I think the issue is that articles are trying to tie something that is a mentality to something physical. My analogy for quiet quitting is the lame duck time after you've put in your two weeks but extending that to full time. It's doing your duties, but not being engaged; going to meetings, but not participating; doing your job per say, but reducing your role to absolute minimal possible. You have mentally checked out from the job and your team, more so than normal or what is expected at a position.