Americans are tired. The grindset is to blame.

America’s workers are tired – here’s why.Do you feel like you can never get off the grind? From gig laborers to salaried workers, a lot of people are keeping their noses to the grindstone in order to remain afloat, avoid job loss, and stay one step ahead of market fluctuations. But this culture of overwork isn’t new – according to Erik Baker, Harvard lecturer and author of Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America, the grindset has been intentionally promoted and structurally enforced over decades. Brittany sits down with Erik to discuss how we got here – and how we can untangle the culture from these working conditions.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy