Summary of Bullshit Jobs: A Theory

the capitalist system make their employees forget their misery through material wealth and yoga seminars

the idea of a worker's time is bought and owned by the employer is historically new

He says that the elite encourage bullshit jobs because providing the workforce with jobs that make them happy and feeling productive, with extra time to spend is, courting danger. They will use that free time to discover how to revolt against the elites and their employers

To further define and explain what bullshit jobs are, Graeber identifies five kinds of it. First are the Flunkies, people whose work make others seem important. This includes secretaries, receptionists and all sorts of assistants. Second are the Duct Tapers who fill in the gaps so company owners don’t have to fix the flaws in their system. Third are the Box Tickers who make or fill reports. Fourth are the Taskmasters who assign worthless jobs, like welfare agents. Fifth are the Flak catchers who serve their purpose by receiving complaints from customers but are powerless to solve them

bullshit work today is a relatively new phenomenon in history and is not set in stone

“Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world?”

The book is a continuation of Graeber’s other writings which explore global capitalism’s transformation into the present system where inequality and bullshit jobs prevail.

These positions won’t be missed if they suddenly disappear in the workplace

Bullshit jobs are jobs that have no real usefulness except to justify careers

if people are denied meaningful jobs that enable them to somehow contribute something to the world, they become mad or deeply miserable