If the pace of life seems overwhelming, it might well be because we have assumed so many of the jobs once held by others. This is the position of Craig Lambert in his book, Shadow Work: The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs that Fill Your Day (Counterpoint, Berkeley, 2015). The Harvard sociologist takes a look at the myriad tasks that have been thrust upon consumers in an ever-faster paced world. He calls it "shadow work" -- those self-service activities that we welcome into our lives in the name of convenience and autonomy. We now pump our own gas, check out our own groceries, and buy and print our own plane tickets. Although not employed by any of the companies that provide these products and services, we nevertheless do the things once done by employees… but without the paychecks. Lambert’s description of life in the shadows is complete and exhaustive, if not exhausting to those who play the game. We find shadow work in the home, in school, the workplace and during...(Read Full Article)