Doomscroll with Joshua Citarella Amber A’Lee Frost on Dirtbag
Dec 19, 2023
Amber A’Lee Frost, a writer and former Chapo Trap House co-host, dives deep into her new book, Dirtbag. She shares insights on life after quitting social media and how it enhanced her focus. Amber discusses the economic hardships of creative precarity and the necessity of political organizing. She critiques the decline of curated culture due to algorithms and the commodification of art by elite collectors. With a focus on building public cultural provisions, she advocates for a socialism that makes life functional and supports unionized trade work for better opportunities.
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Episode notes
Screen Detox Restores Deep Attention
- Amber A'Lee Frost regained long-form attention after quitting social media and read Moby Dick within months.
- She links screen avoidance to restored deep reading and sustained focus.
Precarity Kills Creative Possibility
- Frost describes precarity as killing pleasures and preventing people from forming families or making art.
- Survival focus replaces thriving and sabotages creative life and long-term projects.
Hustle, Luck, And An Editor Who Helps
- Amber hustled through blogging, waitressing, and teaching to stay afloat until luck brought podcast success.
- She credits editors and teaching gigs with health insurance and writing stability.
