The Smell of Roses: Affordances in shitposts as a site of study

Shitposting is an internet practice that is often poorly known or misunderstood. Described as an absurd, low-quality form of online expression, shitposting is often dismissed as an illustration of mere nihilism and meaninglessness. But like many online trends, it can also be a site of struggle for certain alternative discourses that are often overlooked and can be viewed through critical public pedagogy to challenge our traditional reading of online content. This paper looks at three underexplored aspects of shitposting. First, we analyze shitposting as a form of counter-discourse entangled with the various injunctions of internet spaces and the overall commodification of online content. We then argue that, as third places become increasingly virtual, shitposts can serve as a convivial tool through which users express creativity and autonomy in community. Finally, we look at shitposting in light of algorithmic resistance, including its role in data-poisoning efforts and production of content not easily imbibed by machine learning models. In view of these three aspects, the paper argues that shitposting constitutes an arena of cultural production worth studying.