# Absurdity as a Service By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-09-08 In the 2018 work *Bullshit Jobs: A Theory*, [[David Graeber]] estimates that over half of societal work is pointless. If one assumes that consultation is needed randomly across all work, that will mean, if Graeber is correct, that over half of all consulting jobs are pointless. The number might be even greater as those experiencing the consequence of engaging in pointless work might be more likely to seek out consultation than average. In any event, consultants have a unique experience of going into various firms and seeing what is happening. After many observations, one might conclude that one is selling absurdity as a service. Doing a pointless endeavor more efficiently is absurd. Ideally, the consultant would identify the absurdities, help the organization accept that the actions are absurd, and redefine what is done to reduce or eliminate the absurd. That would be the ideal. Most within a given organization are personally invested in perpetuating the absurd since it is the basis of their employment or lack the imagination to see what work could be in a post-absurd reorganization. Absurdity as a service helps the client feel that meaningful work is being accomplished while fundamentally altering nothing. In this way, the client gains all the benefits of a sense of agency without any discomfort from growth. The human capacity to believe things they know are untrue is nearly infinite. Few people can confront the cold reality that their work is meaningless. This is likely because, for many, it is a small step from admitting that their work is meaningless to the conclusion that their life is pointless. It isn’t so for everybody, but it is unfortunately true for too many. Absurdity as a service is a thin veil covering the weight of existence. #### Related Items [[Work]] [[Absurd]] [[Bullshit]] [[Consulting]] [[Organization]] [[Meaning]] [[Agency]]