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Old 02-21-2006, 04:16 PM   #1
Neonatrias
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Default Furries

I know this is a very frowned upon topic, but seeing as this is Critical Thinking, maybe some people will be remotely mature. Note that also, this is in defense of furries -- me, us, whatever -- who are kind of tired of being harped on over this, so it's bound to be biased.

Quite a while back, I typed out something of an essay regarding the aforementioned topic. Lifestyle? I guess...Maybe. The term is similar to "emo." It's more of a genre of a generation than anything -- hardly a lifestyle (in my opinion). However, what I have found is that furries generally subdivide into two categories.

The first group would be the normal (loosely used) furries. They're the types who simply associate with a certain type of animal, or like acting like one, or whatever. Weird, yeah, but they tend to be decent people.
The second group is the "yiffers," for lack of a better term. I believe this is what bothers most people about furries. They're all unknowingly classified under this heading. From that sprouts the problem. It's a stereotype, similar to considerations that most or all black teenage boys are gangsters, or that all Mexicans drive crazily. Are they based in some vague observation? Yeah, most likely. However, they're not accurate at all.

The cold fact is that a large number of furries -- and trust me, I know a lot of them -- are just like that for the hell of it. It gives them a chance to be a little bit different, an excuse to be weird. Granted, all things have to be taken in moderation, and when it's taken too far, or too often, it turns into something that is indeed negative. For example, Eva's sig comes to mind. It's kind of disturbing, even to me.

But I want to make it perfectly clear -- not all furries are screwed-up horny scuzzballs who'll make love to anyone and anything in sight. It's unfortunate that we're all grouped like that. I'm sick of it and I'm sure others are, too. But you know, most are too afraid to come forward about it. Maybe it's because people are just insecure...Maybe there just aren't that many. But those that there are, I'm sure they're holding back among other people just so they don't get verbally torn apart.

If you've got a problem with it, fine. I'm not asking you to like furries. But I'm asking you to just quit with the flaming, the snide remarks, the sarcasm, whatever. Or at least make it funny. I can handle that.

Thanks for your attention.
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Old 02-21-2006, 04:43 PM   #2
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Default Re: Furries

Wow, this is one of those rare times where I am at a loss for words.

Scratch that, I have lots of words, none mature or appropriate enough for CT.
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Old 02-21-2006, 05:10 PM   #3
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Default Re: Furries

Furries are the bomb.
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Old 02-21-2006, 05:12 PM   #4
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Default Re: Furries

People who "relate" to animals..hmm... Isn't that really just a way of saying that you like a certain animal, while pretending there's something special about it?
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Old 02-21-2006, 05:13 PM   #5
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Default Re: Furries

Hold up...

A. WTF is a furry. Last I checked it was not a noun.
---It would appear from your speech that it is a person who acts like some form of animal (furry animal?)

B. People actually enjoy doing this?

B2. And you wonder why other people don't think this is odd/weird?

C. Why are you making a thread in CT that is little more than a rant? Threads need to have some sort of point so that others can reply with opinions/advice/knowledge.

C2. How is this topic frowned upon (apart from the obviousness of being messed in the head to act like a squirrel or something), and by whom?

D. You know alot of other people who act like Aardvarks or Bears? Do you all roam around in packs or herds? Have you all ever ganged up on a crippled kid and taken his lunch money to advance Darwin's theory of the strong survive?

Meh... why don't kids these days behave like they should. Drink, Smoke, and Orgy. None of this cutting nonsense, acting like unicorns and werewolves, or wallowing in self pity to get even with the cool kids.
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Old 02-21-2006, 05:42 PM   #6
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Default Re: Furries

Ah, Tass makes me laugh.

Anyways, not really a crit topic, but I guess it can be adressed.

It is exactly as you said, a stereotype, old habits die hard, especially in the mind of the people. Not much you can do about it.
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Old 02-22-2006, 11:47 AM   #7
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Default Re: Furries

Tass: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom

Neonatrias: stfu furry rofl
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Old 02-22-2006, 11:56 AM   #8
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Default Re: Furries

(sigh)
Neonatrias puts up an excellent point here. People like to shove all the people classified as 'Furries' into the actually very, very tiny subset of people who take things way, way too far. It's an unfair assumption, but sadly, simple human nature. You see things portrayed as one way (thank you Vanity Fair and I think MTV, let alone SA and other web culprits) and somehow there's no other way to define it.

As far as using the term 'relate' to animals, I know many people who carry more of a spiritual interest in the whole ordeal; interestingly enough, you'll find plenty of programs at (le gasp) furry conventions (/le gasp) based around spirituality, and if you'll believe it, none about 'yiffing'. None. Zero.

True, plenty of furries try to base it around sex, but the simple truth is, not everyone does, and the assumptions are unfair. I want to thank Neonatrias for being incredibly level-headed and doing a great job of trying to clarify things. I can already see plenty of you aren't going to take to this explanation for anything, but here's for trying.

PS -- I wrote this entire thing while waiting for the song 'Pondering Stuff' to end on a game of FFR. Sigh. I guess I'll have to boo/fail out. >|
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Old 02-22-2006, 10:14 PM   #9
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Default Re: Furries

omg Tass.


So then if I act like my act for like a half an hour doing all the abilities that cats can do, and only them. Meaning no walking, just cat-walking, jumping onto counters, or even eating off the floor will make me a Furry? If so..........then I already am.
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Old 02-23-2006, 12:21 AM   #10
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Default Re: Furries

Just for clarification: a furry is someone who likes acting like an animal/thinks they are an animal/whatever and a fursuiter is a furry that dresses up as that particular animal? With Yiffers being fursuiters that procede to hump other fursuiters?

I think the main problem with stereotyping furries is that people automatically assume that all furries are fursuiters... if my understanding of the distinction is correct.
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Old 02-23-2006, 01:28 AM   #11
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Default Re: Furries

I'm still laughing thinking about Moogy's pedophile thread. Definately the best thread Moogy has ever made.

And, uhm... yea. Kids these days need better hobbies, like I said above.
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Old 02-23-2006, 01:32 AM   #12
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Default Re: Furries

Hey there neon ^.^ Long time furry here.. 10 years strong.. if your ever on SecondLife give me a message, I used to play furcadia for a long time, until I went to Everqyest as a vah Shir.. but yeah.. furries rule, gave me the strongest imagination possible and never ending happiness
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Old 02-23-2006, 04:57 AM   #13
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Default Re: Furries

Sigh, where to begin.

Just for clarification: a furry is someone who likes acting like an animal/thinks they are an animal/whatever and a fursuiter is a furry that dresses up as that particular animal? With Yiffers being fursuiters that procede to hump other fursuiters?

Not exactly. The simplest definition of a furry is someone who enjoys the thought of anthropomorphism, the 'animalizing' of a human or 'humanizing' of an animal, enough to the point of role-playing one in situations or featuring one in creative works, whether actually creating the works or simply appraising. Others feel a spiritual connection, and that's their link to the 'furry-dom', and some, well, some just want to belong.

Got the fursuiter part about right, though. Fursuits are generally costumes of a person's personal 'avatar', worn over the full body. Expensive and generally well-made, with rare exceptions to either side.

I guess I'd define 'yiffers', having not used the term much myself, as any furry who decides to base their experience completely on sex. Happens a little too often to be healthy, unfortunately, and these are the ones people and the media like to base the entire view on.

I think the main problem with stereotyping furries is that people automatically assume that all furries are fursuiters... if my understanding of the distinction is correct.

Sorta. The big problem not just lies in that, but in that people seem to think all fursuiters are out there to hump other fursuiters and cause trouble and the like. There's a certain episode of CSI that shows this quite blatantly. I wrote a paper pointing out every single thing that was wrong or very, very poorly stereotyped with this episode for a college writing course and got a B+; should have gone into more detail apparently.

So then if I act like my act for like a half an hour doing all the abilities that cats can do, and only them. Meaning no walking, just cat-walking, jumping onto counters, or even eating off the floor will make me a Furry? If so..........then I already am.

Not...exactly. This makes you crawling around like a cat. I guess it's a push in the direction, but unless you enjoy and regularly do this, and don't just do it as a mockery of yourself, your cat, or other people, then maybe you're going in that direction.

And, uhm... yea. Kids these days need better hobbies, like I said above.

Yeah. But then again, whacking arrows with your fingers rabidly doesn't always help build massive social skills either, y'know. :P

Any thoughts? Other questions? I hope that after seven years experience and a few tries, I'm ready to field more ideas.

((Edited once to fix wording))
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Old 02-23-2006, 09:18 AM   #14
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Default Re: Furries

F³ -- Thanks for explaining it better than me. Somehow I figured it would need clarifying.
Moogy -- Props for the funny. =P
Tass -- Thanks for at least being mild about it. Yeah, some people enjoy it. Can't explain why, either. I wish there were something to accurately compare it to, but I guess there isn't.
Sapade -- I was on Furcadia for about 15 minutes before I got creeped the hell out. I'm never doing anything like that again.

Also, the reason I posted this here rather than CC was that I didn't feel like being flamed to death over something like this. Trivial, I guess.

Whether this stays open for further discussion (?) or gets locked is up to you, Tass. >>; Not much purpose for it anymore, is there?
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Old 02-23-2006, 05:26 PM   #15
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Default Re: Furries

Neo, glad to be of service. Having spent plenty of time around furries I'm getting a painfully clear view of it all, from the inside.

And yes, Furcadia is effing creepy. I got away from that crap a looooong time ago. It's like AOL for furries. There's a maximum IQ limit, I'm sure of it. XD
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Old 02-23-2006, 06:16 PM   #16
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Default Re: Furries

Furcadia NOW days is pathetic, thats why I stick to my second life.. so 3D and alot of furries on there, its amazing in my eyes. but if you want www.secondlife.com free basic account (must be over 18) my name on there is Sapade Sartre
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Old 02-24-2006, 09:21 AM   #17
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Default

Yeah, it's the whole "over 18" little bit that creeps me the hell out. Thanks anyway. >_>;;
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Old 02-24-2006, 09:25 AM   #18
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Yeah, honestly, I have no problem with furries. As long as they don't roleplay in my IRC channels.

Yeah, that actually happened once.
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Old 02-24-2006, 09:29 AM   #19
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Default

Ew...That had to suck. =/ Usually roleplaying/RPing/whatever you call it is in disjointed communities. >>; I do that from time to time, too...

...I'm one creepy kid. =)
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Old 02-24-2006, 10:34 AM   #20
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Default Re: Furries

Quote:
Originally Posted by fenixflamefox
Neo, glad to be of service. Having spent plenty of time around furries I'm getting a painfully clear view of it all, from the inside.

And yes, Furcadia is effing creepy. I got away from that crap a looooong time ago. It's like AOL for furries. There's a maximum IQ limit, I'm sure of it. XD

You're not a furry? Your AIM name is IanKitsune. :/
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