[News] Bullsh*t jobs

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

An academic has produced a book which is creating a bit of a stir. Here's a short trail:

'Do you have a job that you secretly believe is pointless?
If so, you have what anthropologist David Graeber calls a “bullshit job.” A professor at the London School of Economics and a leader of the early Occupy Wall Street movement, Graeber has written a new book called Bullshit Jobs: A Theory.'


He reckons up to a third of people are in jobs which they consider to have no real value or pupose. Notwithstanding that Graeber's own job might just fall into this category, does anyone have any good examples. preferably from direct personal experience?

 

[knocky1]

Leon Best springs to mind.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Goal line assistants.

 

[Gwylan]

Notwithstanding that Graeber's own job might just fall into this category, does anyone have any good examples. preferably from direct personal experience?

You think university lecturers don't have any value? I'd have thought teachers and lecturers were definitely an example of worthwhile jobs? El Presidente may disagree though

Personally, I've always considered HR people a bit of a waste of time. When I've been recruiting, I've had to write job description, advertise, assess the CVs and do interviews. HR then come in and print out a standard contract - there'd be nothing stopping me doing that and fill out the relevant details. The last job I had employed three people in HR and they never seemed to have anything to do.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

Gender Studies Professor.

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

Them blokes that fit indicators to BMWs and AUDIs

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Bureaucrats

 

[Hamilton]

I know, that come the revolution, I will be first against the wall to be shot.

I work in the branding, communications and marketing industry. I am scum.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Meet n Greet plebs in fluro at UK airports, I can read the effing signs FFS!

 

[Bakero]

Letting agents.

 

[TypicalPalace]

Apologies, thought this was a Palace related thread.

 

[big hilda]

Them blokes that fit indicators to BMWs and AUDIs

There easy to miss in amongst all the options listed!

 

[Gwylan]

Letting agents.

I knew they'd be mentioned early on. I'm surprised recruitment consultants haven't been

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

You think university lecturers don't have any value? I'd have thought teachers and lecturers were definitely an example of worthwhile jobs? El Presidente may disagree though

Personally, I've always considered HR people a bit of a waste of time. When I've been recruiting, I've had to write job description, advertise, assess the CVs and do interviews. HR then come in and print out a standard contract - there'd be nothing stopping me doing that and fill out the relevant details. The last job I had employed three people in HR and they never seemed to have anything to do.

As a bit of an insider in the UK HE sector, I'd best reserve judgment on this, although I've seen some things. And I'd exempt teachers of course........... But I agree that HR is a bit, er, problematic. PR defo deserves a shout-out in this context too. What we're finding so far is that people are pointing to others' roles (valid if predictable); what the research found is that folk actually 'own up' about their own job being worthless.

 

[The Clamp]

An academic has produced a book which is creating a bit of a stir. Here's a short trail:

'Do you have a job that you secretly believe is pointless?
If so, you have what anthropologist David Graeber calls a “bullshit job.” A professor at the London School of Economics and a leader of the early Occupy Wall Street movement, Graeber has written a new book called Bullshit Jobs: A Theory.'


He reckons up to a third of people are in jobs which they consider to have no real value or pupose. Notwithstanding that Graeber's own job might just fall into this category, does anyone have any good examples. preferably from direct personal experience?

If a job provides for you and yout family, allows you to pay tax and NI and gets you out of your bed each morning, then it has meaning and purpose.

 

[portslade seagull]

An academic has produced a book which is creating a bit of a stir. Here's a short trail:

'Do you have a job that you secretly believe is pointless?
If so, you have what anthropologist David Graeber calls a “bullshit job.” A professor at the London School of Economics and a leader of the early Occupy Wall Street movement, Graeber has written a new book called Bullshit Jobs: A Theory.'


He reckons up to a third of people are in jobs which they consider to have no real value or pupose. Notwithstanding that Graeber's own job might just fall into this category, does anyone have any good examples. preferably from direct personal experience?

Trouble is these bullshit jobs are probably the ones that keep commerce running

 

[hart's shirt]

Fans TV Vloggers

 

[withdeanwombat]

Although it doesn’t really count, being retired is a little bit bullsh*t isn’t it?

 

[zefarelly]

agents in general . . . . just a middle man making life complicated and taking a big slice of the pie for themselves.

'consultants'

 

[TheJasperCo]

Trouble is these bullshit jobs are probably the ones that keep commerce running

And they're often among the best paid (considering what the roles basically involve).