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Title:

What We Learned Watching Kids with Homemade Flamethrowers

Your vote:
Yes No
Organizer:
Tim Hwang, Tim (ROFLCON/The Awesome Foundation) Sawyer (Underwater Peoples Records)
Description:
There lies an often overlooked universe of microcommunities flourishing in the nooks and crannies of the web. We have explored one of these: a vast, underground world of homemade flamethower videos. 1,500 clips later, we've returned with unexpected conclusions about the nature of community and culture online. Fantastically dangerous awesomeness guaranteed!
Questions
Answered:
  1. Why are internet microgenres important?
  2. What is an internet microgenre?
  3. What are the homemade flamethower makers?
  4. How do you make a homemade flamethower?
  5. What are the tools for exploring the microcommunity universe?
  6. Where can these microcommunities be found?
  7. How does the homemade flamethower community interact online?
  8. What lessons do the flamers have to teach us about community building online?
  9. What lessons do the flamers have to teach us about the make-up of culture online?
  10. What is the online history of the homemade flamethower community?
Level:
Beginner
Category:
Case Study, Community / Online Community, Online Relationships, Social Networking, User Generated Content
Type:
Dual
Event:
Interactive 2010
Andrew Rea
on 17/8/09
Knowing one of the organizers personally, and having seen the method to the madness behind this analysis of flamethrower culture, I can tell you that this panel would be two things:

-Wildly entertaining
-Surprisingly informed and educating
Rachel Miller-Ziegler
on 17/8/09
This looks like a fascinating talk - micro genres are an under-studied area that I'd love to see more of at this sort of conference.
Hung Truong
on 17/8/09
I look forward to seeing Tim Hwang's panel and having my likeness mistaken for him yet again at SXSW 2010!
Mike Mimoun
on 17/8/09
I sincerely cannot wait to hear more about microgenres in general and homemade flame throwers specifically. Lets make this thing happen!
sawyer jacobs
on 18/8/09
For a little more information, and a Homemade Flamethrower music video, please check out the The Underwater Peoples Blog.

http://underwaterpeoples.blogspot.com/2009/08/underwater-peoples-homemade.html

Thanks for all the interest!
Carmen Barboza
on 18/8/09
I am excited for this "fantastically dangerous awesomeness"!
Amanda Pacitti
on 18/8/09
a lively experiment !
F P
on 18/8/09
I love it. All of it.
Jonathan Beilin
on 18/8/09
In addition to having an amusing subject matter, there are a lot of interesting questions that are raised by the idea of online microcommunities. Are microcommunities allowing people to be "outcasts" together or are they fostering valuable eccentricities?
michael mcgregor
on 19/8/09
great idea. in a niche world, important to understand micro-, sub- niches, especially as the world becomes more communicated. how are they represented? do they want to be apart of the mainstream? do they want an "actual" community? is there a "real" physical community? a place where these people meet, or is it strictly a viral destination for like minded associates? the world is moving this way, and we need to study how communicites become factions and how factions survive as a fraction of society as a whole.
Courtney French
on 19/8/09
If this isn't picked, well, I'm sorry for your loss, SXSW.
Nate Smith
on 20/8/09
i can somewhat relate as my friends and i were into making potato guns. we got to the point where we could shoot a whole potato across my lake. unfortunately, a duck got in the way kind of like that bird that met randy johnson's fast ball and we had to discontinue. as mr. mcg asked, i feel it more as a viral destination, something that is exhilarating. will the can explode? but i only feel this way about the youngsters doing it. as for the grown men with gasoline back packs and a fire hose. well that's a whole new ballpark my friend and i would be very interested in reading up on that.
Richard Law
on 20/8/09
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
fun for the whole family!
Mark Jacobs
on 20/8/09
Looking forward to learning more about the culture of microcommunities.
sawyer jacobs
on 20/8/09
yo,

check out this beautiful article McGregor wrote on our behalf. Gives a great outline of whats going on. kid gets it and we really appreciate it.

http://flavorwire.com/34915/what-we-learned-watching-kids-with-homemade-flamethrowers#more-34915

Chris Lesinski
on 23/8/09
Can't wait to see it! I've heard great things about Tim's other presentations.
Bill Bushey
on 24/8/09
I love it; unique and entertaining. Seriously, who else is working on microcommunities and flamethrowers? This just sounds like all kinds of awesomeness.
Naomi Rennard
on 1/9/09
This sounds fascinating.

I think in the future, sociologists and anthropologists will look to these types of discussions to form broad based conclusions about this day in age. I look forward to the fantastically dangerous awesomeness of the panel.
Ari Stern
on 2/9/09
As the internet becomes more and more apart of our everyday lives, it is only natural for groups of enthusiasts, hobbyists and friends to join together in our constantly expanding cyber world to not only share in their joys (in this case supersoakers filled with lighter fluid and the resulting carnage of flames)in their common interest but to also redefine what the term community means. These small niche micro-communities are only the beginning of how the internet is becoming more specific and customized to operate optimally on an individual level. A landmark and important discussion!
jenie tucker
on 3/9/09
i echo ari stern's statements. beautifully put. sawyer jacobs and tim hwang's study is a pivotal dialogue to subdue the common misperception that the internet isolates individuals and instead this discussion will demonstrate the glories and cohesion the internet brings!
Tom Oldham
on 5/9/09
I agree with Naomi Renards comment, I look forward to hearing what conclusions are drawn, nice to see south by has some fresh ideas for panels being put up here. Also - flame throwers. this is a no brainer.

Allie Semenza
on 6/10/09
i totally agree with ari and jennie. such an interesting and enlightening study.
tiffany jewelry
on 20/10/09
Good idea for a panel. Case studies ARE good. :)
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Games Online
on 3/11/09
Looks like a great one!
tiffany sterling silver
on 16/11/09
These small niche micro-communities are only the beginning of how the internet is becoming more specific and customized to operate optimally on an individual level.
M4R Converter
on 18/11/09
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