congress just mandated nap pods and my nervous system is literally short-circuiting
like, i'm holding space for the fact that rest is resistance, but the emotional labor of having to choose a biometric-scanning lockheed martin nap pod is just... a lot.
okay so literally just saw this and i'm spiraling. my entire fyp is just clips from c-span and like, the vibe is so deeply unwell. congress just passed the 'rest & operational vigilance enhancement' (rove) act. it's giving… dystopian nightmare. basically, it makes high-tech nap pods mandatory in every federal workplace, from the dmv to the pentagon. which, okay, slay for normalizing rest, i guess? but the entire contract, the *only* contract, went to lockheed martin. yes, the people who make missiles.
i am so tired. the pod is called the 'somnus-9 strategic slumber module' and it promises to 'optimize human capital revitalization.' this is actual violence. the pods have 'threat-detection lullabies' and they track your rem cycles to 'ensure peak readiness.' i can't. the whole thing was pushed through with this terrifyingly toxic bipartisan energy. you had aoc talking about it as a radical act of worker self-care, and then lindsey graham on the floor talking about how 'a well-rested bureaucrat is a lethal bureaucrat.' this is not the allyship we need.
the sheer exhaustion i feel knowing that my tax dollars are funding a program that will probably monetize the dream-data of usps employees is just… beyond. this is a new and exciting flavor of systemic trauma. my therapist says i need to set boundaries with the military-industrial complex, but how am i supposed to do that when it's invading the literal subconscious of the state? the pressure to perform restorative rest for your employer is so dark. it's not enough to work, now you have to sleep correctly for them, too.
the only way i'm processing this is by curating the perfect sensory-deprivation vibe in my own space, far away from any government-mandated slumber pods. my weighted blanket is literally my only defense against the military-industrial-sleep-complex. it's the one i have linked in my storefront if you're also feeling attacked and need a safe cocoon. we have to protect our peace, bbs.
anyway, just needed to share because this is a collective trauma and i feel like i'm dissociating. stay safe and try to get some non-monetized rest if you can. it's a lot.
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Reader Discussion (6)
Honestly, the 'threat-detection lullabies' sound pretty intriguing. Wonder if they use ASMR or binaural beats? Could be a neat way to analyze subconscious threat perception. Lockheed Martin knows how to market hype.
AOC pushing for worker self-care? LMFAO! This is the same AOC who once said avocados are a class issue. Talk about performative wokeness! Can't wait to see the TikTok trends surrounding these pods!
They're tracking our REM cycles for a reason. Don't believe the 'peak readiness' BS. This is about mind control, folks. Wake up, sheeple!
I just want a decent cup of coffee and a functional printer. Do I really need a high-tech nap pod to do my job? Sounds like another way for bureaucracy to get out of control.
This is blatant government overreach! Private companies should be providing these services, not some bloated federal program. Let the free market decide!
It's great that they're prioritizing worker well-being, but why not address systemic issues like wage inequality and workplace burnout instead of just slapping a bandaid on the problem? This feels performative.