Douglas McLennan
Doug is the editor of ArtsJournal
Is The Metaverse Inevitable?
It's said to be a “quasi-successor to the Internet,” with comparable impact and importance, that will give users an individual “presence.” - The Walrus
The Tangled Up Politics Of Post-Modernism
Regardless of whether we call our time “postmodern” or “neoliberal,” the present feels ripe for a more widespread understanding of the dialectical relationship between...
The Politics Of Big Bird (And Sesame Street)
It is political not in a partisan sense but because the way we teach and protect children — and choose which children to teach...
Peloton Wins The Internet With Viral Ad Featuring Mr. Big
Peloton bounced back in a big way: It resurrected Mr. Big for a commercial featuring none other than Peter Noth and Peloton instructor Jessica...
Why Would Vladimir Putin Be A Sponsor Of An Art Show About European Unity?
The message is clear: We are all made up of the same fundamental parts. Biologically, that might be true. Yet, Russia has never quite...
Could You Live A Meaningful Life In A Virtual World?
"I think what happens in virtual worlds can, in principle, be very significant. You can build a meaningful life in a virtual world. We...
Groundbreaking Critic Robert Farris Thompson, 88
He spoke and wrote of African civilizations as infinitely varied ethical, philosophical and aesthetic systems. To grasp their complexity and sophistication, he said, required...
What To See When Geffen Hall Reopens Two Years Early In 2022
Rather than face the unenviable task of enticing post-pandemic audiences to a substandard hall, Lincoln Center and the Philharmonic will unveil an eagerly awaited,...
Peloton Stock Plunges After “Sex in the City” Episode Runs
Shares of Peloton, the fitness equipment company, fell 11.3% Thursday — tumbling to a 19-month low — after a key character in HBO Max’s “Sex...
France Okays Modernization Of The Interior Of Notre Dame
The plan is "to bring a more modern look to Notre-Dame before its planned reopening in 2024, including the installation of contemporary artworks and...
How The Conversations Between Books Has Been Lost
The culture that connected people of my generation was popular television and music. I noticed when I traveled that bookstores were as crammed with...
Lifestyle Over Learning? Today’s Colleges Compete At The Wrong Things
In a higher education system financed mostly by tuition dollars, the customer is king. Colleges and universities have become full-service lifestyle stations, competing for...
A Crisis Of Copyright For Canada’s Education Publishers
Not only is the Canadian copyright crisis now called “the Canadian flu” in international book publishing circles but—for those who love silver linings—it’s believed...
At Last: Met Museum Removes Sackler Name From Its Building
The decision, which came after more than a yearlong review by the museum, was reportedly mutual and made “in order to allow the Met to...
And Now Some Orchestra Business Numbers:
For the last 12 months (November 2020-October 2021), orchestra ticket revenue is down 67%. This is on par with results for the larger performing...
Evidence Vikings Landed In North America Nearly 500 Years Before Columbus
Scientists have known for many years that Vikings — a name given to the Norse by the English they raided — built a village...
Could This Show Replace The Golden Globes?
The Critics Choice Awards has long been something of an also-ran. The 2020 show drew just 1.2 million viewers, about half the audience of...
How Our Talent For Charades Facilitated Spoken Language
If words are arbitrary and purely a matter of convention, then how did they come to be established in the first place? In practical...
Detroit Symphony Picks New Chief Exec
Erik Ronmark has spent virtually his entire career with the DSO, having started as a part-time assistant in the music library in 2005. He was...
Why Are DeepFakes So Morally Unsettling?
Deepfakes, for better or worse, are here to stay: apps that make use of this technology are widely available, and will only become more...
Learning Isn’t Enough: Why Robots Will Need Genetic Codes
“I would love to have a robot load up dishes into my dishwasher, and I’d love to have a robot clean my house,” says...
New Report: Who Leads The World’s Ballet Companies
Of 179 artistic directors of major ballet companies, 59 are women (33%), while 119 are men (66%), and 1 is gender expansive (0.6%). Similarly,...
The Power Of A Great Hollywood Actor
The effect that actors have — the source of their power and fascination — is more than just subjective. It’s interpersonal. Watching them act,...
Hollywood’s Progress In Diversity Hits A Speed Bump
“Diversity” may have become an even more popular buzzword in show business circles since the summer of 2020, but the goal of attaining full...
The First Piece Of Music Created By An AI Was In 1956
Decades before today’s artificial intelligence pop stars, Auto-Tune and deepfake compositions was Lejaren Hiller’s piece, described by the New York Times in his 1994 obituary as...