My post earlier this week was about Morten Hansen's Collaboration, which I found to be one of the best management books that I had read in a long time. In contrast, I thought I would write about the worst workplace book that I have read in a long time, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton, which I first heard about in The Economist in a pretty positive review that made it sound as if the book celebrated work and workers.
Unfortunately, as I read the book, I found it was really a cheeky assault on the dignity of the people who had invited the author into their lives. Although he described what they did and the complex connections among the world-wide supply chain they were part of quite well, his apporach seemed to be to belittle and trivialize the work, character, and aspirations of the people he wrote about.
I was especially disturbed by how much he seemed to disrespect and the managers and workers who produced a biscuit (or "cookie" in American) called "Moments." He trivialized the skills and enthusiasm of everyone involved in the complex process of developing making these biscuits. The author is a very skilled writer, so his disrespect is woven into his words with remarkable subtlety, such as in these sentences he wrote about his conversation with the "warm-hearted and garrulous" plant manager Michael Pottier:
"Years of working around noisy machinery had left my host mildly deaf in one ear and given him a concomitant habit of leaning in uncomfortably close during discussions. so close that I dreaded his enunciation of a word with a p or a g in it."
Then de Button goes onto convey that, although he was bored with Pottier's detailed explanations, he was struck by a "surprisingly intense pride in the plant and its workers." Why he found such pride surprising is beyond me -- these people worked hard and saw them self as producing a good product -- sure, biscuit's don't save lives, but neither do most books. This kind "cheeky" humor at the expense of people who had taken the time to talk with the author and provided him with warmth and hospitality pervade the book, and at least for me, completely ruined the experience of reading what is a well-researched manuscript with fascinating information about the connections and complexity of the modern workplace.
All in all, the book reminded me of one of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut's quotes, which I've printed here before:
“If
it weren’t for the people, the god-damn people” said Finnerty, “always getting tangled
up in the machinery. If it weren’t for them, the world would be an engineer’s
paradise.” Kurt
Vonnegut, Player Piano (1952:59)
In similar fashion, Mr. de Button seems fascinated with the machinery of modern supply chains and workplaces, but rather disgusted with the human-beings who invent and run that machinery. In reading the book, I couldn't help but think of the wonderful books I've read over the years that -- although presenting warts and all views of work -- still conveyed so much respect and dignity for the people doing the work, including Ben Hamper's amazing Rivethead about his life on the assembly line, Tracy Kidder's astounding Soul of a New Machine, and my favorite creativity book Orbiting the Giant Hairball.
Perhaps I am being unfair to Mr. de Button because I don't quite get that English "cheeky" wit that runs throughout the book as I am an unsubtle American. But I have always admired the work and desire for dignity in all the workers I've studied, whether they be bill collectors, 7/Eleven clerks, nurses, teachers, hospital workers, product designers, or CEOs. I like enthusiasm, skill, and pride in whatever human forms it takes. And I dislike pomposity and lack of empathy in whatever forms it takes as well, and Mr. de Button chronic self-importance and clever disdain for workers of all kinds made my stomach turn as I read the often mean-spirited Pleasures and Sorrows of Work.
P.S. To my amazement, I learned from CV Harquail's comment below that The New York Times reviewed this book in June and reached a similar conclusion. In fact, they used the exact same quote as I did above, and called it mean-spirited. Please forgive my lack of originality and I guess this is certainly is not a scoop. Also, see CV's comment for a bit of dirt below -- apparently Mr. de Button reacted with some public hostility to the review, but later apologized. As an author myself, I understand the feeling and have been tempted to do the same when I have received less than flattering reviews. CV thanks so much.
As I have read the comments below and read the book a bit more, I am struck by two things. The first is how varied the reactions are to the book and the second is the strength. There is an argument that, although this style is not my cup of tea, that the moist important thing that any author can do is to provoke varied and strong reactions, as it is a sign that he or she has made people think, energized them enough to engage with the ideas and argue with others about them. So, by that standard, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work is certainly successful -- if all the comments were negative that would be one thing, but clearly this book touches a nerve in people. I especially thank the people who have left positive comments, as having both perspectives represented makes things more interesting, and at least forces me to examine my assumptions and opinions more closely.
Posted by: Bob Sutton | September 18, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Bob,
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Deb Hosey White
Posted by: Deb White | September 18, 2009 at 11:16 AM
@ellie
Agreed. Negativity is where you find it, although the "uncomfortably close" bit really did strike me as unnecessary and potentially embarrassing as the gentleman might very well read this account. De Botton's reaction to the review (CV's link above) does little to shift my suspicions, instead adding another anecdote and an uncomfortable public tirade. That said, I'll probably get the book today so I can make a fair assessment. I lived in the UK long enough that I think I'll be able to work out what's meant to be cheeky or self-effacing.
Your point, though, is well-taken, if perhaps a little sensitive. I think Bob is correct that there are cultural differences in humor, and that many Americans don't get the subtleties of British humor. Bob is self-aware enough to hold that out as a possibility, considering that it might be something he missed. There is a difference between acknowledging that there might be something he doesn't understand and perpetuating a stereotype. It's not clear to me why you interpreted it that way, nor what you saw in my comment that caused you to call me out.
Posted by: Joseph Logan | September 18, 2009 at 11:01 AM
I couldn't disagree more. I read de Botton's book and found it totally charming and self-deprecating. He attacks himself far more than he attacks others. I think you might have been misunderstanding his wit. Also, in a world of management books that treats humans as just units to be handled more efficiently, this is a book that looks at the psychological dramas of the workplace. Highly recommended!
Posted by: Susan Bellenden | September 18, 2009 at 02:45 AM
I really don't like the connection of "cheeky wit" with being British. Please remember that stereotypes are usually unhelpful, whichever group you are referring to. Just because one British man wrote a book riddled with negativity and "cheeky wit" doesn't mean it's a cultural thing. Every country has its arseholes.
@ Joseph Logan
I had to leave Blighty to meet real negativity, so I guess it depends on who your friends are.
Posted by: Ellie | September 18, 2009 at 01:25 AM
i think it's just a cultural thing. some people can take affectionate teasing, some can't.
in fact, my friends & i get pretty good laughs out of self-deprecating jokes, even when some can be pretty harsh.
i think it takes some kind of rapport and self-confidence to be able to do that; and it is a celebration that life isn't always perfect, we laugh at our mistakes/ flaws even as we try to correct them/ learn to cope.
but yes, not everyone can stand brit-wit. however, i think life is so much more interesting with it.
where to draw the line between affectionate teasing coupled with gentle correction and downright ridicule, however, is another thing to think about. it depends on the other person, i guess.
Posted by: clare | September 17, 2009 at 07:52 PM
Bob - thanks for the review of de Botton's management book. It looks like I'll have to pass on that one... I absolutely despise actions at the expense of others.
From your review, de Botton's attitude towards the workers he studied is similar to a problem that plagues many business environments; the relationship between upper management/executives and "blue collar" workers is often one characterized by pomposity on behalf of the "white collars". That relationship must be improved on and management must engage employees for betterment of the company. Organizations which have satisfied employees that are recognized, rewarded, and appreciated are much better off in today's business environment.
Posted by: jeffrrogers.wordpress.com | September 17, 2009 at 03:48 PM
I really enjoyed How Proust Can Change Your Life, de Botton's first non-fiction book, but haven't thought the others matched up. Neither did this one, which I also found sadly condescending towards all who can't or don't intellectualize publicly to earn their living.
Bob, be on the lookout-- One well-know reviewer who wrote a "nasty" (aka negative) review of this book got a little social media A------ action back from de Botton, who later apologized. But still, it was disappointing behavior.(Proust would NEVER have responded that way to bad reviews, he'd have just drawn the draperies closer and indulged in more cookies). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/5712899/Alain-de-Botton-tells-New-York-Times-reviewer-I-will-hate-you-until-I-die.html
Maybe de Botton should read YOUR book?
Posted by: twitter.com/cvharquail | September 17, 2009 at 03:14 PM
Wow, I had a completely different reaction to this book...I thought his examination of work was interesting and compelling. He was describing things from such an outsider perspective that I found it fascinating, and I did not take away a mean spirited viewpoint.
I felt he thought different businesses were fascinating and that's why he examined them so others could see how they worked.
I don't think English is his first language, and I actually found his language was stilted and a bit hard to get into at first...maybe you never connected with his writing style?
Posted by: Amy | September 17, 2009 at 11:27 AM
You're not missing anything, that sort of ironic sneering is the lazy man's substitute for wit, and sadly it's very acceptable in Britain. It makes it very tough to be openly passionate about getting crazy ideas off the ground, and it's the main reason I'm a lot more comfortable here in the US.
I did a post talking about this kind of negativity:
http://petewarden.typepad.com/searchbrowser/2009/07/you-cant-fail-if-you-dont-try-or-why-i-left-the-uk.html
There are some good people in the UK fighting to change attitudes, but it's an uphill struggle against the culture.
Posted by: pwarden | September 17, 2009 at 10:47 AM
Hmmm... I had looked forward to reading this, and I thought his TED talk was self-effacing and funny if not particularly earth-shattering. I suspect, though, that you weren't missing anything. Just the one anecdote is clearly "cheek" at the expense of someone who welcomed the author to his workplace and his working life. Time to administer the ARSE?
Posted by: Joseph Logan | September 17, 2009 at 10:43 AM