Bullshit jobs

Paperback, 400 pages

Published Sept. 20, 2018 by Garzanti Libri.

ISBN:
978-88-11-67266-1
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4 stars (3 reviews)

Bullshit Jobs: A Theory is a 2018 book by anthropologist David Graeber that argues the existence and societal harm of meaningless jobs. He contends that over half of societal work is pointless, which becomes psychologically destructive when paired with a work ethic that associates work with self-worth. Graeber describes five types of bullshit jobs, in which workers pretend their role isn't as pointless or harmful as they know it to be: flunkies, goons, duct tapers, box tickers, and taskmasters. He argues that the association of labor with virtuous suffering is recent in human history, and proposes universal basic income as a potential solution.

13 editions

Perchè non 5 stelle?

5 stars

Detto che la valutazione a stelle richiede un enorme sforzo per me, perchè non riesco a immaginare un sistema minimamente coerente per assegnarle, vi spiego la valutazione di 4 stelle e mezza. Il libro sul tema ha soddisfatto tutte le mie aspettative, non ho trovato dei difetti che mi hanno impedito di promuoverlo a pieni voti, è solo che in qualche maniera devo avere modo di segnalare i capolavori che tolgono il respiro.

Bullshitjobs und schlechtbezahlte nützliche Jobs

4 stars

David Graeber fragt sich, warum in einer kapitalistischen Gesellschaft so viele Jobs entstehen können, die offenbar keinen Sinn ergeben, wirtschaftliche unnötig sind und die Menschen, die dort arbeiten müssen, unglücklich machen. Eine Antwort hat er eigentlich nicht. Das Buch ist dennoch eine sehr gute Auseinandersetzung mit der kapitalistischen Arbeitsgesellschaft. Einige Kapitel lang wird die sehr interessante und wichtige Frage erörtert, warum gesellschaftlich sinnvolle Tätigkeiten im Gegensatz zu unnützen oder schädlichen Tätigkeiten so schlecht bezahlt werden. Als Lösungsvorschlag präsentiert Graeber das bedingungslose Grundeinkommen. Naja, das war etwas einfallslos, aber gut. Warum nicht. Es lohnt sich auf jeden Fall, seine Denkanstöße weiterzudenken. Vielleicht fällt „uns“ ja noch was besseres ein.

Interesting Critique of the World of Work

4 stars

This is an interesting read. It was interesting to me as someone aspiring to not have a job and close to making that happen. The look at "why have jobs?" and "why treat them as so sacred?" really hit home.

I have long said that this reverence for having a job is rooted in Puritanism. Recently I am wondering if it is more deeply internalized capitalist frames. Graeber's viewpoint is that it is some of both, which I found interesting.

This book was a good companion piece to Chokepoint Capitalism