Episode 51 - Big Ideas Series | B.W. Powe: In Medias Res

In the debut of the Big Ideas sub-series, host Jason Buccheri sits down with renowned author, poet, and scholar B.W. Powe for a wide-ranging conversation on education, media ecology, and the cultivation of the "poetic being."


B.W. Powe—a student of Marshall McLuhan and Northrop Frye—bridges the gap between deep academic tradition and the urgent challenges of our media-saturated present. A former high school dropout turned York University professor, Powe shares his unique journey and his philosophy of "awareness practice." He challenges the traditional, goal-oriented classroom, proposing instead that teaching should be an "alchemy" of mutual mentorship and "degrees in decoding."


In an era defined by what Powe calls "anti-information," this episode offers a blueprint for recovering depth, slowness, and attention. From the prophetic visions of McLuhan to the visionary tradition of Canadian culture, this conversation provides essential insights for educators, media ecologists, and anyone seeking to remain "live and aware" in the electronic cosmos.


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About: Each week, we bring you candid and personal interviews with educators and edtech leaders.


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Timestamps:


[00:00:00] Navigating a Media Saturated Environment & Misinformation


[00:00:41] Introduction to the Big Ideas Series: Depth Over Hot Takes


[00:01:52] Rethinking Teaching: Education as a Revelation for the Now


[00:02:30] Awareness Practice: Transforming the Classroom Space


[00:03:06] Portrait of a Media Ecologist: Marshall McLuhan & Northrop Frye


[00:04:08] The Electronic Cosmos: Slowness vs. Digital Speed


[00:05:35] Starting In Medias Res: Why Beginnings are Difficult


[00:06:44] Navigating Non-Euclidean Space in the Electronic World


[00:08:09] Stream Elsewhere Press: New Directions in Independent Publishing


[00:09:33] The Via Negativa vs. Via Positiva in Creative Life


[00:10:12] Gatherings vs. Classes: Cultivating Poetic Aporia


[00:11:50] Mentorship in Education: Moving Beyond Hierarchy


[00:13:01] Defining Anti-Information: The Deluge of Virulent Data


[00:15:33] B.W. Powe’s Journey: From High School Dropout to Scholar


[00:18:34] Living Outside Institutions: The "Weed by the Wall" Philosophy


[00:19:43] The Influence of Music and Deep Listening on Thinking


[00:22:14] The Role of the Muse: How Great Teachers Open the Mind


[00:24:26] Entering the University as a Music Student


[00:28:11] Meeting the Giants: Marshall McLuhan & Northrop Frye


[00:29:40] The Prophetic Vision of McLuhan: The Medium is the Message


[00:33:52] Technology as an Environment: Altering Human Consciousness


[00:38:06] Encounters with Pierre Elliott Trudeau & Canadian Identity


[00:42:40] Toward a Canada of Light: A Visionary Cultural Tradition


[00:46:10] The Urgent Need for "Degrees in Decoding" Media


[00:52:18] Simplicity vs. Reductiveness in Modern Politics


[01:05:51] Literary Ecology: Restoring Alphabetic Awareness


[01:14:11] Transformation vs. Transportation: The Soul in the Electronic Age


[01:23:21] The Embodiment of Hope: Action Over Prescriptions