Virtual Work Strengthens the Outsiders and the Weak

There's more to the virtual work trend than days full of Zoom calls from a home office. It also means the possibility of new ways of getting work done. In the physical world, work at a company or university exists in a hierarchical structure; in a virtual world, that work can get done in a more decentralized, democratic manner. Those who lacked influence suddenly can acquire much greater visibility and prominence, all without the approval of traditional gatekeepers. This potential for expanded participation from previously excluded voices is an underappreciated disruption that could change the way society operates.

The story of Nathan Tankus, recently written up by Bloomberg Businessweek, is one such example. Despite not even having a bachelor's degree yet, he's become an influential voice on economics and monetary policy, writing in a clear and compelling manner on the subject. We might not give credit to working from home or virtual work for this, but those lines have become blurred in economics and finance. Long gone are the days where traders had to be on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, or where economists and academics had to be in Washington, New York or on a college campus to contribute to the field.

What's notable about Tankus is the progressive angle of his views, which might be related to not having to get past the sentries in academia or Wall Street to make his views heard. He's found an audience on his own, is building a base of subscribers to his newsletter and can expand from there. The more economics, media and financial industries become detached from physical offices, the more opportunities there are for people like Tankus without traditional pedigrees to influence debates from which those like him were once excluded.