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Thread: The Rise of the Pointless Job

  1. #1

    The Rise of the Pointless Job

    https://slashdot.org/story/18/05/04/...-pointless-job

    An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from an article via The Guardian, written by David Graeber:

    One day, the wall shelves in my office collapsed. This left books scattered all over the floor and a jagged, half-dislocated metal frame that once held the shelves in place dangling over my desk. I'm a professor of anthropology at a university. A carpenter appeared an hour later to inspect the damage, and announced gravely that, as there were books all over the floor, safety rules prevented him from entering the room or taking further action. I would have to stack the books and not touch anything else, whereupon he would return at the earliest available opportunity. The carpenter never reappeared. Each day, someone in the anthropology department would call, often multiple times, to ask about the fate of the carpenter, who always turned out to have something extremely pressing to do. By the time a week was out, it had become apparent that there was one man employed by buildings and grounds whose entire job it was to apologize for the fact that the carpenter hadn't come. He seemed a nice man. Still, it's hard to imagine he was particularly happy with his work life.

    Everyone is familiar with the sort of jobs that don't seem, to the outsider, really to do much of anything: HR consultants, communications coordinators, PR researchers, financial strategists, corporate lawyers or the sort of people who spend their time staffing committees that discuss the problem of unnecessary committees. What if these jobs really are useless, and those who hold them are actually aware of it? Could there be anything more demoralizing than having to wake up in the morning five out of seven days of one's adult life to perform a task that one believes does not need to be performed, is simply a waste of time or resources, or even makes the world worse? There are plenty of surveys about whether people are happy at work, but what about whether people feel their jobs have any good reason to exist? I decided to investigate this phenomenon by drawing on more than 250 testimonies from people around the world who felt they once had, or now have, what I call a bull$#@! job.


    Graeber defines a "bull$#@! job" as "one so completely pointless that even the person who has to perform it every day cannot convince themselves there's a good reason for them to be doing it." Do you feel that your work is completely unnecessary?
    1776 > 1984

    The FAILURE of the United States Government to operate and maintain an
    Honest Money System , which frees the ordinary man from the clutches of the money manipulators, is the single largest contributing factor to the World's current Economic Crisis.

    The Elimination of Privacy is the Architecture of Genocide

    Belief, Money, and Violence are the three ways all people are controlled

    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    Our central bank is not privately owned.



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  3. #2
    "Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country, and giving it to the rich people of a poor country." - Ron Paul
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    The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own, and do not represent this forum or any other entities or persons.

  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Warrior_of_Freedom View Post
    either I can see the future or someone else posted this article because I swear I read it on here
    http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...non-of-BS-Jobs

  5. #4

  6. #5
    Trump appointing Dr. Oz to his sport, fitness and nutrition council

    The White House announced Friday that President Donald Trump intends to appoint Mehmet Oz, better known as Dr. Oz, to his council on sport, fitness and nutrition.
    hxxps://www.cnn.com/2018/05/04/politics/trump-dr-oz-health-advisor/index.html
    “The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.” --George Orwell

    Quote Originally Posted by AuH20 View Post
    In terms of a full spectrum candidate, Rand is leaps and bounds above Trump. I'm not disputing that.
    Who else in public life has called for a pre-emptive strike on North Korea?--Donald Trump

  7. #6
    TRUE STORY: There was a guy who had a job and never even showed up for work. He was on payroll and benefits etc.. Nobody even knew he existed until one day he received an award for perfect "attendance" and they could not find him. He was later fined.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ears/80378690/
    Last edited by Pauls' Revere; 05-05-2018 at 09:20 PM.

    We're being governed ruled by a geriatric Alzheimer patient/puppet whose strings are being pulled by an elitist oligarchy who believe they can manage the world... imagine the utter maniacal, sociopathic hubris!

  8. #7
    A job may or may not be considered "pointless" by somebody (any job can be considered "pointless" by at least one person) but as long as somebody is willing to pay somebody an amount of money they are willing to do the job for, does it matter?

  9. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    A job may or may not be considered "pointless" by somebody (any job can be considered "pointless" by at least one person) but as long as somebody is willing to pay somebody an amount of money they are willing to do the job for, does it matter?
    Is this how you justify your job?



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  11. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by timosman View Post
    Is this how you justify your job?
    Thank you for your informative contribution to the discussion.

  12. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    A job may or may not be considered "pointless" by somebody (any job can be considered "pointless" by at least one person) but as long as somebody is willing to pay somebody an amount of money they are willing to do the job for, does it matter?
    Sounds like the wisdom of experience.
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Ryan
    In Washington you can see them everywhere: the Parasites and baby Stalins sucking the life out of a once-great nation.

  13. #11
    Do you feel that your work is completely unnecessary?
    Yes.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Paul View Post
    The intellectual battle for liberty can appear to be a lonely one at times. However, the numbers are not as important as the principles that we hold. Leonard Read always taught that "it's not a numbers game, but an ideological game." That's why it's important to continue to provide a principled philosophy as to what the role of government ought to be, despite the numbers that stare us in the face.
    Quote Originally Posted by Origanalist View Post
    This intellectually stimulating conversation is the reason I keep coming here.

  14. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzanimal View Post
    Yes.
    This is very irresponsible of you to say this. Do you understand the implications of this confession to the economy and the well being of us all?

  15. #13
    Wow! Only had me beat by three YEARS!

    One thing I do appreciate is how they mention that HR Departments are pretty much useless. IMHO, HR tends to cause more problems than it solves. If managers do not even have the time to look at the applications, they are working too hard and thus, the quality of their work suffers, which means the entire business suffers because speed and quality tend to be inversely proportional. Much like cops, a large part of their job is to validate the existence of their jobs, which in and of itself, is pointless and useless.
    1776 > 1984

    The FAILURE of the United States Government to operate and maintain an
    Honest Money System , which frees the ordinary man from the clutches of the money manipulators, is the single largest contributing factor to the World's current Economic Crisis.

    The Elimination of Privacy is the Architecture of Genocide

    Belief, Money, and Violence are the three ways all people are controlled

    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    Our central bank is not privately owned.

  16. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    A job may or may not be considered "pointless" by somebody (any job can be considered "pointless" by at least one person) but as long as somebody is willing to pay somebody an amount of money they are willing to do the job for, does it matter?
    If it is a government job, is anybody "willing" to pay him or her?

  17. #15
    They better get on the stick and start creating more bs jobs in the agenda 21 cities. Younger people are flocking to cities, as designed, but there's not enough jobs to meet the demand. My SO put out a few job listings for various administrative support positions in our developmentally booming (again, agenda 21) city and got **700** resumes. Many had no business applying for the jobs but the demand for a "real job", instead of busing tables or other service sector crap, is really high.
    "Let it not be said that we did nothing."-Ron Paul

    "We have set them on the hobby-horse of an idea about the absorption of individuality by the symbolic unit of COLLECTIVISM. They have never yet and they never will have the sense to reflect that this hobby-horse is a manifest violation of the most important law of nature, which has established from the very creation of the world one unit unlike another and precisely for the purpose of instituting individuality."- A Quote From Some Old Book

  18. #16
    I was just doing dishes today thinking about how they're only going to get dirty again and how much easier it would be to just throw them away and get paper plates. Honestly, I don't think Mr A and the boys would care.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Paul View Post
    The intellectual battle for liberty can appear to be a lonely one at times. However, the numbers are not as important as the principles that we hold. Leonard Read always taught that "it's not a numbers game, but an ideological game." That's why it's important to continue to provide a principled philosophy as to what the role of government ought to be, despite the numbers that stare us in the face.
    Quote Originally Posted by Origanalist View Post
    This intellectually stimulating conversation is the reason I keep coming here.



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  20. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzanimal View Post
    I was just doing dishes today thinking about how they're only going to get dirty again and how much easier it would be to just throw them away and get paper plates. Honestly, I don't think Mr A and the boys would care.
    We do that with bottled water- basically drinking a glass of water and then throw the glass away. What a waste!

  21. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by DamianTV View Post
    Wow! Only had me beat by three YEARS!

    One thing I do appreciate is how they mention that HR Departments are pretty much useless. IMHO, HR tends to cause more problems than it solves. If managers do not even have the time to look at the applications, they are working too hard and thus, the quality of their work suffers, which means the entire business suffers because speed and quality tend to be inversely proportional. Much like cops, a large part of their job is to validate the existence of their jobs, which in and of itself, is pointless and useless.
    HR's main function is to comply with government workplace regulations.
    "He's talkin' to his gut like it's a person!!" -me
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    "When you are divided, and angry, and controlled, you target those 'different' from you, not those responsible [controllers]" -Q

    "Each of us must choose which course of action we should take: education, conventional political action, or even peaceful civil disobedience to bring about necessary changes. But let it not be said that we did nothing." - Ron Paul

    "Paul said "the wave of the future" is a coalition of anti-authoritarian progressive Democrats and libertarian Republicans in Congress opposed to domestic surveillance, opposed to starting new wars and in favor of ending the so-called War on Drugs."

  22. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by dannno View Post
    HR's main function is to comply with government workplace regulations.
    That's one of the main functions. The other one is to make sure the company does not get $#@!ed when employees discover what kind of morons run the place.

  23. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by timosman View Post
    Is this how you justify your job?

    Ha ha ha!
    Quote Originally Posted by TheCount View Post
    ...I believe that when the government is capable of doing a thing, it will.
    Quote Originally Posted by Influenza View Post
    which one of yall fuckers wrote the "ron paul" racist news letters
    Quote Originally Posted by Dforkus View Post
    Zippy's posts are a great contribution.




    Disrupt, Deny, Deflate. Read the RPF trolls' playbook here (post #3): http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...eptive-members

  24. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by NorthCarolinaLiberty View Post
    Ha ha ha!
    Thank you for your informative contribution to the discussion.

  25. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzanimal View Post
    I was just doing dishes today thinking about how they're only going to get dirty again and how much easier it would be to just throw them away and get paper plates. Honestly, I don't think Mr A and the boys would care.
    You are probably off topic.

  26. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzanimal View Post
    I was just doing dishes today thinking about how they're only going to get dirty again and how much easier it would be to just throw them away and get paper plates. Honestly, I don't think Mr A and the boys would care.

    It is funny I was just thinking about that. Even though I know it is not normal, I only use paper plates, plastic forks, and plastic cups. Life is so much easier that way. Silverware, cups and plates make no sense and are only a social convention.

  27. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Krugminator2 View Post
    I know it is not normal
    I am glad you realize that.



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  29. #25
    I told Mr A I wanted to get a job and, at first, he thought that was a good idea but he kinda changed his mind. I guess he thought about what it would mean for me not to be his beck and call girl and then he came back and told me I could work from home but he didn't think it would be a good idea for me to get a job somewhere. I'm pretty sure my job would be pointless because that's about all I'm qualified to do. I think he just doesn't want to learn how to operate the washer and dryer.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Paul View Post
    The intellectual battle for liberty can appear to be a lonely one at times. However, the numbers are not as important as the principles that we hold. Leonard Read always taught that "it's not a numbers game, but an ideological game." That's why it's important to continue to provide a principled philosophy as to what the role of government ought to be, despite the numbers that stare us in the face.
    Quote Originally Posted by Origanalist View Post
    This intellectually stimulating conversation is the reason I keep coming here.

  30. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Suzanimal View Post
    I told Mr A I wanted to get a job and, at first, he thought that was a good idea but he kinda changed his mind. I guess he thought about what it would mean for me not to be his beck and call girl and then he came back and told me I could work from home but he didn't think it would be a good idea for me to get a job somewhere. I'm pretty sure my job would be pointless because that's about all I'm qualified to do. I think he just doesn't want to learn how to operate the washer and dryer.
    Thank you for these very interesting insights. I am yet to discover a subject where adding Mr. A to the mix would not improve the quality of the debate.

  31. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by timosman View Post
    Thank you for these very interesting insights. I am yet to discover a subject where adding Mr. A to the mix would not improve the quality of the debate.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Paul View Post
    The intellectual battle for liberty can appear to be a lonely one at times. However, the numbers are not as important as the principles that we hold. Leonard Read always taught that "it's not a numbers game, but an ideological game." That's why it's important to continue to provide a principled philosophy as to what the role of government ought to be, despite the numbers that stare us in the face.
    Quote Originally Posted by Origanalist View Post
    This intellectually stimulating conversation is the reason I keep coming here.

  32. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by timosman View Post
    Thank you for your informative contribution to the discussion.

    Ever notice how the Zipper John Group always bristles when the discussion becomes them? It's ironic that they always talk about joining the discussion when they have zero interest in discussion here.
    Quote Originally Posted by TheCount View Post
    ...I believe that when the government is capable of doing a thing, it will.
    Quote Originally Posted by Influenza View Post
    which one of yall fuckers wrote the "ron paul" racist news letters
    Quote Originally Posted by Dforkus View Post
    Zippy's posts are a great contribution.




    Disrupt, Deny, Deflate. Read the RPF trolls' playbook here (post #3): http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...eptive-members

  33. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by NorthCarolinaLiberty View Post
    Ever notice how the Zipper John Group always bristles when the discussion becomes them? It's ironic that they always talk about joining the discussion when they have zero interest in discussion here.
    They hire only flashers. Post and run. Hard to maintain context with such a turnover.
    Last edited by timosman; 05-12-2018 at 02:58 PM.

  34. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by timosman View Post
    They hire only flashers.


    Quote Originally Posted by TheCount View Post
    ...I believe that when the government is capable of doing a thing, it will.
    Quote Originally Posted by Influenza View Post
    which one of yall fuckers wrote the "ron paul" racist news letters
    Quote Originally Posted by Dforkus View Post
    Zippy's posts are a great contribution.




    Disrupt, Deny, Deflate. Read the RPF trolls' playbook here (post #3): http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...eptive-members

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