Words on work in the context of this seemingly never ending pandemic. >"Thinking progressively in this area is about trying to envisage a third option, between employment and isolation. The post-work thinkers have been asking what new kinds of spaces and infrastructures could support activities outside the remit of the market. Can we imagine a different kind of city — a city of encounters, with an abundance of spaces in which to collaborate, build, learn, care and play?“

This is also a fitting moment to reflect on the value attached to particular occupations. It is no secret that entire industries in capitalist societies serve dubious purposes. Whole sections of the economy are clustered around the production of goods that are fairly worthless by most definitions. Advertisers whip up the public’s desire for novelties that must be manufactured, distributed and disposed of. Major sections of the service economy also trade in menial tasks that most people could reasonably do themselves. These services exist mainly for the private benefit of those who can afford them.

The Great Work Disruption Starting in March, mitigating the strain on health services meant suspending huge parts of the U.S. economy. This pandemic has prompted us to rethink the value systems surrounding work.