I'm getting asked this a lot, so I need to clarify. I get regular requests to be on MSNBC and the BBC and be interviewed by outlets from around the world. If you've seen my bio you know I used to give TV, radio and pod interviews all the time. I got extremely burned out—so I retired from interviews. - ThreadSky

sethabramson.bsky.social • 64 days ago

I'm getting asked this a lot, so I need to clarify. I get regular requests to be on MSNBC and the BBC and be interviewed by outlets from around the world. If you've seen my bio you know I used to give TV, radio and pod interviews all the time. I got extremely burned out—so I retired from interviews.

Reposted from David Lefcourt

Why is a best selling author shunned by corporate media?

Comments

snootyvonb.bsky.social•64 days ago

Completely relatable. We see how much time you’ve committed to your work. We appreciate you and what you’re doing. Stick with the aspects of the work that give you energy.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

This is a sensitive subject for me because I'm embarrassed by how burned out doing interviews made me. As a former trial lawyer, DJ, professor and poet and now a songwriter, you'd think performing live is my dream. It probably should be—but for some reason I hit a wall on public-facing performance.

nishb.bsky.social•64 days ago

While it is important to keep the record straight. You do you and that’s nobody’s business. But also thanks for sharing.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

I just feel like a bit of a fraud when/if/as I let people routinely say that it's major media that's refusing to have me on. I'm afraid that's untrue. I found that giving interviews distracted and enervated me with respect to my real love(s) and primary skill-sets, those being writing and research.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

Do I wish more outlets would just quote my research at PROOF—especially as I know many of them are reading it? Yes. But that's not really how New Media works when dealing with curatorial journalism. It either wants you on-air or sort of ignores you.

That's just how it goes, and I'm not complaining.

radtek58.bsky.social•64 days ago

I for one enjoy watching intelligent conversations on MSNBC. You would be a welcome addition.

stigmergy.bsky.social•63 days ago

Time to take the Blue pill and do those interviews Seth. The world needs your voice, particularly outside the US.

acebearstrom.bsky.social•64 days ago

I'm not complaining at all ... I don't watch or listen to it. They do their thing I do mine. 😉

greenmamalama.bsky.social•63 days ago

Can U just go on Rachel at least 1-2x a month, give a synopsis

kathyleland.bsky.social•64 days ago

Can I complain? I yearn for the days when people wrote and read instead of spouting sound bites and worrying about social media likes. So stick to your principles. You're doing just fine.

jdschwartz.bsky.social•64 days ago

@sethabramson.bsky.social - hard to watch legacy media anymore. You keep being you bro 💥

rplott.bsky.social•64 days ago

Play to your strengths. Do what is right for you. There are other ways to get your viewpoint out there.

demagoguewatch.bsky.social•64 days ago

Take good care always.

jwhester.bsky.social•64 days ago

enervated = drained of energy or vitality. (If you're like me and don't know)

sophiemac.bsky.social•64 days ago

Don't think you should feel the need to justify that decision to the Daves of the world

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

I do not think Dave was in any sense being unkind, it was just an honest question he was asking and like I said I have had a lot of people raise this with me particularly in the last 90 days.

cappison.bsky.social•64 days ago

With this shit show you’d never get a break! Appreciate your hard work in keeping us informed in print!!

philwaring.bsky.social•64 days ago

I totally relate - as I'm sure do many.
Standing up in front of people was always terrifying for me.
Luckily I am now retired!

woodpolar.bsky.social•64 days ago

Maybe you are also an introvert and being around so much stimulation can be draining? If so, I understand.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

I am as big an introvert as one can be. Being on social media is literally the biggest drain on my energy and spirit of anything in my life, but at least putting interviews aside allowed me to keep doing it.

antiss.bsky.social•64 days ago

You don't have to defend your postion on this. It's your choice, and people should respect that. Peace.

navotthegoat.bsky.social•64 days ago

Thank you for sharing so openly. Your writing has been very inspiring and the work you do is invaluable.

innerspacegirl.bsky.social•64 days ago

self-care in important & everyone has to figure out for themself what that actually entails.

goldentreebe.bsky.social•64 days ago

mjtvgirl.bsky.social•64 days ago

Public “performance” is very draining…especially if your real love is research. “Peopling” is tiring. No need to explain. Especially NOW. Godspeed.

ivanaraque.bsky.social•63 days ago

Well, count me in among them people wondering 🤷🏻‍♂️
PEACE, it’s all that matters (and Thanks for your work) 🙏🏼🙏🏼

jon639.bsky.social•63 days ago

Totally get it...I'm a behind the scenes person as well.

eyeslikethesky.bsky.social•64 days ago

It’s you or burnout.
You chose yourself.
Great choice.
I love to reflect,
write and communicate with people, but I wouldn’t want the pressure of doing television news interviews.
I think you’re offering quite a lot of yourself here, and I find it extremely valuable. So many of us do. Thank you.

andrewjudkins.bsky.social•63 days ago

Would it be possible to maintain a minimal presence on outlets that wouldn’t burn you out? I feel like occasional appearances can mainstream ideas that need mainstreaming.

georgeheibel.bsky.social•64 days ago

I remember, you made the right choice. Be well, Seth

donnaduke33.bsky.social•63 days ago

WTF

mgbustillo.bsky.social•64 days ago

I’m sorry to read this. Please: Take care of yourself. Requests sound flattering but burn out is serious. Only you can determine what you need or want. Thank you for being you and sharing your experience. I support your decision and admire your work. ❤️

davelefcourt.bsky.social•64 days ago

I can appreciate that. Still doesn’t explain why corporate media has chosen to largely ignore the depth and accuracy of what you report. Why?

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

That is a more complicated question and answer, but it's a topic I taught when I was a journalism prof. There are a lot of latent structures within corporate media and within journalism as a profession that make it both culturally conservative and prone to tribalism. I am a bad fit for that context.

davelefcourt.bsky.social•64 days ago

Interesting. Do you come down on the side the 4th estate in America has failed miserably? Are these latent structures designed to disinform the public? Misinform?

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

I think that the advent of 24/7 cable news, the internet, and social media changed the entire course of humanity over a very short period of time, and journalism has been extremely slow to adapt largely because of endemic subcultural structures no one wants to change and few realize need to change.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

In other words, it's not some conspiracy to abuse our culture but just human beings being human beings in the context of a sea change in human existence that very few people are willing or even able to take the time out of their busy lives to give significant thought to. But yes—media is failing us.

jettblue.bsky.social•64 days ago

I TOTALLY understand, life is too short.

merri24.bsky.social•63 days ago

You communicate the truth through writing. It is enough. 🦋

genirae.bsky.social•64 days ago

You be You.

acebearstrom.bsky.social•64 days ago

Why are people making the assumption it is not your choice? That seems very rude.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

I don't think anyone's aiming to be rude. I think there's an assumption—and from a certain standpoint, an understandable one—that everyone wants to be on television and become super famous. I have learned in my life that posterity is an illusion, fame a mixed bag, and self-care absolutely essential.

baconradio.bsky.social•61 days ago

Because they have low expectations of the billionaires running most of the media.

beammeupscotty.bsky.social•64 days ago

You should go on but edit your stuff for broadcast time, ya know? 😎

westslopeslim.bsky.social•64 days ago

You do you. Do what you love and are best at. As a strong introvert, I can relate to that side of you. Being a talking head on TV somehow seems vain and meaningless.

capitalist.bsky.social•64 days ago

This is an absolutely massive Miss on your part. You could have 100 times the impact.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

Developing empathy takes an enormous amount of work—and often a lifetime. I would ask that you work on considering that other folks have different experiences, conditions, goals, temperaments, and makeups than you do. I understand how to make an impact. I also have learned something about self-care.

capitalist.bsky.social•64 days ago

yeah, i hear you. this comes from a place of feeling that you're one of only a handful of people who have this encyclopedic knowledge available to competently fill this role, and it's a loss to society. sorry if i was being to dismissive.

capitalist.bsky.social•64 days ago

i've spent two decades trying to fix american democracy, co-founding the center for election science and so forth. i'm one of the few people who could speak competently on this issue. but i can't keep Dmytro Firtash separate in my mind from
Dimitri Simes. that's why we need you.

sethabramson.bsky.social•64 days ago

It's all right. I totally understand what you were trying to say. And the fact is, I agree with you. I've a good sense of the things I would need to do to take my reach to the next level—and candidly I daily feel disappointed in myself that I'm just not built the right way to achieve those outcomes.

patricefitzgerald.bsky.social•63 days ago

You need to take care of yourself to stay whole & healthy--we need your work desperately. But could there be another means of sharing your incredible information, even if only occasionally, in small but effective doses? So many people don't read! Maybe a podcast or chat w/a trusted person each week?

doclt.bsky.social•64 days ago

There’s a meme running around somewhere that says if you get burnt out, don’t quit, learn to rest. I hope you will choose to do a limited and select a few interview interviews in the future so that we can enjoy you in these other media outlets.

thereoncewasanote.bsky.social•64 days ago

I understand. But we could use every voice.

sunnyrainy2.bsky.social•64 days ago

I'll go.

surrealsylph.bsky.social•64 days ago

I can't imagine anyone that would want to have anything to do with the media in general. Most reporters seem to be like vapid, self-centered, asshats who stalk people.

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