The "Bootstraps" Narrative: America's Deep-Seated, Often Flawed, Look At Work Ethic

But this allows us to ignore so many other important discussions.

You are probably familiar with the general idea of the narrative here. In essence, if someone is complaining about their lot in life, the hand they were dealt, work in general, or their economics — someone else might say, “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” The idea at core, obviously, is “hard work solves everything.” And that’s a good narrative, which in many ways is central to the American ideal. (And maybe the general “western” ideal.)

The “bootstraps” narrative is complicated, though, as a function of several things which I’ll try my best to briefly discuss herein:

• Timing

• The value of hard work

• Privilege

• Sense of self and definitions of success

• Who says it and who receives it

Let’s walk it out.