Hey Veeky Forums I am currently writing an essay for university on the construction of collective identities on Veeky Forums. Since selfdefinition/perception is the most important part of identities, I prepared a few questions and it would be nice to get some answers. 1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? 2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? 3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? 4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? (my understanding of identity below) 5. What does this identity consist of? 6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? 7. Anything else you want to say?
Collective identity is understood as having two dimensions, content and contestation. Main aspects of content are: - identity defining norms and practices - social purposes - relationships to other identities - shared worldviews or understandings of political/material conditions and interests
Contestation is the degree of agreement within an identity group over the content of the shared identity. It is an ongoing process that defines the content of the identity.
Please stop writing about Veeky Forums. It can only get misunderstood.
Eli Jackson
This. I'm a grad student who studies discursive formations similar to Veeky Forums, and I just wrote 6 paragraphs trying to explain why you're going to fuck this up like all the other people who have also tried and failed, and then I realised I can't even do it justice.
Just don't even bother. It will only be of interest to people who don't understand Veeky Forums and can't tell that it's wrong.
Sebastian Diaz
Could you try - not OP but im interested in this. I often see Veeky Forums completely misteprestented and misunderstood in papers journals etc
Dominic Clark
1. Yes 2. To argue about translations 3. I don't know any similar sites, but if I did I probably would. I despise signing up for shit, so the "anonymity" is a huge plus for me 4.I think that there a a handful of board identities, but I wouldn't say that there is one unifying identity 5. The Stirner-posters, the Joyce-posters, that one fag who keeps pushing the Fagles translations, the Christ-posters, the John Green shit-posters, and the greek-posters 6. I guess I'm a greek-poster, but these last three questions are entirely contingent on a "yes"answer for #4. Biased? 7. You're a fag for wanting to write about Veeky Forums and your parents should be ashamed of you for squandering your academic ability.
Justin Taylor
1. Yes 2. To shitpost and to trigger people who are insecure about their taste in literature 3. Could you name similar sites? 4. Yes, obviously not held by the entirety of the board, but there certainly is an identity 5. A shared (forced or not) taste that is held by either a vocal minority or a majority of the people that visit here, exemplified by the meme trilogy. This is also present on other boards. 6. Not really, board culture is mind-numbing. It's funny to see how influential it is though. 7. You should find a better subject for your essay.
Jonathan Cox
Because it's almost like life. The virtual plaza, you know? Everyone belongs here, everyone is here to say something. Infinite variety, infinite changing. Can you write a paper about the world, as a whole - without distinction? No, you can't even write a book about that.
Caleb Brooks
>1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? Yes >2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? To communicate with people with similar taste (not just in literature) to me >3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? Veeky Forums is actually fun and has the ability to shit on the overly pretentious >4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? Yes, very much so. >5. What does this identity consist of? A similar taste in literature, a similar taste in culture in general, a wish to take things a a believable extreme, a wish to be a dick >6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? Sure, to a point. >7. Anything else you want to say? FUGG YOU FAG
Jayden Cruz
I've always wanted to try because I think (by complete fluke) I can describe certain aspects of it that most people seem to miss.
The real problem is that normalfags are always the ones describing it, and normalfags have specific ideas about social structure. They don't understand that there are other forms of social belonging. But I don't want to say too much because once they figure it out they'll probably find a way to fucking ruin it.
Michael Long
1. Yes. 2. No life. 3. It's faster and less reddit than reddit. Never spent much time on lit related subs tho so don't know if it counts as similar. 4. Dunno. 5. 6. 7. Have a nice day.
Carter Taylor
1. Yes. About four or five times a week maybe 2. Motives have changed over time. When I first started getting into literature, I came for the recommendations. Now, I know the stuff we talk about here pretty well (though sometimes I still find stuff here), but I think there are some posters here who have their finger on the pulse of the current zeitgeist. If it wasn't for these posters I probably would still stick around because it's a pretty funny board. 3. I didn't know there were similar sites, but probably. 4. Yes 5. Anonymity and a harsher atmosphere than most places on the internet. You don't get the inauthentic need to comfort and include everyone that you have on non-anonymous sites. This has some negative effects, but mostly I think that for an atmosphere in which ideas are being discussed, a little straightforward dismissal can go a long way to keep the quality of discussion (lmao) higher than, say, somewhere where someone who reads Kant and Hegel is forced to pretend their interests are intellectually equal to someone who reads Harry Potter and airport fiction (Yes, I mean r/books) 6. Probably. I diverge politically from most people on this board, where most people are political radicals of some sort (I'm slightly left-of-centre.) 7.Post feet
Jack Garcia
1. Yes 2. To discuss ideas Socratically, discover new books, and have a laugh. 3. I don't know of any similar sites. 4. Yes, there's something like one. 5. Although we're of different religious and political backgrounds, we're united by unreasonably high standards, a healthy disdain for plebs, and a general distaste for the idea that art be subordinated to politics. 6. Yes 7. Please share your essay with us once you've completed it.
Oliver Perez
A lot of people here are actually centre-left, there was a compass thread a short while back. They're just not that vocal.
Nicholas Rogers
Write them about the Russian bear. Maybe they will understand Russia after that. Or not.
Camden Davis
1. Yep every couple of days 2. I wanted to talk about books, but Veeky Forums hardly does this 3. Sure, if anything is done correctly here it is that there is no dick sucking usually 4. Of course there is 5. A taste for classics going back to the Greeks, a distaste for genre fiction and particularly people like John Green and Rupi Kuar. Then you've got the meme trilogy which gets posted all the time. Probably a moderate left leaning political identity that hates SJW shit as much as alt right shit. 6. Kek, only taste in books and dislike for lefty/righty snowflakes 7. Neck yourself OP, you're going to fail.
Nicholas Martin
>1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? Yes, every day. >2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? A constant quest for interesting conversation, perhaps to learn about new books that might interest me, and also shill my books if I think someone might enjoy them. >3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? Similar sites? I don't know any sites like Veeky Forums. If you mean other boards, then yeah, /k/. >4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? (my understanding of identity below) Yeah, seems like there is a sort of board identity, but I'm still figuring it out myself. Only been frequenting Veeky Forums for perhaps 5-6 months. >5. What does this identity consist of? Can't be arsed to try and define it. A lot of it consists of philosophers however, and asking other people's opinions on what they mean by things. I also like the relatively steady stream of threads that ask how people's books are coming along, what people are reading/writing, and so on. >6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? No, I'm not really into philosophy, but I dare say I will be someday and then I'll be able to take part in Veeky Forums far more, however since I'm a fiction writer I don't think they'd accept me too readily. >7. Anything else you want to say? Based on my answers, I don't think many people on Veeky Forums will like me because I don't yet fully grasp their philosophy memes, nor have I read any ancient literature besides Art of War by Sun Tzu. Considering I'm a fiction writer and my favourite genre is historical fiction (as long as it leans heavily on history rather than fiction), I'd probably be viewed as cancer here.
Xavier Torres
>I'd probably be viewed as cancer here
Nah, historical fiction is one of the highest forms of genre fiction, up there with mystery novels. The genre fiction most people on Veeky Forums seem hate are the YA dystopians and the uninspired D&D style fantasy books. A lot of the Veeky Forums favorites could be called historical fiction, such as War & Peace and Mason & Dixon, and let's not forget about all of Shakespeare's historical fiction. Or maybe you're into contemporary authors like Bernard Cornwell. He's an excellent writer.
Chase Carter
>(by complete fluke) Actual autist coming through
Ethan Murphy
Cornwell is my literary God. I love his work. He's the reason I want to attempt historical fiction at least once. For now, I'm focusing on my realistic and nitty gritty zombie survival novels. Quite enjoying them thus far, but historical fiction is most certainly in my future.
Austin Taylor
>1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? Yes. >2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? To hang out with my Internet friends. >3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? I don't know any other site except Reddit that has a board dedicated to literature, and I find Veeky Forums to be a lot better than most literature subreddits just on taste alone. >4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? Yes. We are all Roman Catholics. >5. What does this identity consist of? Shared religious belief, appreciation for the finer arts, and struggle with guilt and sin. >6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? Absolutely. >7. Anything else you want to say? Kill all Protestants.
Colton Martinez
>1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)?
Yes >2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums?
Boredom, loneliness, anonymity since 2009 >3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why?
I prefer it to goodreads and Reddit.....but it's still poor. It's more immediate than other websites....but equally as repetitive >4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion?
Not really.....for me anyway.....it makes me cringe when people claim to identify with a given board ("hi, /pol/ here" ....kys) (my understanding of identity below) 5. What does this identity consist of? - 6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity?
No 7. Anything else you want to say?
This board used to be better
Lucas Murphy
1. yes 2. only online place for good discussion of literature and philosophy (all else is dominated by plebes and groupthink and uneducated feels (cf. /r/books and /r/philosophy and goodreads)) 3. see 2 4. yes 5. elitism (usually vacuous, but sometimes justified) 6. yes 7. I have a theory that the /pol/ shit on the board and Veeky Forums generally keeps the board from degenerating into plebeian normie book discourse. It's too shocking/offensive for tourists, so they don't return, leaving the board to us. The loss of Veeky Forums's uniqueness would be a huge blow, so I don't mind the /pol/ threads or the Catholic apologia too much.
Adrian King
I think that's the way in all walks of life. The most vocal people are the extremes of either side
>1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? Not exactly, I regularly go on /int/ and /v/. >2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? I have no genuine idea myself >3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? Yes. Veeky Forums is the only board on Veeky Forums that i've been on where i can get or see genuine discussion the majority of the time. >4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? I wouldn't know, aside from the brainlet meme >5. What does this identity consist of? probably meming certain authors/series. >6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? like I mentioned before, I come to Veeky Forums about 1-2 times a month, so not really. >7. Anything else you want to say? tfw too intelligent to say anything else Also, Writing about Veeky Forums will only make people misinterperet this place even more (I.E: who is this "Veeky Forums"? FOX news on Veeky Forums) and will probably have more normalfags join this place, shitting up /v/ and /pol/ even more. Please consult your professor on doing a different website like reddit or something.
Chase Peterson
1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? n
Juan Perez
1. Yes. 2. Right now /b/, /pol/, etc are too boring and only edgy in predicable ways. And I like reading. 3. Yes. The anonymity and everything it enables; the pacing of the discussions. 4. This is quite obvious. 5. Fuck off, lad. 6. Yes, that's part of the fun of browsing all the different boards. All the cool kids have at least one identity per board. 7. I believe you can only write a proper essay on Veeky Forums if you've been here for at least 4 or 5 years.
Grayson Morales
1. Yes 2. People here are very well-read and are good at analysis, so I like discussions with them 3. Memes belong in literary discussions 4. Yes 5. Interest in literature, introverted 6. For the most part. I'm not as intense about it (don't read 20 books a month) 7. Good luck with your essay!
Jayden Martin
1. No. 2. I like to read unfiltered discussions about literature. 3. If you mean other boards, yes, I like it better because the posters are more concerned with the reason behind arguments; If you mean similar sites that are not Veeky Forums then I don't know of any. 4. Not really. There is basically none of what you call Contestation; people on Veeky Forums are elitist and contrarian. This does not lend itself to a group identity. 5. If a group identity does exist, it will be seen in the psychological effects of complete anonymity that we all share. Elitism is an example of this. 6. I am also anonymous. 7. When trying to examine user behavior on a website, it's important to consider that only a fraction of the readers will actually post.
Grayson Ward
Yes
To talk about literature
Sometimes i go to /r/askliterarystudies
Yes
Badly discussed and badly organised discussion groups about literature with no academic consensus or sources, amateur literary shitposting
Somewhat
This is gay
Landon Morales
1. Do you visit Veeky Forums regularly (more than once a week)? >Yes 2. Why do you visit Veeky Forums? >I like literature and philosophy. People occasionally make at least a token gesture of respect to logic and truth. 3. Do you prefer it over similar sites, if so, why? >I can't think of any similar sites that has that intangible quality that this place does. 4. Is there something like a board identity in your opinion? >Not as strongly as there are on other Veeky Forums boards, surely. 5. What does this identity consist of? >Not important to me. 6. Would you consider yourself as a member of that identity? >Yes and no. According to interactions with the community I qualify but don't really partake in that identity myself on a personal level. 7. Anything else you want to say? >Veeky Forums is a weird place to focus your analytical eye if you want to distill the essential nature of Veeky Forums's identity dynamics.
Chase Nelson
Listen here faggot, Veeky Forums didn't create the hive mind we just embraced it. The real difference between image boards and other social media is the anonymity. Veeky Forums is the opposite of identity. Image boards are like humanities shadow, you can say any stupid shit you want, no consequences, you have no idea what i look like, you dont know my gender, sex, race. The cage of society and political correctness is gone on here. On here its just humans with the mask off, and humans are stupid as fuck. Ive seen some infinite and great truths on Veeky Forums, ive also seen stupidity and trolling
Leo Reyes
My favorite book is Mein Kampf, and it is YOUR kampf. reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Camden Nguyen
Veeky Forums is a faceless agent of chaos in a world obsessed with identity politics, we are everywhere and everything, and we believe in nothing. Well, except doing it for the lulz. Ive been posting on Veeky Forums since junior high, about a year or 2 after it was made. I found it while searching for hentai, Veeky Forums was different in the beginning, less political. It was underground, a place for misfits and loners to shit on the world and talk about anime.
Of course since then we have pulled off so many troll jobs we have been flodded with normal fags, yes, normalfags, not "normies".
One of the earliest meme's i remember on Veeky Forums was from a guro hentai were a guy fucks and kills a baby.
Remember chris chan, member nevada tan, member the bel air copypasta, member desu
Josiah Mitchell
But the problem is that I don't see too many raids from us now. The raids are only allowed on /b/ and that place is filled with nsfw.
