Benjamin Waterhouse, a full Professor of History at UNC Chapel Hill, delves into the rise of self-employment in America since the 1970s. He critiques the glorification of entrepreneurship, highlighting its often negative implications for those who pursue it out of necessity rather than opportunity. The conversation touches on the myths of small business success, the realities of job quality, and the seductive allure of individualism in a complex economic landscape. They also hint at an upcoming project exploring the cultural and political history of the 1990s.

Benjamin Waterhouse, a history professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, delves into the rise of self-employment in America post-1970s. He critiques the romanticized notion of entrepreneurship, discussing how economic limitations often drive people to start businesses. Waterhouse also examines the impact of societal pressures on small business ownership and the misrepresentation surrounding it. Additionally, he teases an upcoming podcast focusing on the political and cultural shifts of the 1990s. It's a thought-provoking discussion that challenges the American Dream.