ABSTRACT
This chapter expands on the first chapter’s brief description of when and why Reddit was created. It locates Reddit in a larger history of the popularized internet and describes the cultures and intellectual traditions that informed the creation and modification of computer-mediated communication technologies. In particular, it examines two of Reddit’s ancestors– Usenet and the WELL – considering the cultural values of their creators. The chapter goes on to consider the effects of the popularization of user-generated and user-curated content (“Web 2.0”) on internet culture before examining the values of Reddit’s creators and early users. It concludes by noting the dominant paradigms that inform studies of online communities.
