Procedural Rhetorics Meet Platform Affordances: An Exploration of Community Rhetoric on Reddit

This article investigates the rhetorical dynamics emerging within Reddit communities, focusing on discussions surrounding the video game franchise The Last of Us . Building on the concept of procedural rhetoric, the paper suggests framing the collective articulation of meaning that emerges from the interaction between digital affordances—such as upvoting, moderation, and subreddit structures—and community practices in terms of “community rhetoric.” Drawing from a thematic analysis of posts and comments in two dedicated subreddits, the article identifies how content, attitude, and discursive climate shape participatory discourse. This framework is enriched by considering Reddit’s distinctive technical configurations, including pseudonymity and community self-governance, which foster specific discursive cultures. Rather than presenting Reddit as a neutral container, the study highlights how its infrastructural features actively mediate rhetorical production and sense-making. The paper contributes to digital rhetoric and media studies by offering a model that integrates platform affordances with user-driven cultural practices, showing how community engagement shapes knowledge, authority, and cultural narratives in online spaces. Limitations and future directions are discussed in light of applying the framework to other media fandoms and social platforms.