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In this compelling episode of Weird Finance, Madeline Pendleton, the dynamic owner of the vintage clothing company Tunnel Vision and TikTok's "Gen Z's Aunt Madeline," dives deep into the complexities of financial control, economic destiny, and the interplay between personal agency and systemic forces. Madeline shares her personal journey of overcoming poverty, the illusory nature of the American dream, and the struggles of her generation during and following the Great Recession. She offers an honest reflection on the limitations of hard work in achieving success and dispels the myth of American exceptionalism. With insights from her book, "I Survived Capitalism and All I Got was this Lousy T-Shirt," Madeline discusses the power of small, controllable actions over one's finances and the importance of focusing on joy and pleasure within the confines of a tight budget. Moreover, Madeline touches on the challenge of ethical entrepreneurship within the market system, the role of marketing in consumerism, and her preference for durable synthetic fibers in her designs. Throughout the conversation, Madeline emphasizes the need to redirect societal priorities from military spending to addressing homelessness and hunger, while promoting a life that cherishes simplicity, community, and the little things that make us happy.

Madeline Pendleton is the founder of Tunnel Vision and hosts a podcast about surviving life, love, and capitalism called "Pick Me Up, I'm Scared." She recently wrote a book about her life and experiences with money called "I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt".

TikTok @madeline_pendleton

Twitter: @jeangreige

Instagram: @madelinependleton

A special thanks to the talented and generous Ramsey Yount for producing, editing, and sound designing this episode. 

Thank you to my friends, Samantha McVey and Anney Reese, the Stuff Mom Never Told You Podcast hosts, for lending us their voices for our special PSA.

The theme music was written and performed by Andrew Parker, Jenna Parker, and Paco de Leon.

If you’d like to contact us about the show or ask Paco a question about finances, call our hotline at 1-833-ASK-PACO, email us at weirdfinancepod (at) gmail.com or submit your questions here. We’d also love your listener feedback about the show; here’s a short survey.