This is the way. I’m happy to do take home projects; I have a portfolio of past projects that I’d be happy to let you review before signing me as a contractor. Once we discuss the project’s scope, I can put together a bid for it.

Oh, you didn’t want to pay for the projects? You just wanted me to do them for free, so you could steal them and ghost? Well I’m not interested in expanding my portfolio, (as I mentioned previously, I already have a robust portfolio that I can give to prospective clients), so I’m glad this conversation has saved both of us some time. Please feel free to reach back out in the future, if you ever have any projects worth paying for.

And some of us even didn’t like it, because those places could often blur the lines between a place of business and a place for socializing

To be clear, this was always the goal. If an employer could have you work 80 hours a week and sleep under your desk, they would. The goal is to give employees things to do around the office, so they don’t feel the need to actually leave work. Because if you’re playing ping pong in the break room, you’re immediately available for your manager to go “hey, we have a project for you.” Even if you’re not clocked in while playing ping pong, you’re essentially on call.