Our Mythical Bootstraps (with Sheryl WuDunn and Beverly Batte)

On today’s episode, hosts Rachel Vindman, Jasmine Clark, and Amanda Weinstein talk about the myth of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.” America loves to idealize self-reliance and independence, but the truth is, none of us made it to where we are today by ourselves. So our hosts discuss the family, friends, and community care that helped them become the successful women they are today. They explore the importance of empathy and recognizing that other people’s life experiences have shaped them in ways we may not understand.

They chat with Beverly Batte, one of the women behind the scenes of this podcast, about her experience growing up in Appalachia. Beverly explains how the kindness of strangers and the kindness of her community helped her rise out of poverty. She blasts JD Vance for perpetuating the harmful “bootstraps” myth and shows us just how hollow that myth really is.

Then Amanda sits down with Sheryl WuDunn, author of Half The Sky and Tightrope: Americans Reaching For Hope, about the poverty crisis in America and the importance of empathy. Finally, our hosts raise a glass to their supportive communities and the National Parks in this week’s “Toast to Joy.”

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