Bullshit Jobs: A Theory is a book written by David Graeber that outlines how between 30-40% of jobs within modern capitalist economies are 'bullshit'. The book explores the causes, effects and solutions to this problem, with some interesting historical notes and philosophical questions thrown in.
Summary
Chapter 1: What is a Bullshit Job?
Chapter 2: What Sort of Bullshit Jobs Are There?
There are five major kinds of bullshit jobs.
- Flunkies are jobs that exist to make someone else look or feel important, such as secretaries and doormen.
- Goons are jobs which only exist because competitors have them, such as lobbyists, PR specialists, telemarketers and corporate lawyers.
- Duct Tapers are jobs which only exist because of easily fixable faults or inefficiencies in an organization.
- Box Tickers are jobs which exist so an organization can say it is doing something, without actually doing anything.
- Taskmasters are jobs which exist to assign tasks to others, often bullshit ones.
These are not exclusive categories, and often overlap depending on the work being performed.
Chapter 3: Why Do Those in Bullshit Jobs Report Themselves Unhappy?
Chapter 4: What Is It Like to Have a Bullshit Job?
Chapter 5: Why Are Bullshit Jobs Proliferating
Chapter 6: Why Do We as a Society Not Object to the Growth of Pointless Employment?
Chapter 7: What Are the Political Effects of Bullshit Jobs, and Is There Anything That Can Be Done About This Situation?
External Links
- Bullshit Jobs at theanarchistlibrary