Semantic Reactions

Our March 2026 episode features Peggy Cassidy, Thom Gencarelli, and Lance Strate discussing media ecology and general semantics. Their conversation follows up on a program sponsored by the New York Society for General Semantics,, and touches on topics such as the influence of general semantics on media ecology, sense perception and the human nervous system, language and symbolic form, orality and literacy, the effects of new technologies, and AI.

Our February 2026 episode features award-winning Canadian documentarian Kevin McMahon, the director of approximately 30 films, including McLuhan's Wake (2002). In conversation with Lance Strate, he discusses his career as a journalist and filmmaker, the practice of making documentaries, the idea of nonfiction film, and media scholars Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman.

Our January 2026 episodes features IGS trustees Corey Anton, Susan Drucker, Thom Gencarelli, and Lance Strate discussing politics in the United States in light of recent events in Minneapolis. Their conversation deals with the concerns brought on by the current media and semantic environment, the use of cell phone cameras and video recordings, the introduction of deep fakes, information overload and image culture, and the importance of language.

Our December 2025 episode features Susan Drucker, who is an IGS Trustee, Professor of Journalism at Hofstra University, and a founder of the Urban Communication Foundation, and Erik Garrett, a professor of communication and rhetoric at Duquesne University and a member of the Urban Communication Foundation's Board of Directors. In conversation with IGS President Lance Strate, they discuss areas of mutual interest between the Urban Communication Foundation and the Institute of General Semantics, and talk about topics such as language and the problems of definition, practical applications, policy and governance, city planning, architecture, postmodernism, maps and territories, the effects of technology, and the importance of human scale and organic community.

Our November 2025 episode features a recording of an IGS sponsored session that took place at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association. The program entitled Perspectives on Politics and the Future of Democracy that included IGS trustees Corey Anton, Peggy Cassidy, Susan Drucker, Thom Gencarelli, and Lance Strate. Their discussion touched on a variety of topics, including Alfred Korzybski's emphasis on science and progress, public discourse in the United States today, the role of news media in political campaigns, freedom of speech and the problem of hate speech, the rise of authoritarianism, and the relationship between technology and politics

Nora Bateson, author and president of the International Bateson Institute, explores the concept of polycrisis—interconnected crises affecting society today. She critiques reductionist thinking, advocating for 'warm data' and complex communication to address systemic issues. Nora discusses the role of families as resilience networks, the importance of storytelling to foster connections, and the need for diverse communication forms to navigate our current challenges. This conversation sheds light on the intricate dance between systems thinking and societal repair.

Our September 2025 episode features Cristina Knopf, a professor of Communication and Media Studies at the State University of New York at Cortland, in conversation with IGS president Lance Strate. Their discussion focuses on her research in comics studies and reflections on the comic book medium, its history, and the superhero genre, as well as the depiction of superheroes in movies and television, including this past summer's films featuring Superman, and the Fantastic Four.

Our August 2025 episode features coaches Keith Clark and Ted Delicath, in conversation with IGS president Lance Strate, discussing the CORO Fellows Program in Public Affairs and its relation to general semantics, as well as related topics such as leadership, governance, listening, cybernetics, and journalism.

Our July 2025 installment features writer and journalist Ryan Zickgraf, the author of an op-ed on the continuing relevance of Neil Postman's best known book, Amusing Ourselves to Death that was recently published by the Washington Post. IGS president Lance Strate conducts the interview, which touches on politics and democracy, gamergate, the effects of screens and social media on public discourse, the additional impact of AI, the decline of rationality and time-binding, as well as the reaction against technology on the part of Gen Z.

Martin H. Levinson, a longtime advocate for general semantics and author of the Sensible Thinking trilogy, dives into thought-provoking discussions with Lance Strate. They explore the relevance of general semantics in education and lifelong learning, linking it to trauma treatment and societal views on drugs. Levinson highlights how questioning stereotypes can combat prejudice and improve political discourse. Additionally, he shares insights on his writing process and the role of satire in learning, making for a captivating conversation on navigating complex topics.