"Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America" by Erik Baker – A Critical Look at Hustle Culture and the Future of Work

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"Make Your Own Job" by Erik Baker offers a compelling critique of the entrepreneurial work ethic in American capitalism. Tracing its roots from 19th-century fears around industrialization and job precarity, the book explores how the concept of individual hustle evolved into a dominant cultural narrative. Baker delves into how this ideology was popularized through self-help books, management theories, and corporate culture, highlighting figures like Tony Hsieh and the rise of the "intrapreneur."

The book exposes how the glorification of entrepreneurialism often masks systemic inequality and labor exploitation, especially for marginalized communities. It also examines the psychological and societal toll of hustle culture, questioning the sustainability of equating self-worth with productivity. With insightful analysis, Baker investigates how this ethos has been adopted—and challenged—by political and social movements in the 21st century, offering a timely reflection on work, identity, and economic justice.

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