[Dominate]

The jagged squeak of an office chair cuts through the hum of computers
Somewhere to my right there’s a flutter of movement

I don’t look up. They might be watching.

I never know when the webcam’s on, or when they capture a screen shot
But I know if I’m caught distracted my career can collapse into free fall
They access the key logs. Check my browser history, app use
Who I’m emailing and why, how many times I visit the bathroom
The monitor’s monitored. Phone line’s tapped - they listen to that too
The job’s a digital panopticon. Cell number iMac six seven dash two
The argument’s simple. They have the right to target this info
You’re paid to be here, they want to realise all your potential
Time theft’s a crime and it must be guarded against, so
They take simple security measures. Merely locks on the windows
My social media’s a wasteland, littered with perfunctory edits
Everything carefully curated to conform to the company’s ethics
Hand in every part of my life til I can’t tell where the puppetry’s end is
It’s not enough to be productive. You must adopt the proper aesthetics
My break is 11:05 today. Room C. It’s always different.
Two others I’ve never met before introduce themselves. John & Tristan.
I microwave my meal, taking two of my allotted minutes
We make small talk from approved topics, observing the proper limits
Even here, they watch and listen. They say it’s for our security
The scrutiny keeps us free from the freedom to speak with impunity

The honest worker knows that none of this is alarming.
Just keep your mind on the job. Relax. Big Business is watching.