
Critical Media Studies
The Critical Media Studies podcast discusses the interplay of technology and culture from an academic perspective. In each episode we consider the work of a prominent thinker in the field of critical media studies and discuss the implications of their work in relation to other thinkers and in light of current social contexts.
Latest episodes

Jun 27, 2025 • 48min
#96: Rob Horning - No One's Version
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Rob Horning’s Substack essay, “No One’s Version” and whether the world needs an AI generated song about Barry growing tomatoes in the style of “Sympathy for the Devil” with the horns from Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” and a guitar line to be determined (we think it does).

Jun 13, 2025 • 41min
#95: Jenny Odell - How To Do Nothing, pt. 2
In this episode Barry and Mike continue their discussion of Jenny Odell’s book, “How To Do Nothing,” focusing on the importance of attention in producing critical thought. They then connect these ideas to previous discussions on the Taste Economy.

May 30, 2025 • 41min
#94: Jenny Odell - How to Do Nothing
Dive into a thought-provoking discussion on the importance of 'doing nothing' in a hyper-connected world. Hear about the tensions between relentless productivity and the need for self-care. Explore the transformative power of disengaging from digital distractions and reconnecting with nature. The conversation highlights meaningful relationships and the creative pursuits often overshadowed by profit-driven motives. Unpack Jenny Odell's insights on the attention economy while advocating for a balanced, intentional approach to life.

May 16, 2025 • 42min
#93: Daisy Alioto - The Taste Economy
In this episode Barry and Mike continue their discussion onthe “Taste Economy” and the evolution of the internet from 2.0 to 3.0. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUnYbLoyplohttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/11/style/dirt-newsletter-daisy-alioto.html

May 2, 2025 • 41min
#92: Kyle Chayka - How to Cultivate Taste in the Age of Algorithms/The New Generation of Online Culture Curators.
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Kyle Chayka’s essays and offer a primer on the new online “Taste Economy.” How to Cultivate Taste in the Age of AlgorithmsThe New Generation of Online Culture Curators

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 20min
#91: The Episode That is Not on Heidegger or His Letter on Humanism (but sort of is).
In this episode Barry and Mike talk about Heidegger and what comes after philosophy and how that helps us to think about the role of the contemporary university.

Apr 4, 2025 • 45min
#90: Heidegger - The Question Concerning Technology
In this episode Barry and Mike take a different approach to Heidegger's The Question Concerning Technology. Rather than a traditional "what does all this mean" approach grounded in historical context, they look at the essay with a specific eye towards understanding what Heidegger can teach us about our current digital media culture and the essay's relevance for our interactions in the age of the internet and near total interconnection.

Mar 21, 2025 • 58min
#89: Harold Innis - Minerva’s Owl
This episode focuses on Harold Innis’ 1947 presidentialaddress to the Royal Society of Canada, “Minerva’s Owl” and his appendix to theaddress. Barry and Mike discuss how Innis charts the relationships among power,knowledge, and technologies and their relations to the durability of imperialsystems.

Mar 7, 2025 • 51min
#88: Revisiting Deleuze's "Postscript on the Society of Control"
In this episode Barry and Mike revisit Gilles Deleuze’s essay “Postscript on the Society of Control.” They attempt to reframe the central arguments of the essay in terms of our current digital culture.

Feb 21, 2025 • 1h 7min
#87: Alan Turing - Computer Machinery and Intelligence
In this episode Barry and Mike discuss Alan Turing’s 1950 essay, “Computer Machinery and Intelligence” and discuss whether or not Turing’s concept of machine intelligence is a contradiction in terms.