Bullshit Jobs - Part 1

Explicit content warning

05/13/22 • 50 min

In this episode, we discuss Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber. Graeber was an anthropologist. In 2013, he wrote an article talking about the phenomena of bullshit jobs - jobs that were unnecessary and pernicious. The article touched the nerve, and Graeber was flooded with hundreds of accounts from the holders of Bullshit Jobs.
In this episode, we discuss what bullshit jobs are, Graeber's taxonomy of the types of bullshit jobs, and the effect of these jobs on the psyche of those who hold them. In the next episode, we will cover the second half of the book, discussing the roots of the problem and what can be done about it.

Previous Episode

The World for Sale

We're used to going to stores to buy anything we want at highly affordable prices. But where does our stuff really come from?
To answer this, Trish & Hirad have been trying to learn about the world of commodities trading. To help them along the way, they picked up The World for Sale, which chronicles the rise of the commodity traders during the new world order that started after WWII. Tune in to find out in what ways, if any, this book changes the way we see the world.

Next Episode

Bullshit Jobs - Part 2

Continuing from the previous episode, we discuss the latter half of David Graeber's Bullshit Jobs. We discuss why such jobs exist and what we might do to remedy the situation.

Fresh Lens Podcast - Bullshit Jobs - Part 1

Transcript

[00:00:24] **Hirad:** hello. Trish.
[00:00:25] **Trish:** Hello. Welcome back, listeners.
[00:00:29] **Hirad:** are we reading today?
[00:00:30] **Trish:** Today?
We're reading, I guess actually I should add that there's going to be some foul language in this episode
we are reading bullshit jobs by David Graeber.
[00:00:41] **Hirad:** I will totally be using some foul language in this episode. I don't think there's anywhere to hold this back.
[00:00:46] **Trish:** we