How to Make and Lose a Million Dollars

Ravi Gupta sits down with Alexander Hurst, author of Generation Desperation, to unpack his journey from $300 to over $1 million—and the identity he built around the life that money seemed to promise. As his portfolio surged during COVID, meme stocks, and the rise of online trading culture, so did a vision of becoming financially free, creatively unbound, and finally ahead. When the gains reversed and turned into debt, it forced a reckoning—not just with risk, but with how deeply a sense of self can become tied to numbers on a screen. It’s a candid conversation about ambition, illusion, and what his story reveals about a generation pushed to gamble for a different life. Alexander Hurst’s Generation Desperation Ravi’s recent substack, Turning the Camera On Vote for Where the School’s Went Best Documentary Podcast - vote here Best Health, Science, or Education Podcast - vote here -------------- Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/