Entrepreneurial heroism persists as a core value across millennial and Gen Z culture.

Evidence

One unifying thread across these male-oriented ecosystems was a hunger for self-improvement, whether that meant success with women, making money, or sculpting the ideal physique. Despite Gen Z’s efforts to differentiate themselves from millennials, one belief remained intact: entrepreneurial heroism. A particularly attractive get-rich-quick scheme among Zynternet bros was “dropshipping”: a frictionless e-commerce hustle that involved sourcing cheap production from Chinese manufacturers, marketing them aggressively on social media, and only placing bulk orders once sales were locked in. The most successful dropshippers pocketed a 15 to 20 percent margin while operating their businesses from suburban bedrooms, coffee shops, or the beaches of Bali. — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 820

Categorization

• XREF: Ties to the book’s earlier argument about hipster/entrepreneur strain; entrepreneurial heroism tracks the omnivore-monoculture thesis of flattened aspiration. — connects to: Founder status within a decade displaced stable employment as the cool option — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 182; The entrepreneur myth persists because it reinforces core American values — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 682