The Chaotic Freedom Fighter : Anonymous as the Trickster of Cyberculture
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | New Directions in Folklore (NDiF) |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ndif/article/view/20035 |
| Field | Mass media, audiovision |
| Keywords | trickster; Anonymous; hacktivist; troll; cyberculture |
| Description | This article explores the connections between the hacktivist movement Anonymous and the mythical trickster figure. It takes up the features identified by scholars such as Lewis Hyde and William J. Hynes as typical for the trickster and examines them in the context of hacktivist culture. While Anonymous shows many of the core trickster characteristics, it differs from mythical tricksters in two important aspects: its plural nature and the fact that it is a real world entity. However, the cultural role they play is the same: they question rules, challenge assumptions and test limits, preventing stagnation. The article then offers a new perspective of studying the trickster: as a symbolic expression of an important social function. |
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