The Myth of Modern Entrepreneurship

The Myth of Modern Entrepreneurship

In today’s world, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, but few understand what it truly means. Kids dream of launching startups—not to solve problems, but to escape effort. They don’t want to study, work, or endure hardship; they want shortcuts to wealth and status.

This isn’t entrepreneurship. It’s escapism.

Real entrepreneurship isn’t about avoiding struggle; it’s about embracing it. It’s about solving painful problems so effectively that others gladly pay for the solution. It’s about sacrifice—of time, comfort, and certainty—in pursuit of something meaningful.

But why are so many young people drawn to a hollow vision of entrepreneurship? Three forces are shaping this illusion:

1. Abundance Has Replaced Adversity

Globally, populations are aging. By 2050, 1 in 6 people will be over 65, compared to 1 in 11 in 2019 (UN Population Division). In countries like Japan, South Korea, and much of Europe, shrinking workforces mean younger generations are inheriting unprecedented wealth and resources.

For many, survival is no longer a daily concern. Compare this to our ancestors, for whom every day was a battle for food, shelter, and security. They lived with hardship as an unavoidable reality, forging resilience through necessity. They hunted, farmed, and built their own homes, often facing the brutal uncertainty of nature. A single bad harvest or a harsh winter could mean life or death.

Today, everything is at our fingertips—groceries delivered in hours, information accessed in seconds, climate-controlled homes shielding us from discomfort. We no longer toil for survival; we consume convenience. When struggle disappears, so does the urgency to build, create, and endure. Growing up in abundance can breed complacency—an expectation of luxury rather than an appreciation for work. Comfort becomes the enemy of ambition.

2. The Media Sells the Outcome, Not the Process

Social media distorts reality. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube glorify the aesthetics of success—luxury cars, exotic vacations, and the illusion of passive income—while omitting the years of failure, discipline, and grit that real success requires. Too many fake gurus, like Andrew Tate, sneaker flippers, and trading course sellers, peddle the fantasy of effortless riches while profiting from the naive dreams of others. They sell lifestyle, not value creation, misleading aspiring entrepreneurs into chasing status instead of solving problems.

When young people hear “start a company,” they don’t imagine building a product or solving a problem. They imagine themselves as CEOs on yachts. The media has turned success into a spectacle while hiding the struggle that creates it.

3. Education Rewards Compliance, Not Creativity

Traditional education teaches students to memorize, obey, and conform. It doesn’t cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving, or adaptability—the very skills entrepreneurship demands. Over the past decade, education has remained largely unchanged despite rapid technological advancements. According to a 2021 study by the World Economic Forum, 60% of students are still being trained for jobs that will be automated by 2030. Standardized testing remains the dominant metric, and curricula still prioritize rote memorization over real-world skills. As Sir Ken Robinson famously said, “Schools kill creativity.”

After years of jumping through bureaucratic hoops, students associate work with drudgery. Naturally, they dream of entrepreneurship—not as a way to create value, but as an escape from structured labor. But without skills, discipline, or vision, that dream crumbles upon first contact with reality.

With the advancement of AI, we must shift our focus to preparing for the new economy, where traditional jobs are being replaced by emerging roles. Instead of outdated career paths, we need to train for jobs in AI ethics, automation oversight, blockchain development, and virtual reality design. The future belongs to those who can adapt, create, and innovate in an evolving technological landscape.

The Illusion of Entrepreneurship

When a child says, “I want to start a company,” ask them:

• What will you sell?

• Who will it help?

• Why does it matter?

Most answers will be vague, exposing the real motivation: they’re chasing the idea of success, not the work that creates it. They want the rewards without the grind.

Ironically, the abundance they inherit—the result of previous generations’ sacrifices—may be their undoing. A life too comfortable leads to complacency. The pursuit of status without effort breeds dissatisfaction. True wealth isn’t inherited or consumed; it’s built through struggle, learning, and creating value.

The Path Forward

The goal isn’t to shame the younger generation but to guide them.

• Teach the Value of Hard Work: Show them that fulfillment comes from effort, not shortcuts.

• Reform Education: Shift from rote memorization to creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability.

• Highlight Real Role Models: Celebrate entrepreneurs who solve problems, not those who flaunt wealth.

Starting a company isn’t a way to avoid suffering—it’s an invitation to embrace it. True entrepreneurs don’t seek easy lives. They seek meaningful ones.