1d:I[2890,["266","static/chunks/870fdd6f-4fcc92c129a57d11.js","970","static/chunks/970-91a3a37cc668faba.js","857","static/chunks/857-3b2a1421afa266d2.js","965","static/chunks/app/podcasts/episode/%5BpodcastEpisodeGuid%5D/page-e939c6b91b4a25d4.js"],"default"] 1e:I[1318,["266","static/chunks/870fdd6f-4fcc92c129a57d11.js","970","static/chunks/970-91a3a37cc668faba.js","857","static/chunks/857-3b2a1421afa266d2.js","965","static/chunks/app/podcasts/episode/%5BpodcastEpisodeGuid%5D/page-e939c6b91b4a25d4.js"],"default"] 1f:T575,New York Congressman George Santos has been embroiled in controversy since the day he stepped into office in November. The New York Times and other publications have reported that much of the Republican lawmaker's alleged resume – from where he went to college to his supposed time at Goldman Sachs – cannot be backed up with evidence. In this episode, rather than dig into what is true or false, host Brittany Luse asks why someone would embellish their resume in the first place. Author Tara Isabella Burton says it all goes back to the uniquely American obsession with being "self-made."

Burton's book, Self-Made: Curating our Identities from Da Vinci to the Kardashians is available for pre-order here.

You can follow us on Twitter @ItsBeenAMin or email us at ibam@npr.org.

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Episode description

George Santos and the great American tradition of "self-making"

Episode description