“Good” Grief: Subversion, Praxis, and the Unmasked Ethics of Griefing Guides

Matthew Beale Dominion University College ; Megan McKittrick Old Dominion University ; Daniel Richards

Abstract

This article uses genre-field analysis (GFA) to examine Minecraft griefing guides: user-generated documentation that operationalizes destructive approaches to gameplay. Griefing guides promote subversive praxis while forwarding a utilitarian ethical system that alues hedonistic schadenfreude, running counter to morals of cooperation championed by most Minecraft players. Published in online forums where debates over conflicting praxis continue, these guides explicitly address, rather than mask, the negotiation of ideological values and ethical systems within a community.

Journal
Technical Communication Quarterly
Published
2016-07-02
DOI
10.1080/10572252.2016.1185160
Open Access
Closed

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
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Cites in this index (6)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Technical Communication Quarterly
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  1. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
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