The Rhetoric of Digital Culture

In part 2 of our 2024 season finale, producer CJ M. continues the exploration of the FashionTok discourse community on TikTok, probing at the dichotomy between individuality and conformity that permeates the culture of this digital space

In this episode, producer Jade B. heats things up with a discussion of one of the most viral figures on the internet - the Sesame Street muppet Elmo - and his ascent to viral notoriety in the "Elmo Rise" meme.For more information on this meme, see Jade's website analyzing its rhetorical ecology at the following link:https://sites.google.com/view/hell-mo-meme/home

In this episode, producer Dani R. serves up a deliciously unique look at the fan community surrounding the anime and manga series Dungeon Meshi.

In this episode, producer Zuri J. takes it from the top rope to discuss the fan community surrounding the World Wrestling Entertainment franchise (WWE).

In this episode, producer Tyler G. tips us off on the happenings within the player community in the videogame NBA2K's MyCareer mode.

In this episode, we huddle up with producer Sam N. to discuss the community of Fantasy Football managers on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

In this episode, producer Sarah M. connects us with a community of parents with children in college seeking support from one another.

In this episode, producer Satya M. explores the viral sensation of MomTok - a group of Mormon women from Utah who went on to become the stars of Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives - and the community that has sprung up around them. She uses this exploration to probe an even more fascinating question: is social media engagement a new form of "missionary" work?