The rickroll is a kind of postmodern "shared joke" that can be used to dissipate online social anxiety—at least inasfar as everyone "gets" it. But among whom is that implicit context shared, really? The truth, according to this insightful longread at Medium, is that rickrolling is highly problematic, especially in its dependence upon the semiotics of cisgendered discourse. [via]
Rickrolling is sexist, racist and often transphobic in context
The rickroll is a kind of postmodern "shared joke" that can be used to dissipate online social anxiety—at least inasfar as everyone "gets" it. But among whom is that implicit context shared, really? The truth, according to this insightful longread at Medium, is that rickrolling is highly problematic, especially in its dependence upon the semiotics of cisgendered discourse. [via]
(shout-out to http://pixlr.com for quick image editing in-browser.)
"Would that Rickrollers had but one neck!" -- Caligula
The funny thing is that as a sociology graduate from the late 1990s, I'd have no problem confecting a critique of rickrolling from a critical/queer theory background. But none other than Judith Butler already did it, more or less, in "Performativity and the Pleasure Principle." By her standards it's a short read, worth a look.
10/10
I listened to the whole thing out of respect.
Congratulations, you finally got someone to watch the whole thing.
He's fairly obviously cis.... one would assume. Hey what 80'preppy frat boy. You don't know the rules, and without movies and literature from the era, people wouldn't.
Rules can be anything. Over time they may change. If this were sung by a lady or in drag, it would be praised.
Hmmm perhaps he's just kinky and left his leather at home.
Its beautiful story about loyalty, responsibility. Perhaps a little pushy of cis norms only as assumed by narrow context of the era. I would love to see a king or queen, as well as a leatherman sing it.