Something Trivial

Shadow Work

In economics, shadow work is a special kind of unpaid labor. It includes assembling of goods that come "in pieces", self-checkout at super markets, and self-service at gas stations. Jobs that are necessary for completing a purchase that have been left to the consumers as a way of rationalising production and distribution. In contrast, there is unpaid labor that is made as an expression of self subsistence or to give to others, all things you do without getting paid, such as building your house, making free computer programs or taking care of your elders. The term was coined by Ivan Illich, in his 1981 book of the same title.Craig Lambert, a former editor of Harvard Magazine wrote about the new trend towards unpaid "shadow work" in 2011 and followed up his re… more »