Doomscroll with Joshua Citarella

My guest is Hito Steyerl, a filmmaker, author and professor of digital media at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. We explore the ideology of AI, automation, and the rise of reactionary politics across the advanced world. Neoliberalism might be over. But whatever comes next could be worse. In this conversation, we attempt to forecast what culture and politics may look like beyond the 2020s and af...

We discuss strategies of: reform vs revolution, electoralism vs internationalism, and more. Our conversation continues behind the paywall. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is Julian Feeld, an author, journalist and co-founder of the QAA podcast. He is the host of Superstructure with comedian Jon Gabrus. Our conversation explores the impact of media, political speech and “influence” in our extremely-online society. What do we hope to accomplish through content? When does education and information impact real material forces in the world? From differing viewp...

Doomscroll Dialogues is series of round table discussions, featuring returning guests alongside new and familiar faces. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

➡️ follow NEW MODELS The Online Marketplace of Ideas (2026) is an expansive survey of the present and recent history of Internet culture. Today, alt-media has become quantitatively larger than legacy publications. As a result, any consensus or “mainstream” has fragmented into a chaotic digital landscape. The cultural and political fringe is now co-mingled with the establishment. Challengers have b...

Doomscroll Dialogues is a new format of round table discussions, featuring returning guests alongside new and familiar faces. Catherine Liu is a professor of film and media studies at UC Irvine. Freddie deBoer is a celebrated author and cultural critic. Watch the video episode for free on Patreon. This video is supported by The Palm Springs School for Social Research , an educational and research...

We discuss Claire’s background in art, working at Sculpture Center, studying at SAIC and navigating the extreme inequality of American life. I share some war stories about the hazards of DIY creative life, freelancing and healthcare. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is Claire Valdez, a union organizer, artist and democratic socialist running for congress in NY-7. Valdez has garnered an impressive list of endorsements; Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani, UAW’s Shawn Fain, DSA, Mahmoud Khalil, Zephyr Teachout, and many others. We discuss the American labor movement and the power of democratic majorities. The NY primary election is on June 23rd. You can get...

Abby and I analyze the new Manosphere doc by Louis Theroux, college campus politics, elite formation, legacy vs alt media, and explore some deeper themes from her new film. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is Abby Martin, a journalist and documentarian. We explore the early years of internet culture (before big platforms and algorithms) back when Occupy Wall Street and 4chan were on the same side. This formative period gave birth to the first wave of an anti-establishment alternative media, where conspiracy theorists and radical anti-capitalists shared a similar online sphere. We discuss Ma...

We dive deeper into Natalie’s thinking on Anti-Zionism. Later, we discuss the decade long arc and development of her creative practice; from concept to writing to film-making. We explore the shifting role of cultural institutions in a world of platforms and user generated content, cancel culture and activist blow-back.

My guest is Natalie Wynn, aka ContraPoints, a video essayist and content creator. Our conversation is a sweeping survey of the online media landscape and recent political history. We discuss deradicalization, conspiracy, polarization, persuasion, justice, retribution, psychology, political philosophy and more. After 2024, the so-called “podcast election” cast new significance onto the role and imp...

We discuss the distinct but overlapping value systems of art and entertainment. Is an online view count more democratic than an elite institutions? Do we lose a humanistic, intangible quality of art when we begin to put quantitative metrics onto it? Should the museum become another streaming platform? You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www....

My guest is John Wilson, a film maker and documentarian. He is the director of a new movie “The History of Concrete.” Today’s program is part of the 82nd Whitney Biennial, curated by Marcela Guerrero and Drew Sawyer at the Whitney Museum in New York City. We discuss the urban environment, themes of material and spiritual renewal, city infrastructure and affordable housing -- alongside a cast of su...

We explore “the Democratic penalty”, new research from the Center for Working Class Politics, my weird media analysis drawn from porn and the furry community (real), the Europhile vision of socialism and the on-going crisis at the southern border. Is AOC the successor to Bernie Sanders?

My guest is Dustin “Dino” Guastella, the Director of Operations at Teamsters Local 623 in Philadelphia, a monthly columnist at Damage Magazine, and a board member at the Center for Working-Class Politics. We discuss woke ideology, the elite capture of the Democratic party, working class voters moving to the right, failures in left-wing messaging and the legacy of civil rights leader Bayard Rustin....

We discuss Gianmarco’s slow start and early failures in creative life. What is the value of higher education in the US? We explore the craft and art of performance while learning about his early political influences.

My guest is Gianmarco Soresi, a comedian and host of the Downside Podcast. We discuss comedy’s right-wing pivot and the long arc of entertainment merging with real world politics. In 2026, every big talk show is hosted by a comedian and this format dominates our political discourse. How did this initially progressive project shift course? Later, we discuss online cancel culture, free speech, the a...

We explore the current crisis and recent history of the Democratic party. Emma describes her background and early entry into the world of politics. Doomscroll is confirmed “best produced show” but gets a -3 penalty on all Charisma rolls by the host. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is Emma Vigeland, a co-host of The Majority Report. We discuss Jefferey Epstein’s sick obsession with “jerky”, nationalist affordability and the shifting media landscape. Later, we explore some of the most difficult topics on the left; popular backlash to activist rhetoric and more. What should the left bring to the table for midterms and 2028? You can get access to the full catalog for D...

We dive deeper into pseudo-archaeology’s racist classifications and implicit myth structures. Later on, we explore the concept of sortition, Greek democracy and the early Aztec parliamentary system. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is David Wengrow, an archeologist and professor at University College London. He joins me to discuss his best-selling book "The Dawn of Everything", co-authored with the late David Graeber, published in 2021. David Wengrow takes us on a powerful journey into the deep history of human societies. "The Dawn of Everything" offers a staggering historical survey and philosophical argument that...

We discuss online media strategies and the political movements taking place in Latin America. The region is shaped by neoliberal trade agreements, a resurgent Pink Tide and an uncanny mix of pro-US right-wing nationalism. You can get access to the full catalog for Doomscroll and more by becoming a paid supporter: www.patreon.com/joshuacitarella

My guest is David Adler, a general coordinator of the Progressive International. Adler was aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sought to bring life-saving humanitarian aid to the shores of Gaza. Forty-two nautical miles from the coast, the flotilla was intercepted by Israeli naval forces. Flotilla crew members were kidnapped, imprisoned, subjected to physical abuse and psychological torture. D...

We explore World of Warcraft’s influence on crypto libertarianism, the Habermasian digital public sphere, and US private ownership of social media. Where does democratic legitimacy come from?