Opinion: The return to office fallacy | CNN
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The return-to-office demands make little sense from an overall economic perspective, while working parents, in particular, benefit from not having to waste time commuting to an office, writes Peter Bergen.

The Absurdity of the Return-to-Office Movement::The return-to-office demands make little sense from an overall economic perspective, while working parents, in particular, benefit from not having to waste time commuting to an office, writes Peter Bergen.

  • loopgru@slrpnk.netEnglish
    482·
    10 months ago

    Remote work forever, and repurpose the useless office buildings into conveniently located downtown living space to help ease housing shortages and drive urban density.

    • FenrirIII@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      10 months ago

      Then you need mass transit to pick up the slack, otherwise there’s just as much pollution and waste.

      • loopgru@slrpnk.netEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        Living downtown typically means a lot more walking, biking, and public transit, precisely because you’re there in the middle of everything. When you’ve got everything from grocery stores, pubs, cafes, parks, cultural attractions, etc all within walking distance, your need to drive anywhere becomes occasional at most.

    • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
      424·
      10 months ago

      Who wants to live in a city centre though?

      The only appeal is that it’s close to work, and we no longer need to go to that.

      • matjoeman@lemmy.worldEnglish
        28·
        10 months ago

        Because all the shops, museums, restaurants, music venues, and public transit hubs are there?

        • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
          217·
          10 months ago

          Museums and music venues, sure.

          But the other things exist in small towns too. And if I do want to go to a concert, or the football or a museum, I can just go. It’s not like you go to these places every day.

          • orosus@lemmy.worldEnglish
            16·
            10 months ago

            I work from home and still prefer living in the city center, despite being more expensive. Not due to the museums but due to the closeness to restaurants, pubs and clubs. How am I supposed to go back home if I am drunk and I cannot drive. The city center is for the people not for office buildings.

            • stoly@lemmy.worldEnglish
              5·
              10 months ago

              This is me. I can just go outside and do the things, then I’m back in time for my next meeting.

          • Jank@literature.cafeEnglish
            3·
            10 months ago

            Do they? I just moved back to the rural area I grew up in after spending ten years in Cleveland.

            Cleveland’s not the greatest, but there’s dick around here outside of Walmart. I can drive 30 minutes into the nearest small city if I need a Home Depot or something, but Cleveland had tons of choices by comparison. Not a ton of restaurants, most are same ish or eaten up by Applebee’s. Fast food is even pretty limited.

            Back in the day we had small shops, but most are dead now…

      • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
        27·
        10 months ago

        It’s also close to groceries, bars, theaters, museums, social services, and jobs that need you to be there in person, like working at any of the above.

        We had cities before we had cars for a reason. Let’s make them somewhere we want to live.

      • stoly@lemmy.worldEnglish
        72·
        10 months ago

        It’s so nice to have everything within a 5 block radius. Everything I need is there. No cars, no traffic, just lots of constant exercise and fresh air. When I want to go to a museum, I go to a museum–no gas, driving, parking. When I want to go to a concert, I jump on the subway and go to a concert. But go on, tell us how living in suburbs and breathing the fumes from the car in front of you is better.

        • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
          21·
          10 months ago

          Who said anything about living in the suburbs?

          We didn’t all build our towns wrong.

          • stoly@lemmy.worldEnglish
            22·
            10 months ago

            This isn’t 1980. Cities are really not polluted. Those who live in the suburbs tend to be less healthy due to lack of activity and increased exposure to the pollution emitted from cars.

            • Haha@lemmy.worldEnglish
              21·
              10 months ago

              If you are in the US or EU, maybe? Look at the third words though. This fresh air claim does not apply to everywhere in the world: especially when talking about downtown.

      • IronfistEnglish
        3·
        10 months ago

        Downtowns can become very nice neighborhoods once all those offices and car space are transformed in housing, parks and walkable spaces.