Visible inactivity, not distraction, threatens workplace order

Evidence

As observed by a writer at Pumphouse Gallery, which showed her work in 2017, there is nothing inherently unusual about the notion of not working while at work; people commonly look at Facebook on their phones or seek other distractions during work hours. It was the image of utter inactivity that so galled Takala’s colleagues. “Appearing as if you’re doing nothing is seen as a threat to the general working order of the company, creating a sense of the unknown,” they wrote, adding solemnly, “The potential of nothing is everything.” — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 241

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the form of refusal Odell cares about: it is visible inactivity producing a sense of the unknown, not private distraction.