Comment by deevolution | Hacker News Reader

Comment by deevolution | Hacker News Reader

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I think alot of people will want to go back because they've now associated working remotely with being in an isolated jail cell. Also I'm sure couples and people with kids are ready to jump out their windows.

I wont be going back to the office for a number of reasons, however, and I think everyone should boycott the office as well. Weather you want to work in the office or not should ultimately be the employees choice.

1. Commuting pollutes.

2. Commuting is lost time. Almost a month of lost time every year.

3. Office spaces are expensive. Without them, companies would have lots of extra cash. Ideally that extra cash goes to wages or hiring.

4. VR workplaces can be and will be a sufficient substitute. You can get about the same quality of social interaction + more in VR as you can in meat space. Its a different experience and until you try it you aren't really entitled to an opinion.

5. You can go to the gym whenever you want (assuming businesses open up again).

I'm sure there are other benefits that I'm missing.

You make a compelling case for more people to opt to working from home given the choice. I wonder in all of this whether or not we might be losing something. I'd say that co-location (and possibly commuting) are a part of a larger ecosystem. For instance there are a number of businesses that cater for the office based folks. This could be providing breakfast, lunches, coffees, cigarettes (vapes), etc. In some cities you have coffee shops/restaurants that are mainly open during office hours. Without the offices many of them wouldn't be there. These may be businesses of various sizes employing several people. Then there's the staff required to maintain the office space from receptionists, porters, security, cleaners, technicians, etc. Then there are the pubs/bars that people go to after work (one of things I miss when home based). I could go on. You could argue that many of these people could simply be employed elsewhere. I think we should consider the potential ramifications of the shift before we jump full steam ahead.

These are definitely valid concerns but usually the way changes happen is slowly and then suddenly all at once like we are witnessing with COVID-19 or as we saw with the transition from horses to automobiles, and from blockbuster to netflix. Technology is an incredible force and slowing it down is hard. Ultimately it will come down to which companies, bussinesses and people display the most adaptability.

> Ideally that extra cash goes to wages or hiring.

That is adorable!

Basic corporate finance should be required in high school. People need to understand their employers’ motivations.

Not everyone has all these downsides when working in an office.

1. I walk to work. 2. It's a 25 minute walk each way. I don't consider it lost time, Agree with 3 and 4. 5. I can and do go to the gym whenever I want. Typically at 2 or 3pm to avoid the lunch crowd.

I don't have data, but I would feel pretty confident that the vast majority of Americans don't share your experience. The number of people who can walk to work within 25 minutes is likely miniscule, and therefore requires some amount of time in traffic, often substantial. And virtually every other point follows from that fact.

Re VR workspaces: I’d love to try that. I can’t imagine it accounts for body language and facial expressions though, and those are core to meatspace.

VR facial expression and body language is still pretty low fidelity, but the technology is going to continue to improve. Most of the tech for capturing facial expressions exist already so it's a matter of integration.

For me the current tech is sufficient for office style social interactions, but maybe not suitable for everyone just yet.

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