Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion
Zweig’s stint as a fact checker at a magazine no doubt inspired him to look closely at the unsung, behind-the-scenes workers he calls the invisibles. They disappear into their work on two levels, the devotion to excellence and the fact that the more flawless their work, the less it is noticed or recognized. Zweig profiles several individuals who are highly skilled and essential in their jobs but relatively unknown. Among them are the guitar technician for Radiohead, the lead engineer of the tallest skyscraper in China, a cinematographer, and a UN interpreter. He focuses on three traits of the invisibles: no need to be recognized, meticulousness, and a high sense of responsibility. Zweig touches on philosophy, religion, and psychology in exploring the satisfaction derived from work exceptionally well done in contrast to the noisy self-promotion now prevalent. He offers historical context for our current obsession with attention-getting via social media and the Internet and uses the profiles to offer some quiet and thoughtful space to consider the inner value of high-quality work. --Vanessa Bush