Bullshit Jobs

By: David Graeber

Narrated by: Christopher Ragland

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

From best-selling writer David Graeber, 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 a million online views in 17 different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer. 

There are millions 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. 

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.

©2018 David Graeber (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

Premise and theory ok....but it just drags on and on. PLUS a cringe-worthy narration.

The original article that Graeber wrote in 2013 was eye-opening and left me wanting for a deeper dive. That’s what I expected this book to be. After 5 years of research and countless testimonials, Bullshit Jobs, achieved nothing more than redundant corroborations to the original article’s premise. By five chapters in, I felt as if I wasn’t learning anything new. Just got more examples of the same. However, still, the theory and examination of a workforce that has been broken by bullshittery is a fun and interesting endeavor in itself. It just didn’t require such a long strung book to back it up.

To boot...this particular narration of the book is what made me first lose interest. The narrator (a male) takes the liberty in employing a quasi-falsetto female voice when a woman’s testimonial is being presented. This is not only distracting, but even worse it leaves me with a cringy second-hand embarrassment I didn’t expect to bare while listening to an academic book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

feeling like an ant under a magnifying lens

this book shines an at times uncomfortable light on the bullshittery that comprises most office work today.

the breakdown of BS work into sub-categories makes it easier to separate what is useful from what is, essentially, fluff designed to pad out a bloated work day. My only wish is for some follow-up with meaningful action one can take to reduce the amount of useless activities, or at least reclaim that time for more personally fulfilling endeavors. While a great conversation starter to talk about the greater issues that society faces, individuals need some kind of action plan to help extricate themselves from the honey trap of a BS job.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

The book was great but I didn’t like the reader

The reader changed his voice when reading quotes, which would normally be a good thing because it signals to the listener when the quotes begin and end, but he didn’t change his tone, he literally changed his voice. He made his voice higher than his own when quoting women, and strangely, lower than his own when quoting men. The result is that quotes from women were read in a childish voice and sounded simpering, while quotes from men sounded authoritative. The voices were annoying, but the gender bias they introduce is pernicious, and this should not have gone unnoticed by whomever makes the decisions.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Poorly Reasoned Disappointment

I downloaded this book because I had an inkling that the author was on to something. And he is - unfortunately, it is buried under some deep misconceptions about how the economy works and an unworkable central definition of which jobs are "bullshit."

If you are employed, I highly recommend this

So much of it rings true, and is important for all of us to discuss :)

Thought provoking

A bit too oriented at times, but an excellent theoretical overview, and some really powerful ideas. The last four chapters were significantly more interesting. Don’t hesitate to skip a bit, but it’s worth finishing.

Very good ending.

The audiobook is enjoyable the only problem is the Author focus on examples based on feedback from different readers of his manifiesto. I waited patiently and keep listening to examples until the last 2 chapters where the Author can give his point of view through the methodological approach of Marxist historiography. The most important thing I learned from this audiobook i is how valuable are the caring services specially housework that is so despreciable. but so valuable.

Mostly Good

I really liked the first part of the book, but after a while it gives us to much psychologically detail, and worthless information. I am very sure that there many people who will like that part, but I did not. However, near the end it comments on Universal Basic Income, and that was very good.

Great perspective on how the world is really run

This was a great listen, although a little tough to hear sometimes, consider I have a full-time bullshit job.

Only criticism is Ragland using accents and changing his pitch when quoting people sourced in the book.

Universal basic income!!!

Its an arguement for universal basic income.

Found it to be an interesting read but the final chapter failed to make a compelling arguement. Overall the book is composed of testimonials from people who emailed the author. Its a decent read.