Not long after I returned from my pilgrimage, I was approached by a publisher requesting an article about isolation in the workplace [3]. It was in response to tragic events that transpired at the remote Bellingshausen Station in Antarctica. The incident involved a researcher allegedly stabbing a colleague for giving away the endings of the books he was reading [4]. One spoiler too many led to the unfortunate stabbing.
Contrary to the popular view that spoilers diminish suspense and impair enjoyment by revealing the end of a story before it begins, it has been found that: “spoilers may allow readers to organise developments, anticipate the implications of events, and resolve ambiguities that occur in the course of reading” [5].
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And this is why I’m going to reveal the outcome of my pilgrimage now, because what I am about to uncover may be uncomfortable for some and it will most definitely be an idea that benefits from early discussion. So here is the spoiler and second signpost:
I admit this is a bold and provocative statement. Especially, because it’s hard to imagine a suggestion that would clash more with the assumptions we have used to shape the workplace as a temple to rationality, supporting the relentless worship of optimised production. Yet, my pilgrimage created a different view of work environments – it worked.
Absurdity is a rich, layered concept. To entice you with its potential, let’s consider its inconsistency of logic and blatant disregard for the incompatibility between two propositions that cannot both be true. Now, consider the innovation, transformational idea, or whatever term you use to describe a future that you once thought was impossible if those two propositions turn out to be simultaneously true.
Despite its outrageousness, Signpost 2 is firmly grounded in the principle that the best environments to host the ever-evolving concept of work are those which nurture our human qualities. In particular, those which set us apart from machines, artificial intelligence, and every other technology that aims to replace our body and mind. That human quality, I believe, is our ability to be absurd.
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Consequently, a key signpost throughout our journey is:
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