Hi there,
Happy Friday 13th 😬. It's been wild lately, watching everything unfold with the coronavirus pandemic. I hope you're well, and taking precautions.
In general, but also in this particular set of circumstances, I find myself very grateful and privileged to have a job that's 100% remote working for a fully distributed company. The tech folks I'm acquainted with (on Twitter especially) are also disproportionately remote workers (compared to, say, my non-tech personal friend group). As such I've seen a lot of folks sharing thoughts, tips, and strategies for people who are new to working remotely, under the circumstances. I thought today I'd focus on topics around working remotely, social distancing and "flattening the curve", the ethics and economics of a pandemic, the virus itself, and some good ol' dark times Twitter humor.
On working remotely during a pandemic:
- ✏️ Work in the time of Corona. (Alice Goldfuss). One of my favorite takes during this time, Alice not only gives advice on working remotely effectively, but also acknowledges this extraordinary circumstance to begin remote work under. "Remote life isn’t for everyone, and you may find yourself swearing it off entirely after this stint. But please keep in mind: this isn’t normal. If your company sent you home because of COVID-19, chances are you don’t work in a remote-first environment. Which means you aren’t experiencing real remote life."
On working remotely in general:
On the virus itself:
- 🎧 Virology (COVID-19). ("Ologies" podcast). Alie Ward talks to Dr. Shannon Bennett, a microbiologist, a molecular epidemiologist, and virologist -- as well as several other "-ologists" -- about the virus itself (SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), and the disease (COVID-19, coronavirus disease). (Official titles and distinction from the WHO). Alie is curious and theatrical, which may annoy you under the circumstances, or may be a vibe you're looking for. I thought it was a great episode.
On the economics of a pandemic:
On the ethics of a pandemic:
- ✏️ Is it Ethical to Order Delivery During a Pandemic? (Wired). "On the surface, it seems obvious to not do something that could compromise someone’s health, especially when officials are urging people to keep their distance. At the same time, independent contractors don’t get paid time off or sick days; not hiring them cuts into their livelihoods."
- ✏️ The Extraordinary Decisions Facing Italian Doctors. (The Atlantic). When there are too many patients to give each person adequate care, what do you do? "I have spent countless hours in fancy seminar rooms discussing abstract moral dilemmas like the so-called trolley problem. If a train is barreling toward five innocent people who are tied to the tracks, and I could divert it by pulling the lever, but at the cost of killing an innocent bystander, should I do it? Part of the point of all those discussions was, supposedly, to help professionals make difficult moral choices in real-world circumstances. If you are an overworked nurse battling a novel disease under the most desperate circumstances, and you simply cannot treat everyone, however hard you try, whose life should you save?"
On "flattening the curve":
Favorite informative tweets:
Favorite humorous/humor-ish tweets:
Be safe, be well, and wash your hands (to whatever tune you wish),
Amberley