I'm a simple woman. Book that's pro UBI = book I'm going to read.

"But...was is it that you actually do?" is a question I've wanted to ask countless times. The standard non-response of "oh, you know - emails about meetings and meetings about emails" is a great tip-off to a job rife with bullshitification, as the author puts it.

Not only does this book explore what bullshit jobs are and the interesting nuances between different flavors of them, but it also dives into many a follow-up question. Why do these exist when our economic system should prioritize efficiency and profit? What psychological and societal effects do these jobs have on employees? Why does it feel soul-crushing to be paid a lot to do nothing? How do people cope with these jobs? Why are certain important non-bullshit jobs (e.g. teaching) paid so poorly? What historical and sociological factors got us into this mess? What's the way out?

(While the author touches on the benefits of UBI, he emphasizes that this book is about describing the problem rather than proposing solutions.)

I appreciate the way the author grapples with these ideas. While he argues for a particular perspective, he's transparent about what that perspective is and where his views originate from and offers some nuanced counter-examples. It's what you want in non-fiction - thought provoking and informative.

All that said, I suspect that the author is kicking himself for not having published this post-2020. Then again, this text proved so prophetic that elaborating on pandemic-related labour shutdowns may have felt too on-the-nose.

Recommended if you're looking for some clarity into what your friends, acquaintances, managers, etc... do all day, are interested in exploring ideas around work vs idleness vs laziness in the context of human happiness, and are frustrated with the general state of things.