The Western Imageboard Culture is literally the biggest and most unnoticed cultural and sociological event in the early 21st century. Culturally, it is has revolutionized how the western world has communicated with each other. Sociologically it has revolutionized how people from all walks of life in the Western World communicate and express each other. It is the biggest and most unnoticed cultural and sociological event for seven years primarily because of the overwhelming focus on the sensational aspects of the western imageboard culture. This overwhelming focus on the sensational overshadows the many good that came from the culture. This is known as the “Great Tragedy” of the imageboard culture.
The first part of the Great Tragedy is that the imageboard culture has been misrepresentated, and in some cases, naturally misunderstood by the mainstream world. The first misrepresentation is the overwhelming focus on internet catchphrases and memes. The second misrepresentation is having one major board of a major imageboard as the focus (read: /b/), and focusing on activities that come from it that does not represent the true nature of the culture. There are other imageboard sites that do not have the same mentality as manifested in the real world.
The second part of the Great Tragedy is that most of the history of the imageboard culture has been undocumented. Most parts of the imageboard culture that gets documented are the most popular and sensationalistic boards of one site and not the wide range of boards that one imageboard offers. Even then each board has its own history and culture. None of that has been documented properly.
When it does been documented by various sources, it’s a mixed bag. Some of the sources drop off or die off due to various reasons. Some sites deliberately create false facts of the culture for entertainment
The worst part of the second part of the Great Tragedy is that most threads in imageboards eventually get deleted off the board naturally. Since most of the imageboard culture is made by threads with content that get reposted again and again, due to the nature of imageboards, most of the culture is formed similar to common law in any Western judicial system. Basically, unless it’s documented or people remember or record it, it doesn’t exist.
The best way to stop this Great Tragedy is simple, by being proactive about it. That is the real reason why The Society for the Study and Preservation of Yotsuba Channel, or Yotsuba Society, was created. Yotsuba Society is named after the Japanese pronunciation of 4chan: Yotsuba Channel. (And that is why our full title is called The Society for the Study and Preservation of Yotsuba Channel.)
(And no we’re not related to the comic book “Yotsuba&!” (Although it’s a very enjoyable read))
The primary reasons for founding Yotsuba Society are to counter the misrepresentation of the imageboard culture by documenting everything that happens in the culture. History, actual culture, anything about it, it will be there.
Yotsuba Society will cover where Wikichan stopped, where Encyclopedia Dramaticatica deliberately refuses to cover properly, what Know Your Meme does not mention, and what 4chanarchive doesn’t preserve.
Our front page will feature articles, reports, and historical records of the culture. We have a wiki where you, the channer can edit or make your own articles of any topic related to the culture. We also have our own imageboards so you can discuss the culture, and as for you to have a home for any topic that you want to discuss or have fun with. Soon we will create a thread archive database where YOU can submit threads and even pictures you saved from any imageboard that you think it’s culturally valuable to us.
Our goal is simple: To study and preserve the culture and history of Western Imageboard Culture. That is what YS is about.
P.S. Yotsuba Society is also unrelated to YS, which is actually a good RPG video game series.
On behalf of Yotsuba Society, enjoy the site.