Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber Published by Simon and Schuster on May 7, 2019
Genres: Business & Economics / Careers / General, Business & Economics / Personal Success, Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural & Social
Pages: 368
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Library
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From bestselling writer David Graeber—“a master of opening up thought and stimulating debate” (Slate)—a powerful argument against the rise of meaningless, unfulfilling jobs…and their consequences.
Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world? In the spring of 2013, David Graeber asked this question in a playful, provocative essay titled “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs.” It went viral. After one million online views in seventeen different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer.
There are hordes of people—HR consultants, communication coordinators, telemarketing researchers, corporate lawyers—whose jobs are useless, and, tragically, they know it. These people are caught in bullshit jobs.
Graeber explores one of society’s most vexing and deeply felt concerns, indicting among other villains a particular strain of finance capitalism that betrays ideals shared by thinkers ranging from Keynes to Lincoln. “Clever and charismatic” (The New Yorker), Bullshit Jobs gives individuals, corporations, and societies permission to undergo a shift in values, placing creative and caring work at the center of our culture. This book is for everyone who wants to turn their vocation back into an avocation and “a thought-provoking examination of our working lives” (Financial Times).
I really liked this book, but it was kind of insane to be reading it during working at my job which is probably mostly not bullshit but is remote so it does feel kind of like nobody is looking at me and that is sometimes scary. I kept reading this book and he would describe a bullshit job and I was like, wow! how do I get one of these cool jobs! due to the fact that I am a writer and I would absolutely thrive at one of these jobs. For example, this blog really took off during a particular job. And then he would say “….and then this person lost a bunch of weight and got so stressed they got a chronic illness” and I was like… oh. And I really liked his prospective solution, which I think would fix many of the extremely stupid problems we have as a society. A great read! Five stars.
Fulfilled “A nonfiction book recommended by a friend” for the 52 book club challenge.
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