Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M11008

Bullshit Jobs

Bullshit Jobs
CultureHigh supportSociology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Graeber refers to jobs that are considered meaningless by the workers themselves, yet exist due to institutional needs and consume their lives.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Bullshit Jobs: A Theory is a 2018 book by the American anthropologist David Graeber that postulates the existence of meaningless jobs which cause psychological harm. He contends that over half of societal work is pointless and becomes psychologically destructive (when paired with a work ethic that a…

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David Graeber proposes that many paid jobs are inherently meaningless, and workers themselves believe they have no value to society. The mechanism is bureaucratic redundancy and status competition.

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit_JobsZH · Explicit
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