The counter-argument is that these jobs are sucking out many hours of taking drugs (incl. alcohol), watching TV and falling into depression, since many can't really handle being idle.
I tend to be more optimistic and think that the problems arise by our current model of unemployment rather than the idleness by itself, but I can't pretend I know the answer.
The pointless job sucks out many hours of productive hobbies and caretaking, space to think, innovate and organise.
This might be the desired effect - one of the means to control the population.