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> Most people working in offices today effectively wouldn't have to commute but they still do because employers require them to do so, basically because "that's

> Most people working in offices today effectively wouldn't have to commute but they still do because employers require them to do so, basically because "that's the way it's always been". It is not just the employers — I’ve worked with many people that think nothing of commuting an hour to work ONE WAY (in their pickup trucks and SUVs no less), even when living closer to work is a perfectly valid option (this is particularly true in the large Texas cities that have a huge amount of suburban sprawl).

jodrellblank 7y ago
I imagine there's a big difference between a 15 minute commute with a tiny car that doesn't have time to warm up and ends in a crowded parking lot, and an hour in a comfortable roomy Cheverolet Movie-Theater SUV with music playing and heated seats and no family or work or pedestrians and being in the biggest vehicle on the road. A big SUV is one of the most expensive, most luxurious, nicest things, nicest places to spend time that a lot of people will own - way more overall spent on that seat and its driver-supporting-surroundings than on any Lay-Z-Boy or Aeron chair.
- BjoernKW 7y ago
  There's a difference but even driving just 30 minutes per day in a tiny car that otherwise just sits around doing nothing is still a tremendous waste when you could just not drive at all and work from anywhere.
  - jodrellblank 7y ago
    No, I mean, it's no surprise to me that people would enjoy an hour commute in a huge vehicle; not seeing it as "ugh an hour out of my day" but instead "yay an hour of luxury time and escape from life". Yes in many terms it's a "waste" but your suggestion of not driving and working from anywhere changes a morning from "get up think about home and family, escape to comfortable car for an hour think about anything, start working for customers" to "get up and think about family, immediately pressured to start working for customers". I'm trying to frame it as daily psychological experience, rather than cost of hydrocarbon burning. Driving is at least "a change is as good as a rest", and on low-traffic big roads, pretty low effort too; and if it's "forced upon you" by circumstance, well geez I just have to go sit down and listen to music for an hour while you're stressing out, what can you do, y'know, byeee. Driving as socially acceptable rest without accusations of laziness.

jodrellblank 7y ago

I imagine there's a big difference between a 15 minute commute with a tiny car that doesn't have time to warm up and ends in a crowded parking lot, and an hour in a comfortable roomy Cheverolet Movie-Theater SUV with music playing and heated seats and no family or work or pedestrians and being in the biggest vehicle on the road. A big SUV is one of the most expensive, most luxurious, nicest things, nicest places to spend time that a lot of people will own - way more overall spent on that seat and its driver-supporting-surroundings than on any Lay-Z-Boy or Aeron chair.

BjoernKW 7y ago
There's a difference but even driving just 30 minutes per day in a tiny car that otherwise just sits around doing nothing is still a tremendous waste when you could just not drive at all and work from anywhere.
- jodrellblank 7y ago
  No, I mean, it's no surprise to me that people would enjoy an hour commute in a huge vehicle; not seeing it as "ugh an hour out of my day" but instead "yay an hour of luxury time and escape from life". Yes in many terms it's a "waste" but your suggestion of not driving and working from anywhere changes a morning from "get up think about home and family, escape to comfortable car for an hour think about anything, start working for customers" to "get up and think about family, immediately pressured to start working for customers". I'm trying to frame it as daily psychological experience, rather than cost of hydrocarbon burning. Driving is at least "a change is as good as a rest", and on low-traffic big roads, pretty low effort too; and if it's "forced upon you" by circumstance, well geez I just have to go sit down and listen to music for an hour while you're stressing out, what can you do, y'know, byeee. Driving as socially acceptable rest without accusations of laziness.