What is Otherkin?

[Drake Wingfire]

*ahem*  We do not talk about draconic.com here. o.=.o  Thou shalt speaketh naught of the Site that Must Not be Named.

Hahah XD

Fables: To your first paragraph I say; Yes that was the point I was trying to get across. As people we are all born neutral and its how we are raised that really can play on how closed off we make ourselves or indeed how open we can remain as we grow older :)


Your Second Paragraph; The phrase  "otherkin education" is something that would be parroted around at most "gated" communities like that. Its really something you would have to see for yourself to truly understand. We are by no means self loathing I can assure you of that. How ever, many of us out there believe that spirituality is all about finding your own path, everyone is different and not everyone will have the same experience. So when you go into one of these online "gated" communities and see people all trying to be the exact same, or better yet all trying to be just like "the popular guy" and parroting everything he does.. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, one that's a very familiar taste too *cough* religion *cough* everyone following one set mindset and methodology to try and achieve something that is better done on a personal basis. No need for your last line also, This was never about one idiot, this was about a group of people who decided to follow that one idiots example. If you are going to take anything from what I said take this... Spirituality is all about your individual identity, not some shake and bake pseudo religion where you follow the most popular guy.

[Fables]

Your Second Paragraph; The phrase  "otherkin education" is something that would be parroted around at most "gated" communities like that. Its really something you would have to see for yourself to truly understand. We are by no means self loathing I can assure you of that. How ever, many of us out there believe that spirituality is all about finding your own path, everyone is different and not everyone will have the same experience. So when you go into one of these online "gated" communities and see people all trying to be the exact same, or better yet all trying to be just like "the popular guy" and parroting everything he does.. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, one that's a very familiar taste too *cough* religion *cough* everyone following one set mindset and methodology to try and achieve something that is better done on a personal basis. No need for your last line also, This was never about one idiot, this was about a group of people who decided to follow that one idiots example. If you are going to take anything from what I said take this... Spirituality is all about your individual identity, not some shake and bake pseudo religion where you follow the most popular guy.

I.. am beginning to feel like you're out to misunderstand me. -facepaws-

I realize that spirituality in your own personal path, I have never said anything
against that whatsoever. And by using the term "'kinfolk education" I was making
light of the situation in which the both of y'all seem to have acquired a bad impression
of the community as a whole by judging them solely by the aforementioned "gated
communities". I was trying to say that it would be wise to let go of your bad experiences
and remind yourselves that just because they speak the loudest, doesn't mean they
speak for the community as a whole. Its for the very reason that one's 'kin experience
is personal, that we run into a lot of differences in opinion and weird interpretations
so where-ever you may go in this its wise to take everything said with a grain of salt
and not let their rabble define your opinions so firmly.

I understand completely that it was never about "one" idiot, I have identified as therian
for over a decade and I have seen the best and worst of the communities and communities
themselves come and go but it has never marred my opinions enough to drive me to passions.
When you've seen enough of it, I guess, it becomes merely humorous. I will admit that there
was plenty of time I found myself offended or insulted by beliefs I found but at the end of the
day one really has to remember that its a personal experience, and even the sheep following
the parrots realize that sooner or later they're getting nothing out of following rabble.

[Neox]

I never once said I regarded the otherkin community as black and white.  I know that every community has its goods and bads.  I was more or less just taking a crack at a tired old excerpt from my past experiences in draconic beliefs because most other (dragon) otherkin can relate and roll their eyes at it, and I knew Drake would at least get a chuckle. =P  Many many draconic otherkin started at the community at draconic.com and some realized that the place is just one big cult and left with that bad taste in their mouths, as you said.  Drake and myself and many others overcame that  bad taste to realize there was more to it than that.  I think Drake and I both digressed a little too much from the topic for the sake of sharing a couple "inside" jokes about the place; neither of us was actually segregating the otherkin community in this discussion (not on purpose anyway).

I've been a furry otherkin for almost ten years now.  I've seen enough in the first five to be able to formulate my own decisions on where I stand with each community, and I've gained a very opinionated view on the darker sides of them.  Usually when I start discussing the bullshit sides of otherkin and furries, it turns into more of a rant which people interpret as acidic rage; when really, I just enjoy yelling and waving my arms around (thank 2 the Ranting Gryphon, that cheesy bastard.) =P  I love both communities almost like family.  I also regularly bitch and scream with my RL family (though I still love them!), just the same as I bitch and scream with my "family" members in the furry and otherkin communities. XD

[Drake Wingfire]

I was just tossing my own tangents into the mix, Speaking from experience never holds a right or wrong tag, its subjective. We happen to know online communities do not represent the whole. While I agree that letting go of past bad experiences is a good thing, we know one ranting looney does not define a community, but when said person gets into this position of leadership.. That is when the cult-ish mindset starts to set in. But I will stop short here in saying.

"A nice man will put his past behind him and forget everything. A smart man will put his past behind him, but learn from it"

Just because we still remember said people and events from the past doesn't mean we have some bitter tangent, it simply means we know what A outcome may be and thus are more vigilant and less likely to get burned for being naive. I have met many great otherkin in my time and many.. other types. I will be honest, the ones I know who are balanced with their identity between kin and furry are some of the most outgoing people I met, capable of joking around with AND having some of the most deep conversations with at the same time. (Personal taste for me, I will take a joker over a stiff any day) All I really have been doing is taking my sarcastic crack at the ones who are so rigid and set in one community that they dare not venture out of their little safe havens out of some irrational fear that it would make them less of a kin or something when the opposite is true. Those who dare to step out of their comfort zones and homes grow to be much stronger a character than those who keep themselves confined.

[Pat The Fox]

Is it to late to make the joke that other kin is that sibling? Not that one, the other. >.>