Would You Hire a Hologram?

I got an email last week, all the way from Istanbul. It was a wonderful email that boosted my spirits (and ego), but put a big question into my head. Would I move for a job?

The company had found my work in an art book and contacted me to see if I was interested in moving to their city, they would provide accommodations until I found an apartment, and a free trip to meet them beforehand.

But....

Would I move?

Only if i needed a major life change. So I broached the question "what if I could work virtually for them?" I do that already with other clients, and it is working well. Istanbul said "no". I can understand that. They want hands on, face-to-face contact, fast banter, quick ideas, round table discussions. I understand that and I love the interaction. If only I could move all of them here though.

But....

The future has moved up and we will all be working virtually, if not full time, then part time. Our work will be done on trains, planes, during lunch, while driving, always on the move. We will have our assorted "connectors" with us to facilitate the online interaction, and if we loose one, we jump to the next one closest. I believe I could have done the job virtually with a trip or two to meet and discuss projects, it would've been cheaper all round.

However...

There is the excitement that a round table discussion that online chat can never replace, the expressions on our faces, the body language, the wink, the slight cock to the head, those interactions bring ideas to the forefront that the one dimensional interaction that our computers can't recreate or express.

I want to reach out, just not that far. Maybe soon I will be able to interact with a group of people in real life and real time, and not send a digital doppelgänger in my place.

Image: Ophelia Chong / Eye2Eye