The Digital Bedouins and the Backpack Office

PetManimal writes "The laptop and wireless revolutions have led to the rise of a new class of digital 'Bedouins' — tech workers who ply their crafts from Starbucks and other locations with WiFi access. Another article describes some strategies and tools for embracing the Bedouin way of life, and even having fun: 'If you have the right kind of job, you can take vacations while you're on the clock. In other words, you can travel for fun and adventure and keep on working. You can travel a lot more without needing more official vacation time. I've done it. In August I took a month long vacation to Central America, backpacking from one Mayan ruin to the next, and I never officially took time off. I submitted my columns, provided reports and other input, participated in conference calls and interacted via e-mail. I used hotel Wi-Fi connections and local cybercafes to communicate and Skype to make business calls. Nobody knew I was sunburned, drinking from a coconut and listening to howler monkeys as I replied to their e-mails.'"

Comments

Life is a Tradeoff

[Anonymous Coward]

Imagine an American society that works 80 hours per week. There is no time to keep abreast of current events. Hence, the voters make the wrong decision at the ballot box. Then, politicians send the American army to destroy foreign lands.

However, being too busy to stay abreast of current events does not absolve you of your suffrage responsibility. You are still fully responsible for the actions of the government since it answers to you at the ballot box.

Here is the tradeoff.

1. Increase effective work hours by working at Starbucks and elsewhere.
2. Increasingly lack knowledge of current events.
3. Increasingly elect politicians whose political positions will destroy the lives of foreigners.
4. The injured foreigners then initiate military attacks against American citizens.
5. The Americans claim, "I am innocent."
6. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

Re:Paranoid

[HomelessInLaJolla]

Stop being so coy.