Would You Rather Be A Keyboard Samurai Or A Digital Mercenary?

When you put it like this, you aren't leaving much of a choice. Who wants to be a digital mercenary? Everyone wants to be a samurai, even if you're using a keyboard instead of a sword. So, the story goes...

Freelancing Between Semantics and Romantics

I was with my friends. Not all of them were freelancers. Out of the blue, one of them asked what was the meaning of the very word "freelancing." I was clearly embarrassed. So, I tried to get away with a cheesy story free-this-and-that. Eventually, I just gave up. Don't worry. I'm not going to turn this post into a Wiki article. I'm going to save you some time instead.

Long story short, like it or not, freelancers are mercenaries. Nowadays, they don't ride horses and don't use lances (spears), but the money is still the key motivator. They don't wage wars for their masters, but rather finish projects for their clients. I would really like to know who and why has decided to use the term "freelancing" for what I'm doing all these years.

I mean, was it really that hard to come up with something, let's say, nicer, more subtle, and more peaceful?

Freelancers Don't Cry, Let's Choose the Word Samurai

If you like the movies, then you probably know that a ronin is a masterless samurai. Ronins were also mercenaries. Samurai mercenaries, but still mercenaries nonetheless. Compared to Ivanhoe's freelancers, I found the samurais to being a more acceptable semantic option for me.

I'm aware of the practical difficulties my choice makes. Someone may ask me, what am I? Who's stopping me to say a digital samurai? Instead of a shiny sword, I can show my keyboard. I'm afraid that no matter how I call it, I will still have to ask for the money at the end of each of my story.

I Would Rather Be A Neuromancer goLancer!

I stumble upon a new term and I like it a lot. I'm a goLancer now. What does it mean to be a goLancer?

Well, for me it means that you're a little bit more than an "ordinary freelancer." You don't necessarily follow the freelance crowd. You aren't blinded by the overstated "mainstream" freelance platforms that like to brag about the number of their users, projects, and the money involved. You think and work differently. You haven't forgotten the first freelance principles. You are here for the money mainly, but not only.

I'm not saying that by being a goLancer you become a super-freelancer. You just think and work differently. You believe that freelancing is and should be much more than it is right now. goLancers don't want to go up, and look down on other digital work-ers. goLancers are pragmatic romantics. They're ready to give it a GO! How about you?