Bullshit Jobs

A Theory

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.

Rinse and repeat storytelling

Its a great consept and truly a worthy statement. The method of telling just becomes repetative and in part biased. Raises a question worth pondering.

Too long

Could be condensed to under 100 pages. The numerous anecdotal stories get tiring, and the hair splitting distinctions formalistic and metaphysical. Good and cautionary tale.

this book is vital for everyone!

i consider this book my 2nd most important book in my library. get this book.

straight talk about bullshit jobs

eye-opening insights into the depravity of most modern work and hints at how we might make a better future.

great book

we all need to think more critically about the nature of bullshit jobs that we have in our society

I wonder if I have a Bullshit Job ?

This is an intresting problem of work and society that I never knew even existed.

Eye opening! just how much Bullsh*t Jobs?

Insightful, based in reality, an effective blow on the heart of our world economy that I hope brings the needed changes most human would want.

Amazing, hilarious, and informative book

Bullshit Jobs is read by an amazing voice actor.

David Graeber received much feedback from people who think they may have bullshit jobs and this forms the backbone of the book. Many of the scenarios are quite funny. And to ideologues who think being paid means a job provides a meaningful contribution to society, well, there can be partially bullshit jobs and maybe the purpose is simply reassuring the boss' feelings :- p

UBI is briefly mentioned at the end as one of the primary movements today that has any hope of truly reducing the BS in jobs.

Amen :- ))

Strongly Recommend!

It is simultaneously profoundly reassuring and heartbreaking to hear David Graeber's damning analysis articulate how broken and unhealthy our relationship with work is. If most people identify work as the core measurement of their worth, while most also hold the sentiment that they hate their jobs, it can only mean that an unforgivable number of us are not leading a fulfilling existence. Even if you disagree with the causes, there is no denying that a life spent performing useless, prideless tasks will wreak havoc on one's psyche. That effect en masse has already brought about devastating societal consequences, and is sure to only compound with further neglect.