It's pretty not-dead for me, as there has been a recent trend to call out the notion of "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" as a fantasy, in a similar vein as calling out the notion of being "self-made" as unlikely -- i.e., virtually everyone got where they are with some help, not by themselves.
Of course, the computer metaphor involves electronics that do, in fact, figure out how to start without external assistance, despite the human metaphor tending to be a myth!
Of course, the computer metaphor involves electronics that do, in fact, figure out how to start without external assistance, despite the human metaphor tending to be a myth!