“Bootstrapped”: Alissa Quart on Liberating Ourselves from the Myth of the American Dream

Democracy Now! Mar 29, 2023 Latest Shows

We speak with journalist Alissa Quart, executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, about her new book, _Bootstrapped: Liberating Ourselves from the American Dream_, which examines myths about individualism and self-reliance that underpin the U.S. economy and the inequality it fosters. She says a focus on succeeding through hard work obscures the degree to which many rich and powerful people have benefited from social support, resulting in a cycle of “shame and blame” for those who fall short.