Bullshit Jobs
Feb. 21st, 2025 10:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithA lot of modern jobs don't really accomplish anything important, and the people in them know that and hate it. That article talks primarily about why this happens.
It doesn't really touch on the fact that this wrecks people's mental health. People need to feel useful and find meaning in life. If they are stuck in pointless jobs, that makes them miserable and vulnerable to mental illness or injury. And what do we see in society? Lots of people who feel lonely, anxious, depressed, disconnected, and otherwise unhappy much of the time.
Humans evolved to spend much of their time meeting survival or social needs. So for instance, procuring and preparing food, making tools or clothing, tending a home, finding a mate, raising children, storytelling for education and entertainment. The farther people get from those things, the more likely they are to feel that their work is pointless. Of course, there are also hobbies and creative expressions. People have painted for tens of thousands of years, made beads and jewelry, drawn designs on their dishes, and so on. These activities also generate a sense of satisfaction. A life that leaves no time for them will also probably lack satisfaction.
So look at your life. Do you make or repair things? Provide vital services that not everyone can do? Or are you stuck in an abstract job that doesn't really contribute to life on Earth? Do you have some hobbies that give you a sense of fun and accomplishment? Do you have time to nurture relationships? Or are you stuck spending all your time and energy on subsistence activities, with none left over for actively living a life?
If you're unhappy with the results of that assessment, think what you can do to change it. You might not be able to change a dayjob quickly, but you can pick up a hobby whenever you wish. Some hobbies are cheap or free, and most are flexible regarding the time you invest in them. You could also try to make friends based on some practical activity, such as cooking, gardening, or crafts. It's your life. Live it.
It doesn't really touch on the fact that this wrecks people's mental health. People need to feel useful and find meaning in life. If they are stuck in pointless jobs, that makes them miserable and vulnerable to mental illness or injury. And what do we see in society? Lots of people who feel lonely, anxious, depressed, disconnected, and otherwise unhappy much of the time.
Humans evolved to spend much of their time meeting survival or social needs. So for instance, procuring and preparing food, making tools or clothing, tending a home, finding a mate, raising children, storytelling for education and entertainment. The farther people get from those things, the more likely they are to feel that their work is pointless. Of course, there are also hobbies and creative expressions. People have painted for tens of thousands of years, made beads and jewelry, drawn designs on their dishes, and so on. These activities also generate a sense of satisfaction. A life that leaves no time for them will also probably lack satisfaction.
So look at your life. Do you make or repair things? Provide vital services that not everyone can do? Or are you stuck in an abstract job that doesn't really contribute to life on Earth? Do you have some hobbies that give you a sense of fun and accomplishment? Do you have time to nurture relationships? Or are you stuck spending all your time and energy on subsistence activities, with none left over for actively living a life?
If you're unhappy with the results of that assessment, think what you can do to change it. You might not be able to change a dayjob quickly, but you can pick up a hobby whenever you wish. Some hobbies are cheap or free, and most are flexible regarding the time you invest in them. You could also try to make friends based on some practical activity, such as cooking, gardening, or crafts. It's your life. Live it.
