The ambivalent Internet : mischief, oddity, and antagonism online

257 Pages·2017·3.693 MB·English

by  Whitney Phillips, Ryan M. Milner

The Ambivalent Internet

The Ambivalent
Internet
Mischief, Oddity, and
Antagonism Online
WHITNEY PHILLIPS and
RYAN M. MILNER
polity
Copyright © Whitney Phillips and Ryan M. Milner 2017
The right of Whitney Phillips and Ryan M. Milner to be identified as Authors of
this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988.
First published in 2017 by Polity Press
Polity Press
65 Bridge Street
Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK
Polity Press
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148, USA
All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of
criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission
of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-0126-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-5095-0127-4 (pb)
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Phillips, Whitney, 1983- author. | Milner, Ryan M., author.
Title: The ambivalent Internet : mischief, oddity, and antagonism online / Whitney
Phillips, Ryan M. Milner.
Description: Cambridge, UK ; Malden, MA : Polity Press, 2017. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016047503 (print) | LCCN 2017004549 (ebook) | ISBN
9781509501267 (hardback) | ISBN 9781509501274 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781509501298
(Mobi) | ISBN 9781509501304 (Epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Internet–Social aspects.
Classification: LCC HM851 .P52 2017 (print) | LCC HM851 (ebook) |
DDC 302.23/1–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016047503
Typeset in 10.25 on 13 pt Scala
by Toppan Best-set Premedia Limited
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St. Ives PLC.
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To Mulder & Scully
v

Contents
Acknowledgments viii
Introduction 1
1 Folkloric Expression 21
2 Identity Play 58
3 Constitutive Humor 92
4 Collective Storytelling 127
5 Public Debate 163
Conclusion 201
Notes 212
References 216
Index 231
vii
Acknowledgments

Our warmest thanks to Abby, Adrienne, Alice, April, Ashley,
Bea, Becky, Biella, Brooke, Carl, Caroline, Cullen, Dave, Dave,
David, David, Dennis, Elen, Ellen, Eric, Gabriel, Henry, Hilary,
Jacob, Janet, Jason, Jean, John, Kaitlin, Kate, Kathy, Katie,
Kevin, Keith, Leigh, Limor, Lisa, Lisa, Liza, Lynnika, Maple,
Max, Michelle, Mike, Nancy, Pappaw, Patrick, Paul, Pearl,
Sami, Sarah, Shira, Sophia, Stacy, Steve, Tim, TL, Wendy,
and Wesley.
viii