I don't think this has anything to do with Google, the company. It just happens to be published on Google Docs. Here is the official website of the organizers AFAICT: https://www.ultraworking.com/
Pair programming is hugely effective and much more fun at least from my personal experience working on large teams.
I see your concern over managers using it as leverage. I feel like the way it would actually go down is that managers would enroll the team into one of these ultra work sessions, during normal, paid hours, and give it a go.
I remember once working a 15 hours day to implement a new feature-- as I was leaving at 9:00pm, my manager said my performance was unacceptable and she needed to know when the feature would be tested and ready to go.
I told her to have a good night and quit a few days later.
> Y’know, flow state the whole time, work is clicking, everything is getting done without distraction or interruption, the feeling of unstoppability, time disappears, work gets done…
>… good feeling, eh?
Yes, I get that with work that I enjoy doing. I don't need it with work I don't enjoy doing (doing less so long as I advance at a steady/estimable pace is fine), so this looks like working for work's sake.
I might actually do this, just for the new experience, could boost my entire output over my career!
Definitely a great way to kickstart a project.
