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Purpose Statement

Writing is a chimera. Multi-faceted, disjointed, inarticulate, fantastical, and requires a bloodbath


in order be rid of it. Its good fun, really. But writing is also a dangerous affair. Sure, it probably
wont physically blow up in your face like a bad chemical reaction, but its all too easy to trip
over your own words like exposed roots on a tree. This site and portfolio are a reflection of that
fun battle. Sometimes, chess pieces are moved without any thought for strategy, and this can lead
to victory by happenstance or a swift and confusing loss. Sometimes the plan is set beforehand,
and the resulting quarrel with the blank page turns out A-OK. The digital portfolio is comprised
of four components: five short reading reflections, an essay on internet (e)dentity, a short essay
analyzing a cyberculture, and a visual design piece.

The five short reading reflections are those chess games played by a complete novicevery little
planning was done. They were started typically 15 minutes after finishing a reading, and were
more an application of the theory found in the readings rather than the reflection of those
theories. In a way, the reflection is found in how the theory was applied. Because the stakes were
low, these quick-and-dirty essays were the most fun. When I ran out of room on a subject it was
totally acceptable to switch gears to a new one (see reflection 4). However, because these essays
were low stakes, very little editing was done to them. They were trial runs, and you dont spend
time editing trial runs because youd defeat their purpose.

The micro essay started off as just that, 2.5 pages of efficient (if surface-level) analysis. The
second draft is stronger with the additional space to breath. More weight is given to the gender

aspect to user agency, and this in turn creates a wider scope of analysis. Compared to the edentity essay, this micro analysis essay is more focused. Instead of extending the analysis into
the rhetorical realm, I decided to maintain the cultural lens. User agency is ethos on a wider
scale, and addressing pathos and kairos wouldve moved the essay away from its core too much.
Also analyzing the rhetoric on forums is a bit slippery because many comments are sarcastic and
made out of an appeal to humor rather than an appeal to reason/persuasion. I didnt want to back
myself into a corner like I had with the e-dentity essay so I chose not to expand the analysis into
a field I didnt feel entirely comfortable working with.

The e-dentity essay was, frankly, the aforementioned bloodbath, and it was only after I finished
my revisions/additions that I realized why. The essay is unorganized, and not because its missing
a thesis, but rather the evidence for that thesis is disjointed with each other. Stronger transitions
can probably stitch most of the wound, but another problem remains. It is incredibly tempting to
make unsupported generalizations about the (awesome) subject matter. And they arent so much
generalizations as they are tenuous cause-and-effect relationships. Saying Ralfy is changing the
perception of Scotch is, frankly, too big to prove. Is he changing its perception for his uninitiated
views? Probably. In many ways, I feel like the tools for analysis I have are Phillips head
screwdrivers, and the subject Im analyzing is full of nails needing a flathead instead. Going
forward, this is the essay that needs the most work.

Finally, the visual design layout for the Writing Colleagues Nominations. Ill come clean and
admit that I am not well-suited for creative advertising. Creative writing, yes. Creative
advertising, no. Its very clear that there is a clear divide between being able to analyze and

appreciate something created and actually creating. In many ways, it is a bit like asking biochem
majors to write their lab reports in active voicethey know what it is but they dont know how
to do it. This division is the reason I was told No in varying degrees of politeness by several
professors I had asked to do an Honors project with next year. That being said, I tried to address
the critiques in version one by putting together something simpler and cleaner in version two.
The result is probably too simple, but I think its a step in the right direction (particularly without
any Photoshop skills).

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02 Digital Rhetorics
January 30, 2015
Critical Reading Response 1 Draft 1

New media has been quickly reformatting not only the way we accomplish tasks such as
entertainment, but also the lens in which we view topics. President Obama broadcasted his latest
State of the Union address not just on television, but also on YouTube where is has garnered a
respectable 1.6 million views (a number that is probably misrepresented because of miscounting
during the live stream as opposed to the finite video). From TedTalks to Facebook, from Hulu to
Reddit, the Internet and the variety of platforms comprising New Media touch upon nearly
every facet of our lives. One of the places of most resistance, however, is in academics.
Media studies has only recently become a separate entity from anthropology and
sociology, and the strides made in the field regarding TV have been culturally significant. But
because New Media is such a dynamic medium, analysis has proved difficult to put into words.
Continuous evolvement and refinement is partly to blame for the slow analysis of the effects of
New Media. Any analysis on MySpace quickly became irrelevant with the explosion of
Facebook. The intricacies of Napster quickly dissipated with the discovery of Limewire, which,
in turn, conceded to YouTube-to-MP3 converters. In a field where the new happens every year,
sometimes every day, the term New Media is already outdated and faces the same problems
facing the term Postmodern literature (hence the quotes around New Media). The question
of Where to go? is entangled with Where arent we going? This sentiment is mirrored in

Bailey Sochas and Barbara Eber-Schmids article, Defining New Media Isnt Easy, where the
duo pose definition in reverse, What isnt New Media?
But for me, the single most revealing sentiment of antiquity in the academic community
regarding New Media can be found in McLuhans statement in The Medium is the Massage,
Electronic technologyis reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and
every aspect of our personal life (McLuhan and Fiore 8). This sentiment runs through nearly
every dialogue, discussion, or analysis of New Media either explicitly or as an undercurrent
like in Sochas and Eber-Schmids article. Ironically, this statement seems counterintuitive to the
design inherent to the success of New Media. New Media, such as Netflix and Amazon, are
designed to be frictionless and intuitive. The goal is not to restructure our thinking but to
streamline it. Netflix did not want users thinking about streaming a movie on their laptop versus
buying one and watching it on their larger TV screens (though HDMI cables solved that problem
quickly). It wanted to make the process of watching a movie so instantaneous, so effortless
(frictionless), and so automatic that the choice between the TV or the laptop was benign. Friction
is the reason behind how technologies can fail. Tesla made a huge step for electric car
practicality, but it still hasnt resolved the friction involved with long-distance travel, although
supposed supercharging stations may remedy the problem slightly. As the course continues to
pair classic rhetoric with increasingly varied and often colloquial digital rhetoric, the task of
making old analysis frictionless for New Media should be the discussion, because, unlike the
technology before us, it isnt going anywhere.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02 Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
Critical Reading Reflection 1 Draft 2

New media has been quickly reformatting not only the way we accomplish tasks such as
entertainment, but also the lens in which we view topics. President Obama broadcasted his latest
State of the Union address not just on television, but also on YouTube where is has garnered a
respectable 1.6 million views (a number that is probably misrepresented because of miscounting
during the live stream as opposed to the finite video). From TedTalks to Facebook, from Hulu to
Reddit, the Internet and the variety of platforms comprising New Media touch upon nearly
every facet of our lives. One of the places of most resistance, however, is in academics.
Media studies has only recently become a separate entity from anthropology and
sociology, and the strides made in the field regarding TV have been culturally significant. But
because New Media is such a dynamic medium, analysis has proved difficult to put into words.
Continuous evolvement and refinement is partly to blame for the slow analysis of the effects of
New Media. Any analysis on MySpace quickly became irrelevant with the explosion of
Facebook. The intricacies of Napster quickly dissipated with the discovery of Limewire, which,
in turn, conceded to YouTube-to-MP3 converters. In the case of the latter, piracy is still the
discussion but the means to that end make the discussion significantly different. In a field where
the new happens every year, sometimes every day, the term New Media is already outdated
and faces the same problems facing the term Postmodern literature (hence the quotes around

New Media). The question of Where to go? is entangled with Where arent we going?
This sentiment is mirrored in Bailey Sochas and Barbara Eber-Schmids article, Defining New
Media Isnt Easy, where the duo pose the definition in reverse, What isnt New Media?
But for me, the single most revealing sentiment of antiquity in the academic community
regarding New Media can be found in McLuhans statement in The Medium is the Massage,
Electronic technologyis reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and
every aspect of our personal life (McLuhan and Fiore 8). This sentiment runs through nearly
every dialogue, discussion, or analysis of New Media either explicitly or as an undercurrent
like in Sochas and Eber-Schmids article. Ironically, this statement seems counterintuitive to the
successful design of New Media. New Media, such as Netflix and Amazon, are designed to
be frictionless and intuitive. The goal is not to restructure our thinking so much as to streamline
it. Netflix did not want users thinking about streaming a movie on their laptop versus buying one
and watching it on their larger TV screens (though HDMI cables solved that problem quickly). It
wanted to make the process of watching a movie so instantaneous, so effortless (frictionless), and
so automatic that the choice between the TV or the laptop was benign. As the course continues to
pair classic rhetoric with increasingly varied and often colloquial digital rhetoric, the task of
making old analysis frictionless for New Media should be the discussion, because, unlike the
technology in front of us, it isnt going anywhere.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02 Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
Critical Reading Reflection 2 Draft 2

This reading reflection is going to focus primarily on chapter one of Nayars, An


Introduction to New Media and Cybercultures, in particular the connection between an avatar
and the strained relationship between the physical identity/body/persona and its cyberspatial
counterpart. Because Nayars first chapter merely provides a brief overview of the variety of
topics to be discussed further, its a bit more instructive to focus on a single aspect rather than the
myriad of discussions Nayar ties to cyberspace and cyberculture. The concept of an avatar raises
the question over the difference between private, public, and digital personas. Framed in Nayars
more Marxist terms, is the avatar the reason behind social justice causes becoming rooted outside
the body rather than within?
It is important to recognize that avatar identity is, in a similar function to humans, picture
(skin) deep. While Facebook tends to offer an accurate, albeit curated, representation of the
person behind the computer, other digital platforms do not. Video games like Skyrim let any
player pick any gender or even races (as humans are one of several in the game). Male gamers
can play as female characters and vice versa for female gamers. With the advent of Elder Scrolls
Online, or any other online game like Halo or Pokemon, players can construct avatars to be mere
faades rather than identities. The gender of the digital body is increasingly unrelated to its
physical user.

What can this mean? Miscommunication from unsubstantiated assumptions is an easy


possibility, such as the embarrassing consequences of the catfish incident regarding Manti
Teo. The encounters of our digital bodies interacting with other digital bodies negatively can
lead to distrust carried by our physical bodies. YouTuber, Swoozie06, recounts his own
embarrassing catfish story, and the shame and humiliation that comes with being stood up at a
restaurant, a physical experience generated by digital interaction. In the advent of our psyches
being shaped not just through material encounters but also through immaterial ones, will we
mature at younger and younger ages than the generations before us? Will psychologists have to
specialize in digital therapy? Disturbing, but entertaining questions for sure.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02
March 13, 2015
Critical Reading Reflection 3 Draft 2
I am going to return to something I talked about in my first reading response: friction;
however, I want to discuss it with a term Nayar brings up in chapter two, convergence. Jenkins
notion of convergence is an interesting one because it emerged as a prediction of sorts to what
the future had in store. Undoubtedly, there is convergence. Smartphones have cameras and can
surf the Interneta convergence of computer, camera, and phone. TV and the Internet have
converged in the form of YouTube (at times) and sites like Hulu and Netflix. Amazon is the
convergence of various dedicated stores into a single location. Books have converged onto tablet
computers. The recent Xbox One can surf the web. True convergence, however, of all various
media platforms converging into one (think of a smartphone tablet) has not quite occurred. We
still buy an Xbox One to play video games. We still buy TVs to watch shows and movies. Most
people who have tablets also have laptops or desktops. Why?1
Friction. Friction and that interesting little term from Economics, specialization. Instead of true
convergence, we get partial convergence, often in the form of digitextuality. My version of
friction refers both to the user experience (how effortless the media platform is) and the utility of
the media platform itself (how well it cooperates with other platforms and programs). With this
1 Nayar mentions that Bolter and Gromala (2003) seem to solve the question as well. I have not
reviewed their work and do not know whether or not they use the concept of friction in their
discussion of the question.

definition, the reason behind the lack of full convergence becomes clear. Just because a device
like the Galaxy Tablet can be both a smartphone and a more dedicated computer, does not make
it good at the latterjust because it can does not mean it does it well. Easy examples are
programs like Microsofts Excel that are terribly finicky with a touchscreen interface. The same
goes in reverse, laptops with Windows 8 that are not touchscreens get little use from the
operating system. Because of friction from both the user and the design of the platform, users
prefer specialization. Laptops with dedicated mouse pads still sell, and people prefer a normal
sized smartphone to its super-sized tablet version simply because it is wieldier. Tablets cannot
play computer games at the high intensity that a dedicated computer can. Going on the Internet
with an Xbox One controller can be a pain (especially without the mini keyboard plugin for the
controller) because it has a slower interface than a touchscreen or a keyboardit operates via a
strict directional controller that replaces a mouse or a finger. Specialization makes a platform
frictionless for its designed purpose, but, due to the prevalence of convergence, platforms also
exhibit other media forms.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02: Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
Critical Reading Reflection 4 Draft 2

When one considers their online identity, e-dentity (to modify Vais term aesthetically),
inevitably one considers Google searching themselves. Google, for better or for worse, manages
to keep fantastic tabs on where and what we click. It picks up all of the pieces of e-DNA that we
leave behind. If Google has been tracking all my e-DNA and has been mindful of any pictures
and news articles posted about me, then there is not much online about Garrett Bruce Janssen.
I graduated high school with Honors, reports a local NJ newspaper, and thats about it. Lose the
middle name and it only brings up other Garrett Janssens. Ignoring their placed advertisements,
Im incognito, off-the-grid, anonymous.
I suppose thats fitting. I havent accomplished much in particularnothing news worthy
anyway. I dont feel skilled enough to attempt at publishing any of my work. I havent won any
competitions. Save for a lone HWS TWIP photo of me with my then roommate, Google wouldnt
even have my face. Other Garrett Janssens have been graciously welcomed though. Ironically,
this may be a result of my skepticism with online media platforms. I interact with Facebook to
simply communicate with distant friends and occasionally post a comment or complain (Google
doesnt know how good I am at that). I dont have a Snapchat, Twitter, Tumblr, or any other
additional platform, because I dont like the concept of a super memory bank that holds onto

everything Ive done, seen, or been a part of. While other students happily took gorgeous photos
of their time abroad, I kept my phone in my pocket. My memories are my own.
It seems to me that anonymity and authenticity are inversely related when it comes to edentity. If we are anonymous online that means we are dependent on our physical representation
in the material world. The more online presence we command, the more we must make sure we
fall in line with that e-dentity. When we stray from our e-dentity it must be done so with intent,
otherwise we face the issue of appearing disingenuous. Those who heavily curate their Facebook
fall under this tradeoff, as one photo of you drunk by the toilet can ruin that perfect image.
Ke$ha, the pop singer (?), falls under this problem. Apparently boasting a 1500/1600 on her SAT
(ignoring the newer writing section I believe) exams, her apparent intelligence is incongruent
with her music persona. When such a stark contrast emerges, which piece of e-DNA do we use to
form the true e-dentity? Until Google is able to find the answer, it will remain a debatable
subject.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02: Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
Critical Reading Response 5 Draft 2-GJ

I want to use this last reading response to focus actually in on a subject skirted around in
this weeks readings. Chapter 4 of Nayar hones in on gender and feminism in cyberculture and
the ways in which feminism appropriates technology to advocate its message. Chapter 5 of
Nayar deals with actual gender and sexuality depictions in cybercultureI want to meet in the
middle: how video games (an extension of cyperpunk) represent gender. Two examples spring to
mind: Metal Gear Solid 5s mute, female sniper, Quiet, and the most recent iteration of Lara
Croft from the 2013 remake Tomb Raider. The two characters offer vastly different perspectives
on the subject of representing gender and when considering their online art, the two fall squarely
in a form of digital artthe characters start from a human model and then are rendered (and in
some ways augmented) digitally in a most spectacular fashion. It is suggested to look up their art
online, though considering you are a professor I would recommend doing so on a server that is
not HWSsGoogle Images can be a dangerous place for the unassuming.
Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider franchise is widely regarded as the, or one of the, most
recognizable and famous female game characters ever created. Lara Crofts design, in much the
same vein as cyberfeminist art, is confrontational. Very much the result of a male dominated
video game culture, the team developing Tomb Raider (1996) designed her to be over the top.
Since her comically polygonal inception, Lara Croft has undergone several redesigns, each one

edging closer and closer to realism. Her latest game in 2013 saw a complete reboot of the
franchise, and with it, the iconic character. As many fans, detractors, and industry journalists
noted, her breast size shrunk significantly in comparison to her original design and her clothing
revised to be more function over form. It is well known that Lara Croft constitutes as a sex
symbol, and the move towards realistic body proportions can be seen a move to appeal to the
ever-growing number of female gamers. The redesign had a focus of conveying realism and
relatability, aspects taken into the story written by a female pair as opposed to the male
counterparts in games past. As Zachary Levi asks lead writer, Rhianna Pratchett, in the promo
Tomb Raider : The Final Hours of Tomb Raider (Episode 2), Does it take a woman to know a
woman? As someone who played the game and enjoyed the drastic turn away from the extreme
sex appeal (in the first few hours you fend off Laras would-be rapist), the question becomes ever
so poignant.
Where success can be found in Lara Crofts redesign of both aesthetic and character,
continued pandering to male gamers can be found the questionable design decisions regarding
Quiet, a new female character in the equally old franchise Metal Gear Solid. Known for mindblowing plot twists, Hideo Kojima, co-producer/director/writer of the upcoming entry Metal
Gear Solid V, seemed to have a different angle of mind-blowing with Quiets sparse designor
did he? Kojima first admitted at Quiets design was designed with the word erotic (you dont
say?) in mind, but quickly backpedaled on the statement to revise the word to the more neutral
characteristic of sexy. Kojima went on Twitter to further address concerns and backlash over
the character by saying the following,
I know there's people concerning about Quiet but don't worry. I created her
character as an antithesis to the women characters appeared in the past fighting
game who are excessively exposed. 'Quiet' who doesn't have a word will be teased
in the story as well. But once you recognize the secret reason for her exposure,

you will feel ashamed of your words & deeds. The response of Quiet disclosure
few days ago incited by the net is exactly what MGSV itself is.
Where 2013s Tomb Raider took a step towards realism to alleviate male gaze and sexualization
of female characters, Kojima took the opposite route by creating a character so extremely sexual
and undeniably erotic that it functions as a negative core to her character. And Quiets
characteristic silence on the matter does not indicate her pride or embarrassment in how she
dresses either. Fans speculate that Quiet has the supernatural ability to camouflage, a relatively
ordinary ability in the franchises world, that is dependent on light from the Sun. The less
clothing she wears, the better her camouflage powers work. Still many have argued that this is
simply an exceedingly convenient excuse to create a character aimed at the male demographic.
What appears to be an overly blunt application of the maxim Sex sells, may in fact be the
characters redemption.
How gamers, male and female, react to a character who is silent on both the subject of
her potentially life-saving appearance and the subject of how her contemporaries like Lara Croft
are depicted in gaming community is to be determined. However, the result will either provide
ammo for the feminists that female representations in video games needs to change or that
increasingly character driven narratives will eradicate the excessive fan service that gaming can
produce.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WWRH 205-02: Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
Cybercultural Micro Analysis: FT86 Club

With the advent of forums as both a meeting ground and a place to learn, many specific
automobile models have dedicated sites for the curious and the fanatic. One such forum is
FT86club.com (hereby referred to as FT86), which emerged in 2009 due to the reveal of the
Toyota FT-HS concept car. The forum has changed along with the car; once the car became a
joint Subaru project, the forum changed its format to include a dedicated Subaru section. It
would be three years until the model went from concept to production. Due to this, FT86
functioned as primarily as a news outlet dedicated to the car or, depending on the source, a rumor
mill. The triple function of site: news, discussion, and education provide an interesting look into
the level of agency found in the cyberculture of specialized fandom.
Instrumental to the FT86s enduring community are the varied forums related to the
Subaru BRZ and Toyota GT86/Scion FR-S that cover comparisons to other sports cars, build
quality, rumors, and more. Forums provide an interesting blend of opinion and fact, and invoke a
level of agency that is not found in the simple comment sections of news articles. An often
discussed topic about the cars is the rumor of a turbocharged engine option to give the car more
power. The debate and rumors have circulated since the cars inception with various members
speculating on the matter. Some follow the official press releases of the chief engineers who say
no turbo will be offered. Other members simply say that those comments are designed to keep

sales afloat (if it is announced a turbocharged engine will be released, potential buyers will wait
for the option rather than buy the current model sitting on the dealers lot). Another faction
argues that a turbo will come with the next generation of the car model. What may start as a
press statement quickly evolves (or devolves depending on perspective) into opinions on the
necessity of a turboignoring the original question of whether or not the car will come with one
at all. Due to the level playing field of forums, current owners, future owners, fans, haters, and
anyone in between can fire off their opinion on the matter. User agency can keep threads going
for dozens of pages, and smart or witty comments can be thanked (a polite version of liking).
While forums function as a level-playing field where unsubstantiated opinion is
embraced, knowledge and evidence on the subject matter at hand are given their due respect.
One subset of forums deals with aftermarket add-ons to the car to enhance engine, handling, and
driving performance. Several manufacturers, seeing the size of the site, have created their own
user accounts to advertise their mods. Perrin, an aftermarket mod manufacturer, goes one step
further and does a breakdown of how their engine mods specifically affect engine power output.
By uploading dyno charts (engine output graphs) of how each part specifically enhances
performance, Perrin creates a high level of transparency with their product that users can assess
and compare to other brands. Looking at the signatures of the various users who list the
modifications they have made to their car, one can see various Perrin products on many different
users cars. Perrins transparency over their product gains the trust of the audience they are
targeting, and the users who list their modifications do all the direct advertising Perrin needs.
Moving away from the business aspect, there are certain forums that speak to the
community at large by functioning as dedicated warnings, such as a blacklist of unscrupulous car
dealerships or potential problems with the car. One notable example is the cricket noise/chirp

that some users report hearing coming from their engine bay after owning the car for several
months. For some time, this noise puzzled the communityboth those with engine experience
and those without. Users would commonly say, My engine started chirping yesterday, or 2000
miles in and no crickets, fingers crossed, and, due to the amount of users experiencing the noise,
some wondering if the car needed a recall, but others figured it was a noise to be expected. It
took the better part of a year to figure out the cause behind the noise was a result of both direct
and port fuel injection systems. Soon the collaborative community took a puzzling problem and
turned it into a running jokea meme solely for the websites community. The degree of agency
in the FT86 creates constantly shifting dynamics be it debating, marketing, or humor.
While user agency has so far been a gender-neutral term, the understated aspect of gender
brings up interesting characteristics about the community at FT86. User agency and user
sexuality have little correlation as users have no obligation to divulge their gender. For women
enthusiasts this helps them engage in conversation without gender roles coming into the
discussion. Throughout its history, car culture was a stage of hypermasculinity. Women were not
permitted to drive in America with the introduction of the automobile, and one look at current car
culture reveals how persistent that gender role is. Women frequently model alongside cars in
photoshoots, and FT86 displays that hypermasculinity with the thread BRZ WRB vs. Russian
Hottie [NSFW]. As one can imagine, a quite literal male gaze ensues with jokes being cracked
about the content (what wheels are those? Nice round sexy ones). And yet, even in this
masculine space, a woman (at least in name) writes, I cannot stop laughing at all you Guys
posts lol !!!, which shows that even in the face of institutional gender sexualization user agency
can deconstruct the image into a joke.

The last arena of user agency comes in a macro-level look at FT86s community. With the
lack of news about the car, the forums have moved away from reporting and rumors to
discussions and chats around the car. This builds a shared narrative amongst users, if they own
the car they share their feelings and thoughts about owning their respective model, and those
who do not own the car aspire to because of the glowing comments by the owners. The users
shared narrative of fandom extends from a digital space into a physical one when users organize
a meet-and-greet. For example, owners in southern California organize a location to rendezvous
at and put on their own impromptu car show dedicated to their single modela play date for car
owners. The meet takes photos of the cars in various arrangements and even while the group
goes for a ride together. After posting to the forums, other members comment on how good the
meet looked and some ask where the next meet will be held so they can try to make it.
On specialized fan driven sites like FT86, user agency and user involvement are critical
to maintaining the longevity of the site. FT86 organizes that user agency around a single item,
the car, and removes any barriers to entry. Owning the car is not a requirement, being a guy is not
a requirement, knowing the difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger is not a
requirement, liking the car (though theyll find little utility in the site if that is not the case) is not
even a requirementthe only requirement is to play by the sites code of conduct. FT86
represents a meeting ground for enthusiasts and track weekend warriors, those who mod and
those who stay stock, those who joke and those who laugh, those who sell and those who buy,
those who educate and those who learn, but most importantly, a place where user agency dictates
the flow of the website and the community.

Garrett Janssen
Professor Ristow
WRRH 205-02 Digital Rhetorics
March 13, 2015
E-dentity: Hello All You Malt Mates!

A man sits down at his barrel-of-a-table. Behind him is a bookshelf full of oddities, an
Isle of Man insignia, and coarse, white plaster that fills the background with quaint charm. On
his barrel sits a bottle of Scottish whisky, a spoon, a glass of water, and a Glencairn glass waiting
for a dram to be reviewed. The man is Ralfy Mitchell, an undertaker and whisky enthusiast, who
reaches whisk(e)y lovers around the world with little more than a camera, microphone, and
natural presentation skills. He starts with the Malt Mention, an alliteration of M words to set
the light-hearted tone. After the shoutout to the fan who suggested the Malt Mention, his
review of the whisky at hand ensues. Like the whisky he often reviews, the video is made up of
simple ingredients brought together in a quirky, delightful fashion.
In the greater scheme of YouTube, his channel, Ralfystuff, is modest in comparison. He
has only 50,000 subscribers. His most watched video does not even exceed 250,000 views. Even
his format of video blogs (vlogs) is not original, but where Ralfy does put up the numbers is in
content: 520 videos and counting clocking in a respectable 12.8 million views. The channel is not
concerned with grabbing views and advertising revenue. The channels purpose is educational,
and, when it comes to whisky, Ralfy has very little competition. These videos range from various
mini-series like Irish blended whiskies or distillery tours to topics pertinent to the whisky
industry like the Whisky Bubble. Some videos are more unconventional such as how pH can

affect the taste of whisky or simply a panoramic view of a Scottish vista. By any measure, the
breadth of content is impressive. The staple whiskies like Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, and the
Johnnie Walker line get their dues along with the more obscure whisky distilleries like St.
Magdalene or Tobermory. Rare malts are featured, a luxury some either cannot afford or cannot
procure. Worldly whiskies from Japan, America, or Finland get represented along with various
other spirits like rum and brandy. All of this is done to help educate consumers (the uninitiated
and the devoted alike) on the world of whisky and get them started on their many Malt
Moments in their Malt Journey. Ralfy offers advice by being proudly independenthe does
not accept samples, and takes a rigid stance on industrial artificial coloring, chill-filtering, and
most recently Non-Age-Statement Scotch whisky.
The success of the channel can attributed to his unassuming ethos. Both a consumer and a
commentator he occupies the space between customer and shop owner, industrial marketing and
word-of-mouth. His presentation style is unscripted (save for his tasting notes) and unedited
creating the illusion of a genuine, albeit one-sided, conversation about the drink on the barrel. He
stumbles over his words, he cracks an occasional joke, and he even does literal fireside chats at
the end of the year. He is unabashedly honest and critical even with some of his more favorite
distilleries (recently AnCnocs 18 year old). He has appeared in other whisky blogs online and
the eponymous whisky magazine, Whiskymag. Those who have interviewed him attest to his
nature, Instantly likeable and refreshingly down-to-earth, Ralfy is the whisky worlds video
review phenom. After trading email many times with Ralfy over the course of the past year, I
can attest he is every bit the kind soul you see on his 10 minute videos (The Collective, Ralfy
Mitchell).

Due to the video style of YouTube, ones physical appearance forms a strong sense of
identity. Ralfy uses his physical aesthetic to create consistency across the majority of his videos.
Ralfy wears everyday clothes and speaks in conversational language as he cuts through the
marketing flanel (past the 10 minute mark of whisky review malt of the year 2014 deserves
mention). He points out his brand aesthetic and ideologies after his review of Johnnie Walker
Blue Label (#243). In much the same way that whiskies create an image with their own bottle
design or label, Ralfy created his brand image via jumper and bunnet. Consistency is an
underlying theme for the channel found in the schedule of content, the re-reviews of whiskies,
the presentation style, and the appearance of the presenter. His informal presentation in which he
stresses are simply opinion creates a sense of honesty. Consistency is important too, not just to
create familiarity for viewers but also to keep his integrity as a reviewer. By putting on an
identity that is seemingly natural and organic, Ralfy Mitchells videos show how a medium as
easy to abuse as the Internet can breed trust. This trust exists in the comments section like in one
of his most recent videos (#521) commenter, Pete Brady, said, Ralfy, your 24 minute reviews
are a highlight each week! Have you ever considered writing a book? The great thing with you is
that its always more than just the whisky, but it's always linked, and, it's always interesting. Keep
it up!
This brand aesthetic and presentation style goes against the grain of the typical depictions
of a single-malt Scottish whisky drinker. Media often touts the image of old men enjoying their
refreshment while wearing smoking jackets or corporate suits surrounded by expensive leather
chairs and rich mahogany wood. Whisky is a strictly white-collar club you are invited into, the
young and curious need not apply. Ralfys blog and YouTube channel does not fall into this

category. It is immediately accessible and unassuming. It takes the perceived highbrow


sophistication of drinking single-malt and puts it on the bottom shelf where it is out of sight.
Ralfys ethos of only an experienced enthusiastbuying his whiskies with his own
money, possessing an average nose and taste abilities, and coming from humble origins
moves that previous white-collar image into a blue-collar one. And from this accessible platform,
Ralfy is able to command a small amount of market power from the Manx Bothy. In his
interviews online, Ralfy seems to waver between the notion that his channel presents a
problematic thorn for the whisky industry or as something fairly harmless in their grand scheme.
As he says in one interview, With the internets growing Global influence as an educator and
informer, well provisioned cash-rich Marketing Departments wish to control this medium
through sponsorships e.t.c. to keep the Message to their liking. Some bunnety anorak coming
along and gaining an audience not within their sphere of control, they dont really like it
(Kilmek 1). However, a year later Ralfy talks about his channel in another interview, The older,
traditional executives (if they notice) are bemused and probably mildly irritated, but not too
fussed so long as the standard Blended Scotch volume-sales grow in China and Russia, thats
where the main cash is (The Collective 2011). Despite his uncertainty over his influence, simply
looking at his videos reveals a trend. The Glendronach distillerys 15 Year Old Revival
received Ralfys Malt of the Year award and has enjoyed a fairly popular review garnering
some 50,000 views. And while views may not necessarily translate into sales, video comments
clearly show viewers buying and thanking Ralfy for the recommendation. Glendronach is now
one of the biggest names in ex-sherry-cask-matured whisky competing with the venerable
Macallan distillery. It is safe to say that a Ralfy recommendation carries some weight with it.

More important than the authenticity of his character through the haze of the Internet, is
how both the man and the character have used the platform to offer clarity on one of the more
obscure passions. Economics refers to knowledge of cultural pleasures like whisky appreciation
as cultural capital. But the cultural capital aspect goes beyond knowing that Glendronach is the
current it whisky is. Ralfys more educational videos offer a broader perspective than just
whisky knowledge. Ralfy has discussed cognacs and armagnac along with the various styles of
rum found in the Caribbean. Even more practical than having a wide knowledge of spirits is in
the proper manner to drink them. Ralfy dedicates an entire video to glassware and how vastly
different a whisky nose is between a tumbler (think the traditional whisky bar glass) and a
Glencairn or Copita (tulip shaped glassware) glass. Ralfy also discusses whether or not to add ice
or water to ones fine and often expensive liquor. Ralfy even talks about the dangers of alcohol
abuse in his video The Great Whisky Taboo and stresses quality over quantity as he explains
tasting a whisky frequently takes an hour to understand how the whisky evolves in the glass over
time. These topics are broader than the subject matter they are tied to and represent a wider
appeal to cultural capital.
Ralfys ethos of a blue-collar worker offering experience and perspective puts single-malt
whisky in a new focus. Away from the heavy marketing and exclusivity, single-malt is put in a
scenario where its intrinsic quality is on display, not the box it came in. No longer a victory sip
for a successful power play, whisky is used as a way to punctuate stillness in ones life. A maltmoment should be selected with care, and Ralfy is glad to point a malt-mate in the right
direction.

Bibliography

The Collective. "Feature Interview Ralfy Mitchell." Interview. Web log post. All Things
Whisky. All Things Whisky, 21 Aug. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.allthingswhisky.com/?p=177>.

The Collective. "Feature InterviewRalfy InterviewsRalfy." Interview. Web log post. All
Things Whisky. All Things Whisky, 1 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.allthingswhisky.com/?tag=ralfy>.

Kilmek, Oliver. "Whisky People #3 Ralf Mitchell." Interview. Web log post.Dramming RSS.
Oliver Klimek, 11 Sept. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.dramming.com/2010/09/11/whisky-people-3-ralf-mitchell/>.

Mitchell, Ralfy. "Ralfystuff." YouTube. YouTube, 5 Feb. 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.
<https://www.youtube.com/user/ralfystuff>.

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