Digital Folklore

by Olia Lialina (Editor), Dragan Espenschied (Editor)

"Technical innovations shape only a small part of computer and network culture. It doesn't matter much who invented the microprocessor, the mouse, TCP/IP or the World Wide Web; nor does it matter what ideas were behind these inventions. What matters is who uses them. Only when users start to express themselves with these technical innovations do they truly become relevant to culture at large.

Users' endeavors, like glittering star backgrounds, photos of cute kittens and rainbow gradients, are mostly derided as kitsch or in the most extreme cases, postulated as the end of culture itself. In fact this evolving vernacular, created by users for users, is the most important, beautiful and misunderstood language of new media.

As the first book of its kind, this reader contains essays and projects investigating many different facets of Digital online amateur culture, DIY electronics, dirtstyle, typo-nihilism, memes, teapots, penis enlargement …" -from site

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Folklore, History, Internet

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2009

Reviews

[Gabriel Chartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is officially my favorite book. Book review coming eventually to a homepage near you

[Sara G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a love letter to the culture of the early internet. I got a lot of flashbacks to my early internet ventures (around 2004~2007). I now miss forums terribly. Thanks a lot! >:( (jk jk)
Also, the visuals are gorgeous oh my God.
Found this book through tiktok and I'm super grateful.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically written and designed -- covers internet/computer culture from "Welcome to my homepage" to viral videos. Lots of research on topics that have not gotten as much attention in this form. Comes with cat poster and related artwork at end of book following essays on lolcats, memes, and more throughout. Book is a work of art in itself.

[iona]

a friend just sent me this great greil marcus piece 'the old weird america' and i've been totally puzzling over parallels with new weird communities like slash, etc. i'd love this book to land in my lap someday.