The tricky thing about everything going remote

 I miss the office. The camaraderie of coworkers, all that time spent in going to coffee runs, then an hourlong lunch, late lunches, the free food we got at least once a week, the playfulness among coworkers. Ah what times those were.

Coworkers are like friends, except you get them for free. You don't need to stress go out and work to get them, you're already doing this thing that makes you money and you get your coworkers. What an amazing concept.

We even hung out after work, got drinks once awhile, went out and about in the town, playing pool and just chilling. Long multi-hour lunches were not uncommon, neither was getting dinner with the folks.

And that was just the beginning. Other people at work went to climb in the gyms every other day, so they were seeing errybody at work and outside. Socializing and getting fit. How fun. Friends for free, that's the way things oughta' be.

When, and if, everything moves online, it won't be the same. You'll see these people online in front of your computer screens but you can't get drinks with them, you can't 'hang out', and no matter what the videochat apps try to convince, online hangs are not the same, you don't don't don't get the same feel. It's a pale imitation of real socializing, something always feels off.

Maybe people will go to those shared workspaces and make 'coworker' friends there. Perhaps employees will realize having an active social life around their homes is important and local communities will get stronger as neighbors get to know neighbors, through the desperate need to socialize if nothing else. Special interests groups, hobby groups could get stronger when people find out there needs to be some productive outlet for their social needs.

I'm a little afraid none of that will happen and people will turn inwards, more so than they already have. They won't care for their neighbors or hobbies or coworkers, they'll just go online and rant and rave and make the internet more toxic. They'll froth up hate and confusion, go on gaming chatrooms and sow discord. They'll fuck up things as humans do, and make the least productive and useful out of the 'opportunity' they have been given to re-invent the society.

And that is why I'm afraid.

Everyone going all-in online is great for me, I could go to the place where my friends friends and family is and buy a nice house there. Live among the near and dear ones, while having a chance to explore my own interests, and having a great job to support it. A win-win-win. I'd miss my coworkers but that'd be made up by being close to family friends all the time. New groups will be formed. It would be amazing.

At what cost though?

If all of the amazing outcomes for me personally meant that society generally would get even crappier and meaner, more individualistic and rage-filled, hateful, that's not something I'd want. Give us back the old times, when people had to do everything physically if that means a little annoyance a little 'waste' of time in commuting but a nicer social cohesion. Better connections between people.

It's a tricky trade, a bargain with the devil of sorts. Hope we make the right choice as a society.