Thank you for a wonderful piece that, as usual, made me feel *and* think. The one concept it reminded me of was that of the liminal space (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liminality):
> In anthropology, liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning “a threshold”) is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. During a ritual’s liminal stage, participants “stand at the threshold” between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way, which the ritual establishes.
What you describe in your post feels like it lines up with this concept—with no ritual, we are lost because there is no clear transition. No way to say “the past is over, the future is here.” Remote work is fine, but rituals are physical and together. And your main point resonates: without that, we have lost a big part of what it means to grieve (and recover from that grief).
Twitter's lay off was heart breaking. It reminds me of difficult times employees faced during pandemic.
I agree with the point you have made about rituals and goodbyes. I am in my final year of PhD in Oslo, and the workplace brought me joy and hope to move forward even in times like covid and paper rejections. And while each day passing by I think of a day where I might no longer work here in case I am not able to continue as a permanent researcher or even postdoc. Missing my desk, the faces and interaction, and overall work culture which is hard to find in a world during day jobs. I wonder how people move forward while switching to a new job while working from home. It is a very different and weird times.
The art of the long goodbye
Thank you for a wonderful piece that, as usual, made me feel *and* think. The one concept it reminded me of was that of the liminal space (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liminality):
> In anthropology, liminality (from the Latin word līmen, meaning “a threshold”) is the quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs in the middle stage of rituals, when participants no longer hold their pre-ritual status but have not yet begun the transition to the status they will hold when the ritual is complete. During a ritual’s liminal stage, participants “stand at the threshold” between their previous way of structuring their identity, time, or community, and a new way, which the ritual establishes.
What you describe in your post feels like it lines up with this concept—with no ritual, we are lost because there is no clear transition. No way to say “the past is over, the future is here.” Remote work is fine, but rituals are physical and together. And your main point resonates: without that, we have lost a big part of what it means to grieve (and recover from that grief).
Exceptional! Thank you.
This is a lovely layered piece and so relevant to many aspects of life. Thank you. Any company would be so fortunate to have you as an employee.
This piece is beautifully written and wonderfully thoughtful. Thank you for it!
Twitter's lay off was heart breaking. It reminds me of difficult times employees faced during pandemic.
I agree with the point you have made about rituals and goodbyes. I am in my final year of PhD in Oslo, and the workplace brought me joy and hope to move forward even in times like covid and paper rejections. And while each day passing by I think of a day where I might no longer work here in case I am not able to continue as a permanent researcher or even postdoc. Missing my desk, the faces and interaction, and overall work culture which is hard to find in a world during day jobs. I wonder how people move forward while switching to a new job while working from home. It is a very different and weird times.