A review by giana_vitale
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory by David Graeber

5.0

I learned so much from this book, I don't even know where to begin. Suffice to say it has revolutionized my perspective on the economy, wage labor, politics, productivity, and even my own fundamental moral values. I won't attempt to recount the incredibly in-depth analysis given by Graeber here, but I will say he explores every facet of "work". I learned about the history of work cycles, the evolution of humans' perception of time, the role of religion in the development of our modern conceptions of work, why meaningless work is so mentally and spiritually damaging, how our society has built itself around universal and constant employment, how politics (from both sides of the spectrum) have influenced the work cycle and our attitudes toward it, and so so so much more. This book came to me at just the time I needed it, too. Since I am graduating college soon, I've been doing a lot of contemplating on my future, what I want to do with my life, what I should prioritize accomplishing, and, above all, how I will make money while doing whatever it is I want to do. I was already questioning my prioritizes regarding immediately diving into the corporate world and chaining myself to a 40-hr work week and 2 weeks of vacation for the rest of my life, and this book provided me the safe space to explore and research these thoughts. I have a newfound ambition to make the most out of my life, not out of my work, which I can thank this book for encouraging. I cannot recommend this book enough. Read it, read it, read it.