This is the essay format, published in 2013. https://www.atlasofplaces.com/essays/on-the-phenomenon-of-bullshit-jobs/
We talk a lot in here about the oppression of low-wage workers, but I’ve come to realize that my work-related misery mostly stems from being stuck in pointless, ‘bullshit’ jobs that do not achieve any purpose. For example, the job I just quit a few days ago was working for a software reseller in a role paying 120k AUD. My job was to bilk incentive funds from a software vendor by pretending to “support customers through the lifecycle”. My employer did not know or care what actual work this translated to, except filling in forms filled with half-truths and begging our customers to sign them, then waiting up to two years only to have those incentive claims denied on minor technicalities because the vendor didn’t really want to part with the money in the first place so they made it as complicated and difficult as possible.
I couldn’t take it for one more day. I have no idea what to do next, but my experiences working in made-up positions in tech has just made me long to do something meaningful or fulfilling, like be a teacher, doctor, detective – but those jobs are either 10+ years of study away and/or don’t pay enough to actually eke out a living. Hell, I’d rather serve beers for a living than keep doing what I’m doing. But eventually I’ll eat through my savings and be forced back into a similar role because it’s the only thing I’m qualified to do.
Anyone else feel the same?