[lsedgwick]

Not to say companies should or shouldn't RTO etc, but the shocking freedom and flexibility of remote work in tech is such a gigantic class marker and insane lifestyle luxury that I'm surprised it's not more often identified a such.

How few people in history have been able to travel to exotic places or visit far-off friends and family, while still making decent money, and do this almost as much as they want (supposing lifestyle and relationships that allow this, which is true for many people). I mean, people in tech who vacation in tropical climes then spend cherished time with parents and siblings and friends living thousands of miles away, and don't worry about running out their vacation time: dozens of weeks of cherished traveling, if that's what you want! Along the way developing fundamentally different types of family relationships or accruing worldly sophistication.

Forget about little medical or technological things that mark a break from the past: lots of people can afford tylenol and iPhones and Spotify. This is a class marker of epic proportion. This is a way of life that Tolstoy ascribed to the very wealthiest of Moscow's aristocratic families and bachelors (most certainly not even all of the aristocratic class).

[121789]

in reality I think this flexibility is overrated. traveling for long periods of time sounds exciting but will eventually for most people be isolating (you won't materially be a part of the local community, and other travelers will leave) and logistically annoying (e.g. dealing with wifi at your 3rd airbnb). most companies have restrictions on this, and there are generally only limited places you can work from.

visiting family without concern about impact to work is nice, but eventually you just really want a consistent place where you can be productive