Most civilizations prioritize space or time. They either choose empire and expansion (space) or permanence (time).
Durable civilizations choose both.
Harold Innis was a giant in Canadian academia in the early 20th century, but most people have never heard of him. He offers deep and helpful insights on civilization, progress, and culture. Professor John Bonnett wrote his thesis on Innis and introduces us to his work.
We discuss a draft article Bonnett has written on Innis. Once it's published, I'll try to update this with a link.
Thanks for checking this out!
Shawn
Chapters and AI summary:
The host interviews Brock University professor and Innis scholar John Bonnett about an upcoming article arguing that conservatives are renewing a focus on culture as essential to Canadian national cohesion, especially as digital technology and AI disrupt society much like the printing press did. Bonnett explains Harold Innis’s importance to Canadian thought (influencing McLuhan and praised by George Grant), his “staples” analysis of Canada’s development, and his communication theory that technologies shape cognition and impose costs. Drawing on Innis, they discuss historical anxieties about new media, the dangers of information overload destabilizing politics, and “monopolies of knowledge” created by space- or time-biased media that can trap cultures and reduce innovation. Bonnett outlines adaptations—expressive and cognitive diversity, combinatorial thinking, democratizing cultural institutions like the Canada Council, and using digital/augmented-reality landscape art to renew culture.
00:00 Why Culture Matters
01:19 Meet Professor Bonnett
05:00 Which Conservatives
08:08 Why Innis Matters
13:17 Where To Start Reading
16:05 This Happened Before
22:07 Too Much Information
26:02 Monopoly Of Knowledge
33:41 Three Ways To Adapt
40:42 Democratizing Culture Policy
48:14 Digital Landscapes Project
57:17 Conservatism And Social Glue
01:00:11 Closing Thoughts And Thanks
