疫情前,數(shù)字游民通常指的是在遠方海灘上從事自由職業(yè)的時尚弄潮兒或時髦的千禧一代。“數(shù)字游民”這個詞可能會讓大多數(shù)人感到茫然。
但隨著遠程辦公的工作方式加速,打工人們周游世界也開始隨身抗著工作電腦,數(shù)字游民的生活方式開始受到追捧:咨詢集團MBO Partners的一份報告顯示,從2019年到2022年,美國數(shù)字游民的數(shù)量增加了131%。
越來越流行自然意味著數(shù)字游民的人群越來越多樣,而不僅僅是人們刻板印象中的千禧一代。在《世界休閑雜志》(World Leisure Journal)發(fā)表的一篇新論文中,人類學(xué)家戴夫·庫克將他們分為五類。
庫克查閱了大量關(guān)于數(shù)字游民在疫情前后如何自我定義的研究、調(diào)查和采訪。他發(fā)現(xiàn),“數(shù)字游民”一詞的使用相當松散,在它融入關(guān)于遠程工作的討論之后,需要一個更精確的定義。因此,他根據(jù)以下六個因素對數(shù)字游民進行了分類:“流動的自主性、居家辦公的實踐、國內(nèi)與跨國旅行、法律合規(guī)性、工作生活平衡及共同工作空間的使用。”
你屬于哪一種?
1.自由職業(yè)數(shù)字游民
這些數(shù)字游民之所以可以在西班牙的咖啡館里而不是辦公室的電腦屏幕前發(fā)郵件,是因為他們不用受到任何一份工作的束縛。他們是創(chuàng)意或技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的自由職業(yè)者,比如平面設(shè)計、新聞、YouTube內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作或軟件開發(fā)等。庫克寫道,直到2020年,對數(shù)字游民的研究大多集中在這個群體上。他們符合最初對數(shù)字游民的刻板印象,今天仍然非常常見,這類人對自己的時間表和落腳點擁有更大的自主權(quán)。
2.數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主
庫克寫道,人們經(jīng)常會把數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主與自由職業(yè)者混淆,但前者并不像后者那么常見,而且他們的情況更為復(fù)雜——他們有合同雇員、更多的商品庫存或規(guī)模更大的業(yè)務(wù)系統(tǒng)(想一想持數(shù)字游民簽證搬到葡萄牙的理財教練)。你可能會想到創(chuàng)業(yè)人士,你沒說錯。庫克說,但創(chuàng)業(yè)者的概念范圍更大,“數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主”的定義更準確。
3.領(lǐng)薪水的數(shù)字游民
這個群體主要是在疫情期間出現(xiàn)的,指的是每年至少去三個地點工作和旅行的人。但很難知道這個群體的人數(shù)最近增長了多少,因為如庫克所說,在過去幾年之前,很少有專門針對這一群體的研究。它們的存在動搖了我們關(guān)于工作的概念,暴露了我們工作文化中的鴻溝。庫克寫道,鼓勵員工可以在任何地方工作的公司與希望員工坐在辦公桌前工作的公司之間的差異“凸顯了職場中正在出現(xiàn)的文化緊張關(guān)系”。
4. 實驗性數(shù)字游民
如果你正在嘗試當一個數(shù)字游民,但沒有足夠的錢來維持這種生活方式,你不是一個人——回家告訴為你擔心的媽媽,你是一個實驗性數(shù)字游民。這是一群愛冒險的人,他們可能還未決定要采取這種生活方式,但正在嘗試。他們根據(jù)工作結(jié)構(gòu)或創(chuàng)業(yè)安排來管理自己的時間,他們的身影經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在聯(lián)合辦公空間或會議上。庫克寫道,這樣的意圖意味著他們不是游客,而是“或許將旅游與表演式工作實踐結(jié)合起來的背包客。”
5.扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民
在場外夢想過上數(shù)字游民的生活也是有價值的。扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民就是這么做的,雖然他們還沒有開始旅行,但正在賺錢存錢,可能會在未來走上數(shù)字游民的道路。雖然靈活辦公的未來將何去何從尚不確定,但人們期望成為數(shù)字游民的興趣仍在不斷增長;庫克指出,據(jù)MBO估計,美國有7200萬扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民期望在未來幾年成為真正的數(shù)字游民。
在黃金簽證和零零散散的“安靜旅行”之間,數(shù)字游民們都找到了自己的生活方式。但是,如果不加以管控,旅行工作人數(shù)的激增可能會產(chǎn)生一些后果;由于數(shù)字游民導(dǎo)致經(jīng)濟受到影響,造成當?shù)厝丝诹魇В恍﹪乙呀?jīng)停止了相關(guān)簽證計劃。
庫克寫道:“這類新型結(jié)構(gòu)影響了城市規(guī)劃、住房供應(yīng),增加了對短期租賃的需求,一些學(xué)者還認為這助長了中產(chǎn)階級化。”他認為,對數(shù)字游牧民進行更好的分類可以幫助“政府、機構(gòu)和個人決定數(shù)字游民到底是機遇還是威脅”。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
疫情前,數(shù)字游民通常指的是在遠方海灘上從事自由職業(yè)的時尚弄潮兒或時髦的千禧一代。“數(shù)字游民”這個詞可能會讓大多數(shù)人感到茫然。
但隨著遠程辦公的工作方式加速,打工人們周游世界也開始隨身抗著工作電腦,數(shù)字游民的生活方式開始受到追捧:咨詢集團MBO Partners的一份報告顯示,從2019年到2022年,美國數(shù)字游民的數(shù)量增加了131%。
越來越流行自然意味著數(shù)字游民的人群越來越多樣,而不僅僅是人們刻板印象中的千禧一代。在《世界休閑雜志》(World Leisure Journal)發(fā)表的一篇新論文中,人類學(xué)家戴夫·庫克將他們分為五類。
庫克查閱了大量關(guān)于數(shù)字游民在疫情前后如何自我定義的研究、調(diào)查和采訪。他發(fā)現(xiàn),“數(shù)字游民”一詞的使用相當松散,在它融入關(guān)于遠程工作的討論之后,需要一個更精確的定義。因此,他根據(jù)以下六個因素對數(shù)字游民進行了分類:“流動的自主性、居家辦公的實踐、國內(nèi)與跨國旅行、法律合規(guī)性、工作生活平衡及共同工作空間的使用。”
你屬于哪一種?
1.自由職業(yè)數(shù)字游民
這些數(shù)字游民之所以可以在西班牙的咖啡館里而不是辦公室的電腦屏幕前發(fā)郵件,是因為他們不用受到任何一份工作的束縛。他們是創(chuàng)意或技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的自由職業(yè)者,比如平面設(shè)計、新聞、YouTube內(nèi)容創(chuàng)作或軟件開發(fā)等。庫克寫道,直到2020年,對數(shù)字游民的研究大多集中在這個群體上。他們符合最初對數(shù)字游民的刻板印象,今天仍然非常常見,這類人對自己的時間表和落腳點擁有更大的自主權(quán)。
2.數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主
庫克寫道,人們經(jīng)常會把數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主與自由職業(yè)者混淆,但前者并不像后者那么常見,而且他們的情況更為復(fù)雜——他們有合同雇員、更多的商品庫存或規(guī)模更大的業(yè)務(wù)系統(tǒng)(想一想持數(shù)字游民簽證搬到葡萄牙的理財教練)。你可能會想到創(chuàng)業(yè)人士,你沒說錯。庫克說,但創(chuàng)業(yè)者的概念范圍更大,“數(shù)字游民企業(yè)主”的定義更準確。
3.領(lǐng)薪水的數(shù)字游民
這個群體主要是在疫情期間出現(xiàn)的,指的是每年至少去三個地點工作和旅行的人。但很難知道這個群體的人數(shù)最近增長了多少,因為如庫克所說,在過去幾年之前,很少有專門針對這一群體的研究。它們的存在動搖了我們關(guān)于工作的概念,暴露了我們工作文化中的鴻溝。庫克寫道,鼓勵員工可以在任何地方工作的公司與希望員工坐在辦公桌前工作的公司之間的差異“凸顯了職場中正在出現(xiàn)的文化緊張關(guān)系”。
4. 實驗性數(shù)字游民
如果你正在嘗試當一個數(shù)字游民,但沒有足夠的錢來維持這種生活方式,你不是一個人——回家告訴為你擔心的媽媽,你是一個實驗性數(shù)字游民。這是一群愛冒險的人,他們可能還未決定要采取這種生活方式,但正在嘗試。他們根據(jù)工作結(jié)構(gòu)或創(chuàng)業(yè)安排來管理自己的時間,他們的身影經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在聯(lián)合辦公空間或會議上。庫克寫道,這樣的意圖意味著他們不是游客,而是“或許將旅游與表演式工作實踐結(jié)合起來的背包客。”
5.扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民
在場外夢想過上數(shù)字游民的生活也是有價值的。扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民就是這么做的,雖然他們還沒有開始旅行,但正在賺錢存錢,可能會在未來走上數(shù)字游民的道路。雖然靈活辦公的未來將何去何從尚不確定,但人們期望成為數(shù)字游民的興趣仍在不斷增長;庫克指出,據(jù)MBO估計,美國有7200萬扶手椅上的數(shù)字游民期望在未來幾年成為真正的數(shù)字游民。
在黃金簽證和零零散散的“安靜旅行”之間,數(shù)字游民們都找到了自己的生活方式。但是,如果不加以管控,旅行工作人數(shù)的激增可能會產(chǎn)生一些后果;由于數(shù)字游民導(dǎo)致經(jīng)濟受到影響,造成當?shù)厝丝诹魇В恍﹪乙呀?jīng)停止了相關(guān)簽證計劃。
庫克寫道:“這類新型結(jié)構(gòu)影響了城市規(guī)劃、住房供應(yīng),增加了對短期租賃的需求,一些學(xué)者還認為這助長了中產(chǎn)階級化。”他認為,對數(shù)字游牧民進行更好的分類可以幫助“政府、機構(gòu)和個人決定數(shù)字游民到底是機遇還是威脅”。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Agatha
Pre-pandemic, digital nomads were typically known as hypebeast-adjacent or hipster millennials freelance-working from a remote beach. The phrase “digital nomads” might have even garnered some blank stares from most people.
But the lifestyle has since gained traction as remote work accelerated the trend of employees hauling around their laptops as they traveled the world: The number of Americans who identified as digital nomads increased by 131% from 2019 to 2022, according to a report from consultant group MBO Partners.
The growing popularity has naturally led to a greater variety of digital nomads beyond the stereotypical millennial. In a new paper published by World Leisure Journal, anthropologist Dave Cook sorted them into five categories.
Cook examined countless studies, research, and interviews on how digital nomads self-identified both pre- and post-pandemic. He found that the term “digital nomad” was used rather loosely and needed a more precise definition after it became integrated into conversations about remote work. So, he classified the different types of digital nomads based on six factors: “autonomy over mobility, homebase practices, domestic vs. transnational travel, legal legitimacy, work-life balance, and co-working space usage.”
Which one are you?
1.The freelance digital nomad
These digital nomads can send emails from a café in Spain rather than a fluorescent office because they’re not tethered to any one job. Rather, they’re freelancing in creative or technical fields like graphic design, journalism, YouTube content creation, or software development. Most digital nomad research focused on this group until 2020, Cook writes. They fit the original stereotype of the digital nomad and are still highly prevalent today, with greater autonomy over their schedule and location.
2.The digital nomad business owner
Digital nomad business owners are often confused with freelance digital nomads, but they’re not as common and their situation is a bit more complicated—they have contracted employees, greater inventory, or bigger business systems, Cook writes (consider the money coach who moved to Portugal on a digital nomad visa). You’re probably thinking of an entrepreneur, and you’d be partially right. That term is more general as it can encompass aspirational entrepreneurs, Cook says, making “digital nomad business owner” more accurate.
3.The salaried digital nomad
This group largely emerged during the pandemic, defined as those who work and travel to at least three locations a year. But it’s hard to know how much this cohort has grown lately, as Cook points out that little research was dedicated to this group before the past couple of years. Their existence destabilizes our conceptions of work and exposes a divide in our work culture. The difference between companies who encourage work-from-anywhere situations versus those who want workers at their office desks “highlights a cultural tension emerging in the workplace,” Cook writes.
4. The experimental digital nomad
If you’re taking a stab at being a digital nomad but not making enough money to support such a lifestyle, you’re not alone—just tell your worried mother you’re an experimental digital nomad. An adventurous group, these digital nomads might be trying out the lifestyle before committing to it. They’re managing their time around work constructs or starting a business, and are often spotted at co-working spaces or conferences. Such intentions means they’re not tourists, Cook writes, but “backpackers may be combining tourism with the practice of performative work.”
5.The armchair nomad
Dreaming of a digital nomad style from the sidelines counts for something. Armchair nomads are doing just that, and while they’re not yet traveling, they’re earning money and saving up to potentially embark on digital nomadism down the line. While the future of flexibility at work is uncertain, interest in being a digital nomad continues to grow; Cook points to MBO’s estimations that there are 72 million armchair nomads in the U.S. who are looking to become digital nomads in the coming years.
Between golden visas and discrete?“hush trips,” all of these digital nomads have made the lifestyle their own. But the influx of employees traveling and working elsewhere can have ramifications if it goes unchecked; some countries have halted their visa programs due to the disruption of the economy and displacement of locals as a result of digital nomadism.
“These new types of infrastructures impact urban planning, housing supply, [and] increase demand for short-term rentals, and some scholars argue this fuels gentrification,” Cook writes. He argues that better classification of digital nomads can help “governments, institutions, and individuals decide whether digital nomadism is an opportunity or a threat.”