The Procrastination Economy
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2018 Outstanding Academic Title, given by Choice Magazine How mobile devices make our in-between moments valuable to media companies while also providing a sense of control and connection In moments of downtime – waiting for a friend to arrive or commuting to work – we pull out our phones for a few minutes of distraction. Just as television reoriented the way we think about living rooms, mobile devices have taken over the interstitial spaces of our everyday lives. Ethan Tussey argues that these in-between moments have created a procrastination economy, an opportunity for entertainment companies to create products, apps, platforms, subscription services, micropayments, and interactive opportunities that can colonize our everyday lives.But as businesses commoditize our free time, and mobile devices become essential tools for promotion, branding and distribution, consumers are using these devices as a means of navigating public and private space. These devices are not just changing the way we spend and value our time, but also how we interact with others and transform our sense of the politics of space.By examining the four main locations of the procrastination economy—the workplace, the commute, the waiting room, and the “connected” living room—Ethan Tussey illuminates the relationship between the entertainment industry and the digitally empowered public.
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THE PROCRASTINATION ECONOMY
The Big Business of Downtime
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Chapter 2 examines the procrastination economy of the workplace. Composed of several case studies including a look at the Fox Sports web series Lunch with Benefits and three examples of workplace audiences, the chapter reveals how the entertainment industry targets the workplace as a way of promoting television programs and film franchises. Through interviews and observations of a production culture of the procrastination economy, it is clear that television networks intentionally program snackable content, positioning it as an entertaining alternative to the drudgery of modern work. Though media snacking is intended to carry audiences from one conglomerate-owned media platform to the more substantial (and lucrative) offerings on television and movie screens, the procrastination economy actually affords workers enough freedom to add new and interesting, if perhaps unintended, uses for this content. Watercooler gossip, office camaraderie, and mood management are a few of the ways workers use these snacks to creatively engage with one another and foster community.
Chapter 3 examines the procrastination economy of the commute as defined by “smart” car technology, outdoor advertising companies, audio-streaming platforms, and public-transit agencies. The media companies targeting the commute present in-between moments as a time for commerce and personal leisure. At the same time, networked mobile devices offer a means of communication that has previously been impossible on the commute. Contrary to concerns about individualism and increased disconnection with public space, this chapter argues that mobile devices have actually increased social opportunities in spaces in which people were previous disinclined to be social. Evidence of this communication is drawn from a study of the mobile media habits of MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rail Transit Authority) commuters. Over 200 participants shared their opinions and provided evidence of their mobile device use on their commute. The results show that the commute has become a key site for social maintenance and offers people digital tools for enhancing conversations with friends and family.
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