Why so many people work “bullshit jobs”| James Suzman | Big Think

Share this & earn $10

Big Think
Published at : 13 Nov 2021

232119 views

12375

447

Why so many people work “bullshit jobs,” with James Suzman
Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►►https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink
Up next ►► How to find a meaningful job, or find purpose in the job you already have

Aaron Hurst https://youtu.be/H54vh7UI3_I

Our society is fixated on working. Some of us work 80 hours per week at jobs that don’t fulfill us simply for work’s sake. Expert anthropologists, such as James Suzman, even go as far as to say that many of the jobs we work could be considered "bullshit jobs" - a complex job that is not entirely needed in the workforce. These jobs are created and executed because our culture, and lifestyle, are organized around the 8-hour workday.

So why do we work "bullshit jobs?" Many economists would say it is to fix the problem of scarcity. But what many do not know is that in our society, we passed the scarcity threshold in 1980, and most everyone has their basic needs met. So much so that more food goes into our landfills than goes into our stomachs. If scarcity is no longer an issue, why are we still working over 40 hours per week? It’s because people have a humane instinct to work and be productive.

If the 40-hour workweek is no longer serving our society, could we be approaching a new economic utopia? Suzman thinks so. In the present day, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers are turning away from unfulfilling jobs and diving headfirst into their hobbies - cooking, writing, painting, and creating. If we keep on this path, our entire economic system is bound to change, making for a richer world where everyone does the work they want to be doing.

Read the video transcript: https://bigthink.com/videos/bullshit-jobs/

———————————————————————————-

About James Suzman:

James Suzman, Phd is an anthropologist specializing in the Khoisan peoples of southern Africa. A former Smuts Fellow in African Studies at the University of Cambridge, he is now the director of Anthropos Ltd., a think tank that applies anthropological methods to solving contemporary social and economic problems.

———————————————————————————-

Read more of our stories on employment and bullshit jobs:
3 ways to find a meaningful job, or find purpose in the job you already have
►►https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/3-ways-to-find-a-meaningful-job-or-find-purpose-in-the-job-you-already-have/

Here are the top 10 jobs of the future
►► https://bigthink.com/the-future/jobs-of-the-future/

America needs faster and cheaper pathways to good jobs
►► https://bigthink.com/the-present/education-pathways/

———————————————————————————-

About Big Think

Smarter Faster™

► Big Think
The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century.
► Big Think Edge
Learn career skills from the world’s top minds: https://bigth.ink/Edge

———————————————————————————-

Want more Big Think?

► Daily editorial features: https://bigthink.com/popular/
► Get the best of Big Think right to your inbox: https://bigthink.com/st/newsletter
► Facebook: https://bigth.ink/facebook
► Instagram: https://bigth.ink/Instagram
► Twitter: https://bigth.ink/twitter

Circumstances Under No Circumstances Extenuating Circumstances C2 English Collocations CAE CPE IELTS

We Should Start Right Now - Loving Caliber feat. Emmi (Lyrics Video)

FAIRMONT wins The Continual Trophy

New Girl At School Is Not Who You Think PART 2

Have Tottenham replaced Mourinho with just a Mourinho 'disciple'?

Prolonged Fasting: How to Boost Fat Loss & Muscle Growth- Thomas DeLauer

I found a cabin in the forest - searching for a new home - renovating an old barn

SETTING UP A BRAND NEW SKATEBOARD!

Learn Colors with Hogi’s Friends | 15min | Pinkfong & Hogi | Colors for Kids | Learn with Hogi

Glimmer of Blooms - I Cant Get You Out Of My Head

Drawback

Increased Intracranial Pressure

Two moms scouse borrow £1,500 of objects from SAME Next save

Promptly Promotional Video

ASMR-Rummaging Through Makeup (Request)

TheTeacher #2 | Strategic Walling, Foresightful Transitions

JAY-Z - Anything

I COMPLETELY Redesigned our Nuclear Power Plant for Satisfactory Update 5

Annoying Orange - Scare Pear Challenge #4 | #Shocktober

"Iris" - Goo Goo Dolls (Cover by First to Eleven)

I Forced People to Work for 19,577 Years on My Nightmare Kingdom - Settlement Survival

REMIXING A POPULAR SONG INTO A UK DRILL BEAT (How To Flip A Song - FL Studio Tutorial)

Simple Art Techniques Everyone Can Repeat

Take A While - Yellowdown [ Mashup Remix ] Douyin | Crush

The Big Push - Watch Out (live busking 2020)

Use of Regardless of | Use of Irrespective of | how to use regardless of & irrespective of in Eng.

Riton x Nightcrawlers - Friday ft. Mufasa & Hypeman (Dopamine Re-edit) [Official Video]

From Barbie Mum To Adult Grunge - Will My Kids Approve? | TRANSFORMED

Taylor Swift - Style

The Greatest Showman Cast - This Is Me (Official Lyric Video)

Throughway

JAE5 - Dimension (Official Video) ft. Skepta, Rema

What is the meaning of the word PERSISTENTLY?

8 Hours of Relaxing Sleep Music • Sleeping Music, Relaxing Music, Fall Asleep Fast

Enjoy | Chill Out Mix

Pick, Pick Out, Pick Up [Learn English Phrasal Verbs]

Asaf Avidan // A Part Of This

IK MOET 10.000 BLOKKEN VALLEN CHALLENGE! - Minecraft Skyblock

Wicked - Popular (with lyrics)

ToTo H x Duli - Mamba ( Official Video )

🔥 ONE SET TO EXPLODE? 🔥 WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT? HARMONY ONE ANALYSIS

The United Kingdom & Japan Are THE EXACT SAME COUNTRY

Section of Solid_Problem 5

Homie - Started Off (Official Video)

Madison Beer's 10 Minute Beauty Routine for a Glowy Blush Look | Allure

Stonekeepers - One More Reason

2 Hours of Gorgeous Vertical 4K UHD Nature Relaxation™ Scenes with Nature Sounds

Considering a Fact (Original)

What is a competent person? Australian Standards Definition