perfect way to live out that ideal — being a useful member of society while holding your own values, freedom, and progress above those of corporate fat cats intent on keeping you in line.
At least, it’s a compromise.
That’s all for now. See you next week!