Sartre and Freedom in the Home Office: Are We Condemned to Productivity?

in Freewriters17 days ago

Hi Hives! I hope you are doing well!

Imagine Jean-Paul Sartre, the existentialist philosopher extraordinaire, strolling into your home office. He'd probably be a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of screens, keyboards, and that nearly-finished article to post in Freewriters haha.But before he starts critiquing the existential dread hidden in your desk drawer, let's ponder his take on freedom and productivity in our new remote work reality.

In Sartre’s universe, we humans are condemned to freedom—yes, exactly that, condemned. It's not a choice; it's an inexorable fact. For the Sartrean working remotely, every morning is a fresh opportunity to choose our tasks. We’re not just typing because someone tells us to; we're typing because we've chosen to exist as typers-in-a-home-office. Every decision, from starting work at 9 AM sharp (or 10 AM—or noon) ( or the urge to post daily onto hive, as I am addicted now, lol) to deciding whether to attend another Zoom meeting where you'll likely get distracted by notifications about the latest memes.

And what about self-responsibility? Home office life means we're completely responsible for our own existential agony. We’re not just logging into a Call at 8 AM because Microsoft Team told us to; it’s our free choice! Every unfinished report, every unanswered email—it's all on us. No one else is telling us how many cups of coffee should be consumed during the day or even if we should wear leggings beneath those tailored pants...we've made these choices and now must bear their consequences. As I am checking quite regulary for notifications on ecency these days.

So here’s to you—the office-free, self-determining human who lives in Sartre’s world on weekdays (while maybe secretly hoping for some external order to break up the monotony). The next time you ponder productivity—especially after your boss asks for an update that makes you want to hide under the desk—remember that, according to Sartre, we are all, indeed, condemned to this glorious freedom. It’s how you live within it that truly defines your remote-working existence. So go ahead: make some to-dos and check them off with existential flair or write another piece for the blockchain. Or dont - its up to you!

As always, thank you for your time reading and catch you in the next!

Image credit: stable diffusion