Work

A Deep History, from the Stone Age to the Age of Robots

De: James Suzman

Narrado por: Nicholas Guy Smith

"This book is a tour de force." (Adam Grant, New York Times best-selling author of Give and Take)

A revolutionary new history of humankind through the prism of work by leading anthropologist James Suzman.

Work defines who we are. It determines our status and dictates how, where, and with whom we spend most of our time. It mediates our self-worth and molds our values. But are we hardwired to work as hard as we do? Did our Stone Age ancestors also live to work and work to live? And what might a world where work plays a far less important role look like?

To answer these questions, James Suzman charts a grand history of "work" from the origins of life on Earth to our ever more automated present, challenging some of our deepest assumptions about who we are. Drawing insights from anthropology, archaeology, evolutionary biology, zoology, physics, and economics, he shows that while we have evolved to find joy meaning and purpose in work, for most of human history our ancestors worked far less and thought very differently about work than we do now. He demonstrates how our contemporary culture of work has its roots in the agricultural revolution 10,000 years ago. Our sense of what it is to be human was transformed by the transition from foraging to food production, and, later, our migration to cities. Since then, our relationships with one another and with our environments, and even our sense of the passage of time, have not been the same.

Arguing that we are in the midst of a similarly transformative point in history, Suzman shows how automation might revolutionize our relationship with work and in doing so usher in a more sustainable and equitable future for our world and ourselves.

©2021 James Suzman (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"His book meticulously charts the evolution of labor over 300,000 years, a strategy that brings welcome perspective to our current economic woes. While ostensibly a science book, it is also a devastating critique of consumer capitalism and a kind of self-help guide, underlying just how abnormal our lives are by our ancestors’ standards." (The Irish Times)

"A fascinating exploration that challenges our basic assumptions on what work means. As automation threatens to completely disrupt the global job market, it is urgent to rethink the economic, psychological and even spiritual importance of work. By examining the lives of hunter-gatherers, apes and even birds, Suzman highlights that what we consider ‘natural’ is often just the questionable legacy of industrial gurus and agricultural religions. Knowing the history of how we have spent our time in the past will hopefully enable us to make more sensible choices in the future.” (Yuval Noah Harari, New York Times best-selling author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind)

“Here is one of those few books that will turn your customary ways of thinking upside down. An incisive and original new history that invites us to rethink our relationship with work - and to reimagine what it means to be human in an ever-more automated future.” (Susan Cain, New York Times best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking)

its not what you think it is, and thats ok

This book has a lot more to do with anthropology and how humans have evolved our purpose throughout time. It also talks about how changing circumstances effect us as a human race, and therefore how that affects our work/life. I enjoyed this book regardless, just be aware it doesn't really dig in to the "why we work" the way one might think.

Great description of origins of work

Excellent description of origins, different phases of work and how we got here. Could be different as well as fairer and better for everyone. Coming challenge is making AI cooperate

Required reading for modern humans.

This one goes right next to other similarly great books such as Guns, Germs &Steel and Sapiens.

Wow

Really makes you rethink the priorities and mechanisms of our modern economic systems.
Great book!

Comprehensive and enlightening

I was engaged and interested from beginning to end. Complex topics were well explained. Full of information I am reading this book again to learn and understand a topic that impacts everyone.

Another Good Book for Polymaths

The writing doesn't reveal it readily, since it is delivered in a casual manner (a little sleepily at times), but the breadth and depth of the knowledge presented is vast, many topics being covered as perspectives and examples.

Love it

The overall theme was great and well written. The narrator spoke so slowly that I had to speed up the recording by 20-30% for it to keep my attention.

I was hoping for more ideas towards solutions toward the conclusion but it works fine as a critique our work habits and established economic systems on its own.

Excellent

I enjoyed "Work." It's well-researched, interesting, and easy to follow. You'll enjoy this book if you're interested in economics, history, and how work has evolved since antiquity.

Strong in the first 2/3, fumbles through modernity

The book is phenomenal in the early parts dealing with human evolution, early human groups and tool use, hunter gatherer societies, dawn of agriculture, and growth of cities. Then the author sprints through 2000 years of modern history and narrows his focus mostly to advanced western capitalist societies and sometimes touching only tangentially on work in these sections. He has interesting throughlines for the modern era, but overall it is rushed and patchy after 1000 AD or so. Very little attention to modern labor institutions and modes of work organization.

My advice is to listen to the first three quarters or so of the book, which is fascinating, erudite, and engrossing. The last part has good moments but falls flat overall.

Life-changing

If you want to know why I say this, read the book. Every human needs to read it.