MISSION
Our global media environments are filled with nonstop representations of human, planetary, and cosmic destiny — destinies which are most often portrayed as utopian, dystopian, and/or apocalyptic. Have you ever wondered whether these destinies are desirable, plausible, or even sane? We have. That's why the mission of the Center for Media and Destiny is threefold:
1) We map, critique, and theorize media and destiny on Spaceship Earth — the destiny of our species, our planet, and the cosmos.
2) We seek to effect the most sane long term destinies; therefore, we advocate that human civilization be grounded in the artistic-philosophical merger of cosmology, ecology, and technology.
3) In a cultural that celebrate endless "differences," we explore the universal meanings beneath the differences, the universal meanings for humanity as a single species on Spaceship Earth. We think these pursuits may help find a more meaningful existence for humanity in a vast and expanding universe.
To pursue this mission, we are creating broad new areas for media studies, as specifically related to the effects of media technology on human destiny and how we understand our place in the cosmos. As listed in the right sidebar, these new areas are studies in media and destiny and studies in cosmic media theory. We also provide a forum for innovative cultural criticism and public discussion of the long term destiny of our species, planet, and universe.
WHAT WE DO
We work on projects (books, essays, panels, events) in the following areas:
1. Media and Destiny. We map, theorize, and critique the myriad destinies — human, planetary, cosmic — represented in the global media environments. As a new area of media studies, our maps span the territories of art, film, science, technology, and culture. Thus, we hope to contribute many new memes and original ideas for thinking about our destinies: personal and individual, shared and collective, local and global. Finally, to complement the heavy thinking, we hope to bring a little fun and sanity to the challenge of human destiny. The dominant destinies are briefly described in: Why Study Media and Destiny?
2. Cosmic Media Theory. Cosmic media theory may be loosely defined as the study of the role of media images and media technology in: 1) how humans understand their place in the universe and on Spaceship Earth; 2) how humans orient themselves in space and time; 3) and what these effects have for human meaning and destiny. We will help "cosmic media theory" become a new area of critical media studies, precisely because these existential effects of media technology are largely ignored and overlooked. We draw from art, science, cosmology, technology, and ecology in discovering secular values and existential meanings — if they exist — for humanity and destiny on Spaceship Earth and in the vast cosmos, as revealed by our most powerful media technologies. The rationale for this area of study is briefly described in: Why Study Cosmic Media Theory?
3. Convey and Collaborate. We convey these memes via print/electronic media and collaborate with individuals and organizations who share similar values and intellectual ambitions. So far, our projects have included:
• our first book
• an art exhibit
• various essays published in books and academic journals and made available here; see the right sidebar.
• public events: traditional academic panels and nnovative panels on special topics.
• providing sources and links to topical books, films, videos, world's fairs, and other cool sites, also listed in the right sidebar.
In the very near future, we will produce our podcast series: "Pale Blue Thought." We also welcome intellectual contributions — essays, films/videos, artworks — from theorists, artists, writers, scientists, filmmakers, and anyone interested in exploring media and destiny in the cosmos. Since re-thinking our destinies is an individual and collective project, we look forward to future collaborations.
In doing these projects, we will span the unnecessary boundaries that too often separate academia and citizens, critical theory and popular culture. We want the Center for Media and Destiny to be a one-of-a-kind organization and site for ideas about media and human destiny. We invite you to join the journey.
OUR SEED CAPITAL
Click on cover for more info.
Our mission embraces and continues exploring the question that concludes Barry Vacker's innovative text anthology, Media Environments (2010). Given the power of our media technologies and what they reveal about life and the cosmos, here's the question: "What are we doing on Spaceship Earth?" In other words: as individuals and as a species, what are we doing, where are we going, and what does it mean?
To continue our mission and exploring these questions, the royalties from the sales of Media Environments have provided the seed capital for the Center for Media and Destiny.
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We welcome your feedback. If you have comments about our mission, please contact us at the link provided. Thanks.