iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

IMO, a compelling counter-argument might involve 1) Stats on earning & employment outcomes + case for acquisition of deeper skills/knowledge required to adapt to changes in the market 2)Case for uni as a socialization experience that helps students mature and self-actualize, setting them up for 1.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

It's difficult to find any angle from which the publication of this AI-authored essay isn't a huge mistake. What is philosophy (or any humanities discipline) if it's not human? Reputable scholarly publication venues need to do all they can to avoid legitimating AI authorship, IMO.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This @bostonreview.bsky.social piece offers a number of informed perspectives on what we've long taken for granted, and now may be losing, w/r/t the Internet and web. www.bostonreview.net/articles/wha...

bostonreview.net

What Was the Internet?

As AI overtakes the web, five writers reflect on how far it’s fallen and what comes next.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

I am very much looking forward to reading Robin James' phenomological analysis of vibes and their material structures. The introduction is now freely available via the following link.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

It was a pleasure to write this piece. I argue that the loss of NHL hockey illustrates that the CBC must present a transformative visions for its future beyond broadcasting.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

It was a pleasure to speak with @markcolley.bsky.social from the @thestar.com about the end of the Rogers/CBC partnership and the future of Hockey Night in Canada. I am looking forward to seeing how the CBC uses this moment reconfigure its sports programming for our current media environment.

thestar.com

Hockey Night in Canada as we know it is over. What’s next for a Canadian institution?

CBC has carried the NHL on its Saturday night TV broadcast since 1952. That changed on Tuesday.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

This is the WC content we need right now as this year's dismal edition of one of the world's greatest sport events gets under way.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

Just discovered this exciting new project - or new incarnation of an ongoing project - regarding the experiences of first-generation students in the academy. It's exciting to see SSHRC funding podcasts, a medium that is ideal for knowledge mobilization.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Plenty of useful insights in this piece from Adam Lewis about the ongoing relevance and value of campus radio. I would add these points also apply to public radio, which has been increasingly moving into campus radio spaces via its digital offerings in recent decades.

hypebot.com

Why College Radio Matters More Now Than It Has in a Generation

Discovery is one thing, but fans these days crave deeper connection to the music they hear. Nothing connects audience communities like college radio.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

This 2024 piece from @defaultfriend.bsky.social does an excellent job of capturing the cultural shift we're experiencing right now as we move decisively from a cultural environment structured by the mass media to one structured by networked digital media.

wisdomofcrowds.live

No, Culture is Not Stuck

You just can't see what it's become.

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Reposted by Christopher Cwynar

Mediamorphis @mediamorphis.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Jurgen Habermas was a remarkable scholar. From the public sphere, to technology and science as ideology, to the theory of communicative action, facts, law, and power, his work stirred debates over the fate of modern life & democracy-its values, culture & institutions-for more than 1/2 century. RIP.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

This a great post, though I would argues that DOONESBURY is the last great newspaper strip and the GOAT in that field). Gary Trudeau opened up new possibilities for the medium while exerting an unparalleled degree of cultural and political influence over more than five decades of regular activity.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

The Mono NSC looks like a great org. Especially if one is on the eastern side of the GTA, the Durham Nordic Ski Club is another affordable option. The trail network is small, but very well maintained.

durhamnordicskiclub.ca

Durham Nordic Ski Club – Building community through cross country skiing

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

I would pick CITIZEN KANE as the GOAT, but there's no denying CASABLANCA's place at the very top. It's definitely one of those films where its pop culture treatment may lead one to question its quality but taking it in puts all of those concerns to rest.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

I was not too familiar with Ralph Towner, the jazz guitarist and composer who passed away on January 18 at the age of 85. It has been interesting to learn more about him and his invigorating music. Here he is working some pieces out with his quartet in Norway.

youtube.com

Ralph Towner Quartet - Oslo, Norway - 28 Feb 1975

YouTube video by TheArchive

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Just learned of the legendary reggae drummer and producer Sly Dunbar's passing. Here's a fave performance that features Sly and and his creative partner Robbie Shakespeare as the backbone for Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, and Mick Taylor. youtu.be/di6wU11_4Wg?...

Bob Dylan - Don't Fall Apart on Me Tonight (Version 2) (Infidels Alternate Take)

YouTube video by BobDylanVEVO

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Here's a nice piece from @benfritz.bsky.social in the @wsj.com regarding the role of pop culture in holding the US' diverse range of interests and identities together during the 20th century. H/T to Bob Lefsetz for the link.

wsj.com

The Rise and Fall of the American Monoculture

For most of the 20th century, pop culture was the glue that held the U.S. together. But what will it mean now that everything has splintered?

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

@anildash.com on ai-washing: "Now, to be clear, those workers haven’t been laid off because their jobs are now being done by AI, and they’ve been replaced by bots. Instead, they’ve been laid off by execs who now have AI to use as an excuse for going after workers they’ve wanted to cut all along."

anildash.com

500,000 tech workers have been laid off since ChatGPT was released - Anil Dash

A blog about making culture. Since 1999.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

Laura's work is top-notch and these webinars will undoubtedly help any academics out there who are contemplating the topics cover (working on publishing a book, trying to write a book for a non-specialized audience, thinking of working with a developmental editor and so forth).

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

I tend to listen to Christmas music right up until the start of January. However, this novel New Year's music playlist by @carlzoilus.bsky.social has got me moving in a different direction this year. Auld Lang Syne-Off is available on four platforms via Carl's substack here at the link below.

carlwilson.substack.com

What are you doing New Year's Eve?

Maybe listening to this New Year's playlist

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

I know that it's practically Dec. 27, but I've just discovered this sublime version of The Christmas Song by tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon. This gorgeous version demands to be heard by those who are still up for a little seasonal music.

Dexter Gordon Quartet - The Christmas Song

YouTube video by 60otaku4

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Whatever one thinks of AI, this sort of practice will turbocharge academia's decline by a) calling the credibility of the work into question when it's discovered and b) creating contradictions between professional recs and the standards many profs have for their students. Why not rec citation?

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

Can't go wrong with this particular combo. Personally, I like to prep the cabbage as a side accompaniment to a meat dish (pork or beef), but this combo would please any bacon fans in the crowd.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

If you're looking for a different take on some festive classics, try this fun new collection of Christmas tunes from jam-oriented acts by the always brilliant LostMyDayJob.

Live Christmas Jams - ft Jerry Garcia, Derek Trucks, Billy Strings and More

YouTube video by LostMyDayJob

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Thrilled to see that Carl has put together a festive playlist this year. These lists always surface old faves and introduce me to new jams that had eluded me, which is something that's been happening with increasing frequency as a I age :)

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Good academic job market advice here. Sure, program reputation and the quality/number of publications are important. But they're less important as one moves down the prestige line. Many depts want hires who show that they want to be there long-term and are ready to teach a wide range of courses.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Time marches onward and we grow older every day. That said, I was not expecting to suddenly develop a strong appreciation for the medieval carols that my father used to play constantly during the holidays. It turns out that they make for excellent writing music.

Noël - A Medieval Christmas, Ensemble Sospiri - Christopher Watson, dir.

YouTube video by Musica Medievale 🏹

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Yesterday, I posted Zevon's sweetly earnest cover of A Case of You from the 2002 Edmonton Folk Festival. Today, I'm back with this brilliant performance of the folk song "Canadee-I-O." It appears that Zevon learned the Nick Jones version of the song especially for the northern Alberta performance.

Warren Zevon - Canadee-I-O

YouTube video by Edmonton Folk Music Festival

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

Just discovered this heartfelt Warren Zevon cover of Joni Mitchell's A Case of You (featuring Matt Cartsonsis on lap dulcimer and backing vox) from a 2002 set at the Edmonton Folk Fest. Just a short while later, Zevon was diagnosed with the cancer that would take his life.

Warren Zevon - A Case Of You (Live at The Edmonton Folk Festival)

YouTube video by OmnivoreRecordings

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

If you're looking for a good breakdown of the implications of the Warner Brothers-Netflix deal on the US media environment, this Dwayne Winseck thread is the place to go.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

This is my first time encountering this delightful piece of microfiction. It's well worth a read if you have a couple of minutes (and who doesn't, really).

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

What a brilliant idea for a thread :)

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Congratulations to Henry Adam Svec on the release of his new podcast series! Souwesto Gothic is a fun and irreverent take on on the narrative nonfiction investigative podcasting genre that leans into the heavy vibe that is 'Ontario gothic.' Give it a spin!

souwestogothic.com

Souwesto Gothic

Tales of weirdness and woe from Southwestern Ontario.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

My friend Justin is putting on this innovative event this evening in downtown Oshawa. If you like movies, and/or are interested in AI and climate change, this free screening and discussion might be for you.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

This @dkthomp.bsky.social post on the convergence of various contemporary media forms into streaming video is packed with insight. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand the evolution of social media and its broader social contexts.

derekthompson.org

Everything Is Television

A theory of culture and attention

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Here is a remarkable segment from the CBC's The Current featuring Fogo Island Inn founder and tech executive Zita Cobb. Cobb's energy, ingenuity, and deep commitment to her community are striking. Her model needs to be studied and selectively applied across Canada.

cbc.ca

the Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Reposted by Christopher Cwynar

SOUTH HAVEN PEACHES WON’T BLOW YOU AWAY BUT YOU KNOW THAT THEY’LL STAY

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Whatever one thinks of the #CFL rule changes - I think they could be beneficial, FWIW - a new commissioner instituting them quickly without extensive consultation with all stakeholders set the whole thing up for failure.

youtube.com

Nathan Rourke calls new CFL changes 'garbage' says players, coaches weren't consulted

YouTube video by TSN

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

For years, I've been saying that we're moving away from this exceptional historical period in which frequent restaurant dining has been normalized across class groups. It seems that society is now moving firmly in that direction. globalnews.ca/news/1143992...

globalnews.ca

Cost of living drives 3 in 4 Canadians to skip eating out, report shows - National | Globalnews.ca

A little more than half (51 per cent) of millennials make a purchase from a restaurant at least once a week, followed by 47 per cent of Gen Z Canadians, the report showed.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Scrolling together is the new bowling alone lol

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

Apart from the obvious issues with the core argument here, the argument that 'the tech is not going away so we should use it and get used to it" is so pernicious. It's as though the swiftness of AI's rise, coupled with the tech's awesome power, has disarmed our collective critical faculties.

Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Kostova really nails a certain side the typical North American grad school expertise, IMO; this sentence perfectly encapsulates the strange blend of feelings one experiences while learning to produce the sort of critique that works to sustain the very system it is ostensibly seeking to change.

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Christopher Cwynar @cwynar.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

For many people, talk radio isn't just about filling time; it's also about combatting isolation through parasocial connection and/or the indistinct sense of 'company' that radio provides. I wonder how many people in NA have had their views altered as byproduct of simply not wanting to feel alone.