Counterflows #48: Nomad Internet Country, History of WFA, Untouchable Days
Your offbeat guide to distributed work and borderless living.
Hello friends 👋
Work from anywhere is becoming statecraft from anywhere…
I wrote about why it’s time for nomads to build an internet country and how I want to tackle the challenge.
My longread covers:
🏛️ The foundations of an internet country
🛂 Why I can’t get behind a nomad passport
🌍 The importance of designing a global layer
Thanks for reading.
-Lauren
PS: This essay is self-published, so if you enjoy it, please buy me a coffee to fund my work or show your support by sharing it with friends and colleagues.
📝🌍 A Brief History of Work From Anywhere (Lauren Razavi)
I shared a Twitter thread about the history of digital nomadism last week, complete with images and video clips to help tell the story. The key takeaway: The idea of location independence predates the internet—in fact, it’s been simmering away in the background for decades.
🏦🧳 Revolut Employees Can Work Abroad 2 Months a Year (NY Times)
$5.5 billion-dollar British banking startup Revolut, one of Europe’s most valuable fintech firms, will now allow its 2,000+ employees to work abroad for two months a year. The piece emphasises that many tech employees prefer to work from offices, but, notably, Revolut’s policy comes directly in response to staff requests.
✈️🏝️ With Tourism Down, Countries Are Courting Digital Nomads (Contently)
I spoke with writer Giulia Pines for a piece published on Contently’s recently rebranded blog, The Freelance Creative. Our conversation covers the countries welcoming remote workers, the fast-evolving legalities of the digital nomad lifestyle, and the unfortunate tax rules Americans face if they choose borderless living.
💻🏙️ Remote Work Is Overrated—America’s Supercities Are Coming Back (Vox)
This Q&A speaks to author and economics researcher Enrico Moretti about whether the age of cities is over post-pandemic. The interview delves into how knowledge clusters and innovation hubs happen, and why Moretti believes hybrid working—part remote, part office-based—is the future for most tech workers.
💡✌️ Why You Need an Untouchable Day Every Week (HBR)
Meetings and notifications drain us of energy and attention, and our creative output suffers. That's why performing at your best requires carving out regular time where you're "untouchable". In this post, Neil Pasricha outlines the benefits of taking a day a week to focus on deep work.
🎹🤖 Music, Makers, Machines: The Rise of Electronic Music (Google Arts & Culture)
This interactive history project is a collaboration between Google and 50+ culture and heritage organisations worldwide, and sits at the fascinating intersection of sound and technology. The website examines the characters and tools that turned electronic music into a global phenomenon through stories, images, videos, and more.
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📚 Support the creation of my first book, Global Natives: The New Frontiers of Work, Travel & Innovation, by pre-ordering the digital edition today.
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