A Saturday night on Earth

Starting my second night shift, I was thinking to write again about how
offline computing can be hard to live in a full connected world.  Like
it needs to be, if not a real full choice, at least the result from a
consensual thinking process so that it does not become frustrating,
especially in view of the synchronized communications that seem to be
the norm these days.

I thought I could make a comparison to my work situation.  I don't know
anyone who works Saturday nights--all night--, and Sundays.  I don't
even think most people work on this night/day (I mean, in the country I
live in).  And, with few exceptions, those who do work during this
times do so only out of obligation.  As it is the case for me.

I have no trouble imagining myself working whole weekends, including
nights, by choice, i.e. in an activity that I will have chosen.  If I
take my personal case, I can easily see myself working non-stop during
the weekend in order to hand in an important legal file due the
following week.

However, right now, I see myself forced to do a task within the
framework of a bread and butter work following the orders of a boss who
did not leave me the choice to work or not during the nights this
weekend.  Hence the extreme frustration, telling myself that I would be
better off at home with my family or outside with friends having a few
drinks on some terrace downtown.  Like almost everyone else.

I guess that to be comfortable with offline computing, the same is
true.  It has to come from an assumed personal choice; whereas if it
comes from an external constraint in an unwanted setting, it will not
generate anything good for the person involved.  In my case, yes,
offline computing was somehow forced by the situation in which I found
myself.  But being disconnected is also something I find positive for
me, so I've been working to make it work (and if I understood it
correctly, it was the same for canfood, who I mentionned in my entry
yesterday).  As if, finally, this situation of "forced disconnection"
was an opportunity for me to have a break from an almost constant
connection to the Internet.

If I wanted to push the reflection a little further, I could develop
some commonplaces on the importance of freedom of choice or, at least,
its illusion.  A bit like in those social psychology experiments where
freedom of choice, or its feeling, is an important factor in the
success of the protocol (I think of the old Asch experiments for
example, or Milgram's).

But I admit I'm a bit lazy.  So instead, I think tonight I'll write
some science fiction columns for a reading challenge I'm participating
in.  Then I'll microwave the burger and fries I bought at the
supermarket earlier, before devouring it in front of an episode or two
of Final Space (yeah, since it's Saturday night, my shift is quiet
enough to take the time and do so; that's the positive side of my
current job).

Have a good Saturday night everyone.  And good luck to those who are
working, hoping sincerely that they do it by choice.  In any case, take
care of yourselves.