This offering is part of Undercommoning’s Provocations series. If you would like to contribute, please see our call for provocations.
(a questionnaire by Dean Spade)
- Do you think you might be the worst person?
- Do you think you might be the best person?
- Do you feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with news of contemporary travesties?
- Do you get more excited about your work than anything else?
- Do you get more anxious about your work than anything else?
- Are there times when you can charge through your work and other times when you can’t?
- Is all or most of your reading or writing time connected to your work?
- Do you take work with you to bed?
- Do you take work with you on weekends?
- Do you take work with you on vacation?
- Do you sleep with your phone nearby and turned on?
- Do you read emails on your phone in bed when you wake up?
- Have you made commitments to limit your time on email or the phone and been unable to keep them?
- Do you find it difficult or impossible to stop texting or looking at your phone when you should be listening to someone?
- Do you hear phantom phone rings or feel phantom vibrations?
- Is Facebook a problem?
- Is Twitter a problem?
- Is OK Cupid a problem?
- Is Scruff a problem?
- Do you resent Facebook?
- Do you resent email?
- Do you resent Tinder?
- Do you resent Grindr?
- Have you ever texted during sex? Have you answered a call during sex?
- Do you have an excessive number of tabs open?
- Do you turn your hobbies into professional ventures?
- Do you turn your friendships into work collaborations?
- Are most of your relationships with people in your profession?
- Do you remember what it felt like to write when it was not your job to do so? Do you miss it?
- Have your family or friends given up expecting you on time?
- Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won’t otherwise get done?
- Do you take on extra work because you do not believe other people can do it as well?
- Do you underestimate how long a project will take and then rush to complete it?
- Do you delay beginning a project and experience a surge of adrenaline as you prepare at the last minute or go forward unprepared?
- Do you believe that it is okay to work long hours if you work for justice?
- Do you get impatient with people who have other priorities besides work?
- Are you afraid that if you don’t work hard you will be a failure?
- Is the future a constant worry for you even when things are going well?
- Do you feel that others are not doing enough?
- Do you feel that you are not doing enough?
- Do you push others to do things?
- Do you push yourself to do things?
- Do you know how to have fun?
- Do you remember something you like to do that you would categorize as play? Is it drinking?
- Do you get irritated when people ask you to stop doing your work in order to do something else?
- Have your long hours hurt your relationships?
- Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep or when others are talking?
- Do you work or read during meals?
- Have you ever used alcohol to relax from the stress of work?
- Do you compose social media posts in your head uncontrollably?
- Do you feel compelled to photograph and post pictures of all important events?
- Do you resent other people’s success?
- Do you feel like a fraud?
- Have you altered your appearance to suit professional norms?
- Do you accept more commitments than you can fulfill to make up for being a terrible person?
- Are you waiting to get caught for a lie you have told on your resume, on a website, or in a meeting?
- Do you feel fear when you encounter people or groups who do not know about or appreciate your work?
- Does the idea of losing your career or work terrify you?
- Are there things you know you could do that would benefit your physical or mental health that you consistently delay, prioritizing work instead?
- Do you find it difficult to have a consistent routine to organize your time?
- Do you use your politics to justify neglectful or harmful behaviors to yourself or others?
- Do you use your critique of neoliberalism to rationalize avoiding self-care?
- Do you find it difficult to trust people you are collaborating with?
- Does perfectionism produce procrastination in your activities?
- What percentage of your thoughts are fearful, resentful, self critical or judgmental?
- How do you try to maintain control of situations and people?
- Are you overscheduled?
- Has work stress or excessive work affected your health?
- Have you been afraid, resentful or controlling today?
- Do you often fear you might be missing out on something more important? Do you feel that fear right now?
