Sheltering: Michael Arceneaux on Emotional Debt and Keeping Your Joy
On this episode of Sheltering, Michael Arceneaux speaks with Maris Kreizman about his recent book of essays, I Don’t Want to Die Poor, which revolve around issues of debt, both financial and emotional, as well as the superficial promise of social mobility in America. Arceneaux talks to Maris about that “Imagine” music video, needing levity in times of darkness, the reality of commercial viability, and how on social media we should all be “posting like Britney Spears.” Please purchase I Don’t Want to Die Poor online from your favorite independent bookstore, or through Bookshop.
From the episode:
Maris Kreizman: Let’s talk about other career choices you had considered.
Michael Arceneaux: I would have loved to get into the foot fetish market, with the photos. Maybe I could fix my feet if I ever go back outside. I really regret not rapping… I don’t know if there’s still a market for a 40-year-old gay rapper. I don’t think even gay people want an old rapper. Though if I can find a way to be the gay Future I will.
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Maris: You’ve said that Instagram doesn’t feel like work in the way that Twitter does.
Michael: I think that so many people are obsessed with being a brand. Which… God bless everybody, but that pressure is really placed on creatives to perform. Like it really drives how much work you can get. Your book deal can be determined by your Instagram followers; sometimes Instagram can be a better place to market than on TV.
I do think it’s interesting that people who aren’t creatives are also doing that …. That said, I also love Instagram. It’s like a flea market with porn, fitness tips, whatever, but if you’re not feeling good about yourself, it can make you feel worse. Also the collective obsession with seeming rich, there’s pressure there, so I just wrote about the way that can make you feel.
