Bullshit Jobs: A Theory
I must confess I was left quite torn by the end of Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber. It starts with Graeber’s article of the same name and by the end I couldn’t help but feel that a series of articles to accompany the main could have satisfactorily made the point to sufficient detail. In the end it felt like he laboured a bit too much on length and repetition. As a result, the latter part of the book somewhat meanders towards a bit of a struggled end.
Now, all that being said the topic of the book itself is excellent and reading the first part was almost therapeutic. For anyone who’s worked in a corporate environment the book should resonate emphatically and if it doesn’t, I would be concerned that you could be in denial that you in fact occupy a bullshit job. If most of us are honest at some point in our lives we’ve probably occupied a bullshit job, maybe you currently do or if not, you’ll certainly know some or many people who do. It resonates a lot with corporate work however other industries aren’t spared in the numerous personal accounts shared.
Graeber outlines a bullshit job as a form of employment so completely pointless and unnecessary that even the employee struggles to justify it. He goes into more detail on the definition at the start of the book to cover some of the nuances.
You can’t help but read the first part half of the book without smiling in acknowledgement of how prevalent such jobs are. I also found myself chuckling when during my listening of this book it came the time of month when the jobs figures are released in the US. If bullshit jobs exist then it’s a wonder we put so much emphasis on the number of jobs created without questioning whether they’re valuable jobs. That of course is before the constant revisions but lest I digress to matters of economic pantomime for now.
By the last third of the book the point has been sufficiently made however it then wanders through the last part explaining the rise of bullshit jobs as well as potential resolution to the prevalence of them in future. Despite being a self-proclaimed anarchist Graeber somehow ends up down the avenue of unconditional UBI whilst also stating he’s not one for suggesting policy. It felt an unnecessary rabbit hole for the book to end down and I suspect by this point some people may have given up finishing anyway as it tails off from the more entertaining start.
Nonetheless for the main part I found it an enjoyable and entertaining listen although I find myself both recommending it whilst also suggesting that you’re unlikely to get to the end without a bit of a push.
Who’s it for?
This is a good question…I think anyone who struggles with an unfulfilling job will find this relatable at least to know they’re not alone. If you struggle with being in a job where you’re valuable but feel like so many others are just filling numbers then this will bring some amusing relief also. I would suggest reading on the basis of the topic in the firing line though as when the second half of the book leans further towards more obvious political leaning bias it may lose readers who are of a different political sway.