1. Sometimes There’s No
Sheriff to Deal with the
Outlaws
Josh Boyd
Purdue University

2. Outlaw discourse is:
A discourse of resistance to established
forms of argument
Based on logics that might be perceived
as immoral, illegal, or illogical
Willing to break rules, or refuse to act
within rules, of the dominant system
To some extent, postmodern

3. Outlaw discourse comes
from BANDS of outlaws,
not just isolated
individuals.

4. Much outlaw discourse
comes from organizations
that are
Small
Relatively
powerless
Concerned about
a system, not just
individual policies
Outside any
official authority

5. Outlaw discourse
from activists/NGOs

7. Gripe sites

8. The Wittenburg Door
“still nailing it to the church” (until
2008)
Mother Teresa labeled
“Loser of the Year
1996”
Fake and unflattering
interview with Focus
on the Family’s James
Dobson
Theologian of the year:
Buffy the Vampire
Slayer

9. “Satire is lining up 100 sacred
cows and shooting them all with a
machine gun. Whichever one
yelps the loudest, you shoot 10
more times.”
Robert Darden, editor, The Wittenburg Door

10. Outlaw discourse at
the Sochi Olympics

11. #CheerstoSochi

13. McDonald’s stopped using the
hashtag.

14. VISA: “Everywhere”

15. Outlaw discourse
from corporations?

21. What you need to know
about outlaw discourse
Risky.
Most useful for organizations outside
of power/authority.
Doesn’t have to be conventionally
rational to work.
Dangerous to respond to.