Bullsh!t jobs

[Anselm]

I loved this article. This is exactly why I quit academia and stopped working at 47. I gradually realized that my job was a BS job and always would be (and I no longer needed the $$$). You wouldn't believe the pushback I got on this decision. But what are you going to do with your time? But you're wasting your degree! But you would be happier if you were at least an adjunct. You need to do something! As if nothing counts unless you are paid at least a token salary.

I am 56 now and have never regretted my decision.

I am just curious.  Can you tell us how you made a living after age 47?

[Treehugger]

I loved this article. This is exactly why I quit academia and stopped working at 47. I gradually realized that my job was a BS job and always would be (and I no longer needed the $$$). You wouldn't believe the pushback I got on this decision. But what are you going to do with your time? But you're wasting your degree! But you would be happier if you were at least an adjunct. You need to do something! As if nothing counts unless you are paid at least a token salary.

I am 56 now and have never regretted my decision.

I am just curious.  Can you tell us how you made a living after age 47?

I'm not making a living.

[Stockmann]

As I understand it from the article, what is meant by bullshit jobs is a job that is neither societally useful nor fulfilling for the worker. Thus sewage maintenance wouldn't be a BS job, however unpleasant, because it is in fact necessary, nor would being say a painter, even if society could clearly function indefinitely without your work. I do care about my research, and I think my teaching is somewhat societally useful, so my job wouldn't be a BS job by that definition. I've had BS tasks, been BS chair and been on BS committees, though. The point the article was making is that BS jobs are often well-paid while non-BS jobs are often both poorly paid and looked down upon societally (teachers, bus drivers, factory workers), which I think is hard to argue against.

...I have never personally known someone with a BS job that fits his definition. 

At my former employer, there was a "technician" at my department who I never even met and had no duties. If you do not in fact do any work, then your job is neither societally useful nor personally rewarding, so that was definitely a BS job, although of course I can't really say I knew  him. More or less the same would go for all union officials at my former employer, and probably at my current employer as well. Yes, I know lots of folks here are strongly pro-union, but believe me, these particular unions most certainly only serve the interests their leaderships, not of their rank-and-file members.

I loved this article. This is exactly why I quit academia and stopped working at 47. I gradually realized that my job was a BS job and always would be (and I no longer needed the $$$). You wouldn't believe the pushback I got on this decision. But what are you going to do with your time? But you're wasting your degree! But you would be happier if you were at least an adjunct. You need to do something! As if nothing counts unless you are paid at least a token salary.

I am 56 now and have never regretted my decision.

I don't consider my teaching and research to be BS tasks, but I would quit if I were independently wealthy or something. I can't remember which famous actress said it, but she said she acted for free, what she charged was for all the BS she had to put up with. So I kind of share that sentiment - if I were independently wealthy and my job only entailed research, I'd probably still do it even for free, but if I were independently wealthy in a more realistic scenario, I'd quit too.

[polly_mer]

The biggest bullshit job at my last university: Director of Assessment.

Enough said.

As director of assessment at Super Dinky, I managed to get us a 'much improved' when the accreditors came instead of an automatic "show cause" for not having improved after being told to improve.

I actually got praise from faculty for helping implement plans that improved student learning and made the cases for additional faculty/resources to improve various programs including general education.

I don't know that I've had a true BS job, but I agree with other posters that I get paid excellent money now to put up with the institutional foolishness that makes my job harder and the most exhausting day-to-day jobs paid the least with the lowest job security.

[writingprof]

I loved this article. This is exactly why I quit academia and stopped working at 47. I gradually realized that my job was a BS job and always would be (and I no longer needed the $$$). You wouldn't believe the pushback I got on this decision. But what are you going to do with your time? But you're wasting your degree! But you would be happier if you were at least an adjunct. You need to do something! As if nothing counts unless you are paid at least a token salary.

I am 56 now and have never regretted my decision.

I am just curious.  Can you tell us how you made a living after age 47?

I'm not making a living.

Are you homeless? Are you on the dole? Are you supported by a working partner? Did you receive a large inheritance? Come on, Treehugger. We want to be like you and need more specific information.