Jonathan Stroud > Recent Status Updates

With the combination of producerism and the “Glory of Wealth”, I feel and fear that the working world (and the world at large) is one of internalized shame feeing we need to suffer to have value.

The fact that the renaissance mode of work incorporated everyone and built into life-long skills feels tough when you look at the modern workplace and education.

The disappearance of an office building versus the disappearance of a trash collector weighs heavily on me

The ideas on utility go crazy

I loved the part on the entertainment industry! It was interesting to see how they talk about bullshitization directly impacting creative control

It’s interesting how we’ve descended from feudalism under the idea of something stating, “everyone can make it big.”

Talking about the countless extension of contracts hit like a truck

I can’t begin to express how seen I feel reading this. Being put into a bullshit job (situations without purpose), even when it makes money, can be extremely demoralizing. You lose your sense of time and self, and you lose the energy and time needed to recalibrate to your outside world. I remember forgetting my job completely when I went home only to have immense panic on return. Everything became an escape.

Rachel put it best. In these situations, sometimes the end of the world would be preferable.

Graeber’s discussion of spiritual warfare speaks volumes. The idea of being forced to play someone else’s game for no actual benefit is objectively cruel, and through each of the examples, it’s easy to see the toll it takes. I also relate to this on a personal level

Groos’s psychology on the “pleasure at being the cause” struck me, and Graeber then pointing out that, without impact, a human ceased to exist, made it hit even harder.

My word of the day is: Apocryphal

(adj) - Of a story or statement) if doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true

The runner ups are:
Cajole (verb) - persuade (someone) to do something by coaxing or flattery

Bunfights (noun) - 1) a tea party or other function, especially one of a grand or official kind
-2) a heated argument or exchange

Boondoggle (I ran out of space. Look this one up!)

I love getting to walk through the series again with a deeper lens

Chapter 5 on art has been my favorite so far!

Just to say, I’m using this book as my progress on the series as a whole