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I want to show you something that might blow your mind. This is Google Engram Viewer. It shows how frequently a word or phrase appears in books throughout history. It'll give you a pretty good idea of what people were thinking about at any given time.

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This chart shows that the word Sisyphus has been growing quite a bit in popularity for a while. There's over a thousand percent increase here, but who is Sisyphus? Sisyphus was a king from Greek mythology. He cheats death twice, and as punishment, Zeus condemns him to endlessly push a boulder up a hill for all eternity.

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He gets it to the top, it rolls all the way back down, and he does this again and again, forever. This story is thousands of years old, and it's not only still relevant, but it's blowing up. Sisyphus is like basically an influencer, but it's worth asking, Why? We might find an answer in David Graeber's book, BS Jobs.

Bullshit Jobs: Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Pointless Work

David Graeber was right about Bullshit Jobs

Max Murphy

Nov 22, 2024

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Hi, I’m an existential imbecile named Max Murphy. Here on The Murphy Memos we explore the absurdity of existence with bad jokes & crappy cartoons.

Consider subscribing if you’re into that kinda thing.. or don’t!

David Graeber's groundbreaking bullshit jobs theory has transformed from a provocative concept to a recognized reality in the modern workforce, now backed by research. This video essay dives into how the theory has become increasingly relevant, shedding light on the plight of essential workers during lockdowns, The Great Resignation, and the trend of over-employment.