DESCRIPTION
We will examine the evolution of consciousness as it is informed by the age of New Media. Various 20th century scholars, theologians, and mystics – like Jean Gebser, Sri Aurobindo and Teilhard de Chardin – postulated in the 20th century that our species was on the verge of a transformation of consciousness. Gebser, for instance, noted the emergent structure – the “integral” structure – as exhibiting an interplay of all previous historical epochs, while Sri Aurobindo postulated the development of a new form of thinking, the “supramental” humanity. Still further, Teilhard de Chardin suggested the evolutionary development of the “noosphere”, or the thinking layer of Earth, through a process he labeled “planetization.”
We will examine these concepts in light of the rapid evolution of communication technologies in order to – borrowing a word from Gebser – “concretize,” or give shape to this emergent, integral consciousness.
How might the music, movies, games, and in a word, media, tell us about what our culture is evolving into? How does what media theorist Marshall McLuhan called “electronic culture” retrieve previous historical structures through cultural phenomena like internet folklore, “tech-gnosticism” or the “archaic revival?” Are cultural art forms like the cutup method and audio sampling examples of the integral structure?
We will examine these concepts in light of the rapid evolution of communication technologies in order to – borrowing a word from Gebser – “concretize,” or give shape to this emergent, integral consciousness.
How might the music, movies, games, and in a word, media, tell us about what our culture is evolving into? How does what media theorist Marshall McLuhan called “electronic culture” retrieve previous historical structures through cultural phenomena like internet folklore, “tech-gnosticism” or the “archaic revival?” Are cultural art forms like the cutup method and audio sampling examples of the integral structure?
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
- Nine LIVE 90 minute sessions. These will be recorded and available for viewing indefinitely.
- Class syllabus with attached reading recommendation list.
- Additional PDF and additional reading materials for the class.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
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Jeremy D Johnson, MA is a writer, essayist, and editor. He has previously worked as a staff editor for Reality Sandwichmagazine, and contributed to publications like OMNI, Disinfo, and Evolve and Ascend. He is the co-founder of Metapsy Journal. Fascinated by the intersections of electronic media, depth psychology, and cultural studies, he received his MA from Goddard College in Consciousness Studies. Jeremy is the current president of the International Jean Gebser Society, an academic society that hosts annual conferences and aims to further integral pedagogy.
He is currently working on his first book, Passages From Tomorrow, to be published by Rubedo Press. |