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Bullshit Jobs

A Theory

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Bullshit Jobs

By: David Graeber
Narrated by: Christopher Ragland
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Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber, read by Christopher Ragland.

Be honest: if your job didn't exist, would anybody miss it? Have you ever wondered why not? Up to 40% of us secretly believe our jobs probably aren't necessary. In other words: they are bullshit jobs. This book shows why, and what we can do about it.
In the early twentieth century, people prophesied that technology would see us all working fifteen-hour weeks and driving flying cars. Instead, something curious happened. Not only have the flying cars not materialised, but average working hours have increased rather than decreased. And now, across the developed world, three-quarters of all jobs are in services, finance or admin: jobs that don't seem to contribute anything to society. In Bullshit Jobs, David Graeber explores how this phenomenon - one more associated with the Soviet Union, but which capitalism was supposed to eliminate - has happened. In doing so, he looks at how, rather than producing anything, work has become an end in itself; the way such work maintains the current broken system of finance capital; and, finally, how we can get out of it.
This book is for anyone whose heart has sunk at the sight of a whiteboard, who believes 'workshops' should only be for making things, or who just suspects that there might be a better way to run our world.


'Spectacular and terrifyingly true' Owen Jones
'Explosive' John McDonnell, New Statesman, Books of the Year
'Thought-provoking and funny' The Times

Anthropology Labour & Industrial Relations Politics & Government Sociology Workplace & Organisational Behavior Workplace Culture Capitalism Socialism Thought-Provoking Inspiring Taxation
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Critic reviews

Praise for The Democracy Project: 'Clear, pungent and right ... a compact and incisive account of why capitalism has run with such a smash into the buffers'
Graeber's talent is to take big concepts and unpack them, forcing us to examine their implications for society ... the book is a cool drink of water after so much dry, academic writing on the "revolutions" of 2011'
Captures the joys and fears of a movement
The most influential radical political thinker of the moment
All stars
Most relevant
If you can forgive the author for being a little bit one sided (he knows what he knows and doesn't really entertain how anyone could disagree with him) then you may just be able to see where he is coming from in what is a sensible conclusion on the world of modern work and an enjoyable yarn to get there. At times the author maybe over does things and waxes lyrical on a point that most readers got in his first paragraph introducing the point and in general the book is quite long for a relatively simple conclusion. He also uses anecdote heavily without any real statistical pedigree and focuses far too much on his own limited experiences in academia and liberal circles. Despite all this I tend to find his logic and conclusions sound and found myself enjoying the "story".

Generally good, albeit a little one sided.

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it's long and sometimes the anecdotes go on for a long time. but ultimately this is my all time favourite romp through the absurdity of modern work culture. indeed it's a romp through the absurdities of all culture.

wonderful!

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great content, sadly it made me realize I do bullshit all day long too. Finally it makes sense why when I take 6 months off work every few years I feel so good! it's b cause what I do matters to nobody, and it pays way into 6 digits, this is exactly what this book is about. why so many people feel useless and we have such an unjust society

wow what an eye opener!

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A really important must read about the state of society and the ways to fix it. Recommend to everyone.

Really important

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Started as fun and many home truths, sadly the bent is dictated by anarchist political leanings which in turn influences core assumptions. The utopia arising ftom the authors assumptions is sweet but naive. Fun yes factual not quite.

A few core innacurate assumptions but fun.

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