Here, the author explores a paradoxical type of "boldness-in-cowardice" (German "TapferkeitFeigheit") that is all too familiar to any internet user. The trope of the knife-wielding street psycho is used to mobilize a cluster of meanings associated with the dangerous world outside (netspeak "IRL"), in stark contrast to the safe confines of the computer room/womb.
posted Nov 16th, 2006 ( permalink )