Bad Influence: Emily Amick Submits to the Modern Bullshit Disclosure
"I understand how other people view me from the outside - I put my life on the internet and that is a weird thing to do!"
To "submit" is to give in, agree, and follow the rules. In this series, artists freely look at the influences that shaped their identities and artistic creations, the opportunities these influences have provided (or have not), the modern bullshit they are raising hell about, and how they've benefited by both playing by the rules and breaking them. Thus the "disclosure" portion. Xx Jess
Emily Amick is a lawyer, journalist, and political analyst who served as counsel to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. She created @EmilyinYourPhone to give people her insider insight into the political process and help them find ways they can take action. She’s the author of the book Democracy In Retrograde and the Substack Emily In Your Phone.
Life has a way of coming full circle. Birds of a feather flock together. Or maybe it’s the other one…. that water seeks it’s own level. These are the idioms my grandmother used to use that sing-song in my head when I get one of those messages from a friend, connecting me to their friend, that they think I would vibe with them and their work. I chuckled at the coincidence (or maybe divine timing) that this new mutual acquaintance used to work for the very person in government I (along with a coalition of parents’ groups) was trying to influence to hold a vote on the Kids Online Safety Act (yes, that’s me in the NY Post). Full circle? Could be. Or maybe those waters are finally rising collectively? I mean, I had never waded into the civic engagement lobbying end of my quest against Big Tech until this past year. Consider me chuffed that a few weeks ago those bills we rallied for, traveled to Albany for, and shouted about from the Internet’s rooftops…..were signed into law by New York’s Governor this month (and I got the pen to prove it!).
Maybe, just maybe, collective action (not collective online despair) works. There’s a lot of modern bullshit happening today—Emily Amick has the antidote.
—
What’s your title or a one liner in how you reference yourself in relation to the work you do?
Lawyer and influencer
How long, and how many other titles/jobs/lives, did it take you to achieve that title? What were they? Give me all of ‘em, especially the shitty ones.
I’ve had a million jobs, from figure skating coach, to waitress, journalist, but once I went to law school and passed my first bar exam, Lawyer (it’s actually attorney but that sounds a bit much) was my forever title.
I think people have been walking away from the term ‘influencer’ because it’s gendered work - I love it. I think we are all influencers, of our friends and family and followers. No matter how big or small that group is, its one of the most powerful titles we all have.
Do you feel comfortable with the title? Do you feel deserving of it or like you’re faking it? Both? Neither? Why?
We have a section on imposter syndrome in the book Democracy in Retrograde because I think it is such an impediment to the political participation of women and people of color. A system was created to make you feel like you don’t belong so that power can be maintained by the those who are trying to exclude you.
My mother taught me an early lesson that I belong in every room I want to be in and I’ve reminded myself of it always.
How old are you?
39
From this age, have you thought about what a successful writer looks like stripped of those influences? If yes, what is it?
I understand how other people view me from the outside - I put my life on the internet and that is a weird thing to do! I have done some things societally defined as successful (my career) and other things not (neither wife nor mother). But frankly, I don’t give it a second thought. I just do my best living my life, trying to be happy and trying to make the world better for everyone I share this great green earth with within my limited capacities.
Under the Influence: I believe one of our greatest influences in how we operate in the world as adults is the luck of the draw of where we were born, when, and by whom. In my book I reference the 3 places influence shows up in our daily lives. Inner World. Surface World. Outer World. I’m always amazed by how these things converge to create art and opportunities. Like, I was a 1st born daughter in a loving family in a small town making me an overachiever with the gift of a place to return to if I failed in trying to convince them all I was something special. I came of age at the nexus of before and after the internet. My fascination with the online world and technology and what it’s doing to us is because I grew up without it. I never would’ve written Raising Hell, Living Well if I was born a decade later. What are some of the Inner, Surface, and Outerworlds that influenced your opportunities and your art? Can you share with me how your set of influences informed your work? For better or worse?
My parents raised me to care deeply about public service and to view politics as something that should be a part of my every day life. We watched the news at dinner every night, they included me in conversations about it (and expected me to have opinions), and took me to volunteer for candidates. As public health professors, the role as government as a force of good was always present in our home and that certainly informed my work today!
Above the Influence:
There are SO many things influencing us day in and day out. We are consuming the ideas, desires, content, utilities, structures, etc that are keeping us ‘under the influence’ without ever even realizing it. And importantly, behind each of these things is a person, an industry, or a system that is likely benefiting from our compliance.
A commercial can influence us in the same way a relative can.
A stoplight can influence us in the same way a piece of legislation can.
An algorithm can influence us in the same way cocaine can.
A salesperson can influence us in the same way a billboard can.
Since this is a disclosure, (and we are all sales monsters) can you deconstruct one time you were looking to put someone/people ‘under the influence’ and how you did/do it? What tactics have you used to persuade, get people to take action, or comply?
It’s my whole schtick, I’m doing it all the time. I want to influence you, dear reader - to buy Democracy in Retrograde so you can fight exhaustion and find hope for civic life again! I want you to get involved in civic life in whatever way is authentic to your values, your interests and your availability - and I put out tons of content to inform and inspire people in an effort to get them to do that.
What’s one currently culturally acceptable thing that makes you mad as hell?
That people still say their “just not political.” As they say on the internet,
You might not do politics but politics does you baby.
Those firefighters that come to save your house? The roads we drive on? The educated workforce driving our economy? It’s all politics.
The modern world has made it possible for writers to share their work, influence, and connect with likeminded people but it has also made the spreading and creating of bullshit even easier. In my book I talk about LESS/MORE lists. Give me yours for the Internet:
Less: Despair/outrage/disinformation
More: Ideas for action/third places
Where are all the third places we can go to just hang out with our communities, to meet people not exactly like us and to build the fabric that keeps society together?
What surprised you the most about your most recent creation?
How excited people are to have conversations about politics. I know it feels like everyone is negative, but people *want* there to be a way forward. They care deeply about their own lives, their family, and this country, but they don’t know what to do! Democracy in Retrograde helps you develop your civic action plan to actually get involved, engaged and excited about the things that are most important to you.
What would 14 year old Emily think about your life today as an author?
She would certainly wonder why I don't have more cats.
Where is Emily when she is 94 and what is she doing?
Probably the same old shit - yapping about politics and trying to get people to join me.
Order Emily’s book: Democracy in Retrograde
On Instagram: Emily in Your Phone
On Substack: writes
About the Editor:
is an interdisciplinary writer, artist & tech critic at the heart of modernity & humanity. Her book, Raising Hell, Living Well: Freedom from Influence in a World Where Everyone Wants Something from You (including me) is out now (PRH, ‘23). Lineup and registration is now open for her summer Writer Workshop Series with special guests: , , Margo Steines, & .
Love hearing more about what has influenced one of my fave influencers!
This book sounds so good!