Poe in Cyberspace: When Pokerishness Went Viral

While reading a parody of “The Raven” on April 18, 1846, Abraham Lincoln enjoyed “several hearty laughs.” The excited public devoured fifteen parodies the poem and “innumerable” reprints, as tallied by F. O. Mabbott. Exploiting this unprecedented attention, Poe claimed he had planned it all, writing to W. Thomas May 4, 1845, “‘The Raven’ has great run … but I wrote for express purpose running.” Today, digital equivalent running occurs when an item goes viral social networks, explosively reaching thousands if not millions users. phenomenon is entirely natural: networks themselves develop refine proprietary algorithms select promote candidates achieve maximum coverage.Poe’s friend N. P. Willis promoted printing in Evening Mirror January 29, few days before its official publication. In his introduction, praised “imaginative lift ‘pokerishness.’” quotes around “pokerishness” made sure that readers accustomed literature carefully would get pun. word pokerish, denoting uncanny or spooky quality, was already adjective based noun, adding suffix ness, converted into abstract flavoring with verbal wit wordplay.Poe course different view, arguing Philosophy Composition” achieved sentimental final effect “mournful never-ending remembrance.” Although achieving popularity contemporary reprints parodies, left group highly respected deep reservations, their number including Henry James, B. Yeats, T. S, Eliot, Harold Bloom. For such stated dual goal, creating “that should suit at once popular critical taste.”The priority Poe, asserted case “Berenice,” be “sought after avidity,” which more important than conforming accepted standards taste. letter 30, 1835, enumerated ways overemphasis necessary: “In ludicrous heightened grotesque: fearful coloured horrible: witty exaggerated burlesque: singular wrought out strange mystical.” relevance doctrine could debated, problem remained skewed audience poem. biographer Kenneth Silverman suggested possibility appeal precisely because “a people who don’t like poetry.”The remark relevant us increasingly quarrelsome Internet, diverges from restrained age print. recent months, example, Internet been charged containing large quantities misinformation, conspiracy theories, even lies. Perhaps excesses reflect portion impatient slow pace compromising restraints traditional politics. other words, perhaps offers replacement politics ordinary politics.In any event, Word Wide Web quite first appeared: content relatively static, audiences were small. After 2004, 2.0, called, introduced dynamic presentations, active user-responses, sharing texts, images, videos. Perceiving new opportunities, advertisers jumped screen-covering banners strong graphics; however, viewers repelled them intrusive, subtle strategy developed deliver kind advertising, targeted each viewer through unobtrusive relentless collection, analysis, sale, application massive user behavior data.For nearly century media become politics, examples being FDR’s Fireside Chats radio, elegance JFK television, film star Reagan’s effective image, George Bush playing war hero aboard aircraft carrier, Obama’s experimental tone, pursuit ratings former real estate tycoon reality-TV host, Donald Trump. From 2015, began campaigning, 2021, office, Trump transformed primary element executive branch government, issuing estimated thirty-four thousand tweets status statements. unexpected power lost Russians, surreptitious efforts 2016 suppress votes selected states. As national attention turned similar interference 2020 campaign, Russians surprised everyone instead hacking American security software tools. By October 2019 they breached SolarWinds, service Fortune 500 companies U.S. Commerce, Treasury, State, Energy departments, thus affecting eighteen corporate institutional Two tools, FireEye CrowdStrike, also hacked. What emerged beginning possible cold cyberspace, dangerous place neither protected nor regulated. L. Friedman warned New York Times lead editorial dangers realm called ‘cyberspace’—where we’re all connected no one charge become[s] threat democracy.”It keep mind United States perfectly legal circulate material appear According Section 230 Communications Decency Act 1996, responsibility what transmitted, exempting recourse disseminated During months COVID-19 pandemic Trump’s medical assurances intensely controversial, exceeded late denial presidential election results, followed supporters taking up slogan “Stop Steal.” Facebook, Twitter, outlets found torn between supporting principle absolute free speech, led size most income (as long there further government regulation), sense culture dispensing.After played key role planning execution storming Capitol 6, finally themselves. Facebook suspended then banned certain supporters. Twitter adviser Michael Flynn, seventy QAnon-related accounts, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Moreover, Google, Reddit, YouTube, Snapchat enforced sanctions. overall result, according Zignal Labs, 73 percent decline misinformation.As term office ended, supporters, deprived access outlets, sites, especially those promising degree privacy. Many moved Telegram, provided encryption; Signal, competitor WhatsApp; Parler, favorite Proud Boys (Amazon Services eventually stopped serving site); Oath Keepers, far-right paramilitary outfit; QAnon, focus theories (some whose users switched Twitch); Three Percenters, named supposed small percentage participants Revolutionary War; Rumble, video-sharing app; Gab, network; DLive, live stream blockchain security. Apparently hastily deleted, many controversial posts recovered researchers Archive.Incidentally, during invasion Capitol, some protestors used chat live-streamed video motives staging event. Tim Gionet reportedly chatted sixteen fans where streaming attract donations $20,000 month allow streamers earn six figures year. Additional took Woozuh, Gloomtube, Louiz, Murder Media.In aftermath private lawsuits initiated victims riot against organizers adherents. Government antitrust actions loomed likely taken main networks. To burnish created Oversight Committee now ran full-page advertisements influential newspapers. investigation smartphone usage 6 incident, prosecutors discovered location data trace movements individuals home rallies Capitol. Few are probably aware sign agreements cellphone app providers regarding uses applied. Investigation reveal extent trafficking mobile advertising identifiers, called: Cuebig consumers; Hivestack checked ad revenue expenditures; Mogean tracked consumer GPS IDs; Ubimo information marketers; LBRY protocol build apps; Arweave storage permanent data.Although voting irregularities widely alleged documented. Of course, irregularity hardly issue. fact, part Poe’s life—or rather, death. With limited available, explanations death have never satisfactory. Joining suicide, murder, cholera, hypoglycemia, rabies, syphilis, influenza, additional theory builds report unconscious street very bad condition, wearing someone else’s clothes. Gunner’s Hall, polling Ryan’s Fourth Ward, day local Baltimore. emerges victim cooping, gang practice kidnapping strangers, plying alcohol, and, changing clothing, forcing vote several times directed. Possible unproven, death, anything appears tales, may another instance pokerishness.“Poe Cyberspace” columns available online ateapoe.info.