Even international spies — young, maybe Gen Z ones, or younger, in particular, who are just getting their feet wet in the international spying profession — prefer working from home, according to an article in a late May edition of Business Insider.
That younger generation… let me tell you!
Let’s see if we can imagine international spies working from home, on their PCs or laptops… taking care of business, virtually.
With their assets — isn’t that what spies call each other: ‘human assets?’ — on the computer screen, catching up on things, so to speak.
With the youthful U.S. international spy reminding her, or his, foreign asset to unmute their high tech device. Someone’s always forgetting to do that.
Can you imagine what if a U.S. international spy’s foreign asset is a Gen Z, too, or younger, so both are speaking the same language and sharing the same work-from-home preferences?
Sue, the U.S. international spy, is telling her foreign asset, Natasha… “If I never have to see an office again, that’ll be just fine with me. Those long commutes! What a waste!”
“I’m with you on that,” says Natasha. “Sitting around a conference room table, having to look all intent, as those bureaucrats are bloviating… what total nonsense!”
Imagine Vincent, a fictional U.S. Gen Z international spy, asking his youthful foreign asset… “What’s up, out your way?”
And hearing his asset reply… “Same old… same old…” as the asset’s looking off camera to be sure his Pekingese isn’t about to leap on his lap.
“Except for one thing,” continues the asset. “I’ve gotta start turning in Action Updates, that’s what the senior staff is calling them.”
“Are you shittin’ me?” says Vincent. “That’s horse and buggy era, if you know what I mean.”
“Do I ever,” replies his foreign asset.
Continuing, the asset asks: “Just so I can submit something, for my first Action Update, do you have anything, at all? Even if it’s innocuous BS?”
“No worries,” replies the young U.S. international operative. “I’ve got plenty of that.”
Harvey Radin is former senior vice president in charge of corporate communications and media relations, Bank of America Western Region. He makes his home in Redwood City, CA.