Three Books Examine the Changing Nature of Work and Meritocracy

Three recent books—Jodi Kantor's "How to Start," Dylan Gottlieb's "Yuppies," and Noam Scheiber's "Mutiny"—explore the evolving landscape of work, from the rise of yuppie culture in 1980s New York to the current struggles of college-educated workers. Kantor's slim volume, based on a 2025 Columbia University speech, encourages young people not to give up on work despite its challenges. Gottlieb's "Yuppies" examines the transformation of finance and law in New York during the 1980s, arguing that yuppies were defined more by their work ethic than consumerism. Scheiber's "Mutiny" follows college-educated workers like Teddy Hoffman, a Watson Fellow turned Starbucks barista and union leader, who face precarity and turn to workplace organizing. The books collectively highlight the broken promise of meritocracy, the anxiety of downward mobility, and the search for agency in an era of AI and economic uncertainty. The review also references Mike Nichols' 1988 film "Working Girl" and Arlie Russell Hochschild's 1997 book "The Time Bind" as cultural touchpoints.