Lab Rats: Why Modern Work Makes People Miserable

What can be done to recoup some sanity and dignity for the expanding class of middle-class serfs?

Personality tests. Desktop surveillance. Acronyms. Diminishing job security. Dan Lyons, bestselling author of Disrupted and writer on the HBO series Silicon Valley, deliciously roasts the new work climate, while asking what can be done to recoup some sanity and dignity for the expanding class of middle-class serfs.

First, you are lucky to be here. Also, we do not care about you. We offer no job security. This is not a career. We provide no training or career development. We will pay you as little as possible. You will work long hours under constant pressure and with no privacy. We will read your email. HR will not help you. Your managers may not know what they are doing. They also may be abusive. If you file a complaint you may be fired. You may be fired even though you’re doing a good job. You may be fired for no reason at all. We do not offer day care. There are snacks and beer in the kitchen.

Personality tests. Team-building exercises. Forced Fun. Desktop surveillance. Open-plan offices. Acronyms. Diminishing job security. Hot desking. Pointless perks. Hackathons.

If any of the above sound familiar, welcome to the modern economy. In this hilarious, but deadly serious book, bestselling author Dan Lyons looks at how the world of work has slowly morphed from one of unions and steady career progression to a dystopia made of bean bags and unpaid internships. And that's the 'good' jobs...

With the same wit that made Disrupted an international bestseller, Lyons shows how the hypocrisy of Silicon Valley has now been exported globally to a job near you. Even low-grade employees are now expected to view their jobs with a cult-like fervour, despite diminishing prospects of promotion. From the gig economy to the new digital oligarchs, Lyons deliciously roasts the new work climate, while asking what can be done to recoup some sanity and dignity for the expanding class of middle-class serfs.

Dan Lyons is an author, journalist, and screenwriter. He has co-produced and written for the HBO series Silicon Valley, was technology editor at Newsweek and was the creator of the ground-breaking viral blog "The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs" (AKA "Fake Steve Jobs"). His first book, Disrupted, was a New York Times Bestseller.

Register to tell a friend about this lecture.

Comments

If you would like to comment about this lecture, please register here.

©2003-2006 Niminim Limited. Created by

Any ad revenue is entirely reinvested into the Lecture List's operating fund