I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt Everything I Wish I Never Had to Learn about Money

In "I Survived Capitalism," Madeline Pendleton, known for her TikTok presence, delivers a candid memoir detailing her challenging path from a punk upbringing and financial instability to founding Tunnel Vision, a successful clothing company. She recounts her struggles with student loans and credit card debt, driven by a desire to escape the exploitative aspects of traditional capitalism. The book outlines her unique business model, which prioritizes employee well-being with benefits like four-day work weeks, equal profit distribution, and mental health days. Pendleton also provides practical, no-nonsense advice on personal finance, such as building credit and negotiating pay. This book is particularly relevant for Millennials and Gen Zers grappling with contemporary economic realities, offering both a personal narrative of resilience and a blueprint for creating more ethical business practices.

A big-hearted, no-bullshit memoir from TikTok superstar Madeline Pendleton about her journey from living paycheck to paycheck to creating a multi-million-dollar business that offers a compassionate alternative to capitalism. Imagine a job where you work four days a week and earn as much as the CEO. You also get full benefits, a gym membership, free lunch, and unlimited time off, including mental health days, no questions asked. Hard-won profits don't just end up in the CEO's pocket--they're distributed equally among all employees. The company even buys you your very own car. It sounds too good to be true, but this is the reality at Tunnel Vision, the clothing company that Madeline Pendleton Hansen built from the ground up. Like so many Americans, Madeline used to struggle to make ends meet. Raised by a punk dad and a goth mom in Fresno, California, she spent her teens on the brink of homelessness, relying on the kindness and spare couches of the local punk community to get by. By her twenties, she was drowning in student loans and credit card debt, with no relief in sight. Madeline felt the intense toll that financial stress was taking on her and her loved ones, and she was sick of her bosses treating her as disposable--she knew there must be a better way. After years of living broke, Madeline decided to study the rules of capitalism, the game everyone is forced to play. She used what she learned to build a new kind of business, one rooted in an ethos of community care. Now, Madeline is paying it forward by sharing her path to success on her terms, plus no-nonsense life and money advice: How do you build credit? How do you negotiate higher pay? How do you build a better world? Millennials and Gen Zers like Madeline are facing an unprecedented financial reality: Stagnant wages, skyrocketing housing costs, a student debt crisis. I Survived Capitalism is essential reading for anyone searching for hope and stability in an unjust world.