The "Furry" Generalization

[Neox]

Something you didn't really include though neox, people who are furries often are predisposed to being so due to certain life events and/or personality types, for examples christians are less common among furries because many christians believe that being furry would conflict with their beliefs. Because of this, one could presume that it is indeed possible there is more drama among furries, or more deadbeats or whatever label you want to put on a particular person than if you generalized all people throughout the region, there really isn't any way to prove either way, unless you could somehow do an accurate survey of all furries.

In many cases, you are right; but over the grand spectrum of the furry community, I think you will be disproved.  I've been around the fandom for a long-ass time, and I've observed so many people from different backgrounds and composure.  You might be referring to the typical teen furry: a kid going through his/her adolescent years, constantly fighting with their parents, full of angst, hormones, and wanting to be different from mainstream society, so they join the furry community.  What better engine to power drama?  No doubt that these people account for a good percentage of our ranks in the fandom, but I've seen an equal amount of folk who had the exact opposite childhood: folks who get along with their parents like best friends, loved going to school and love working, and otherwise have no clear predisposition that would have landed them here in the fandom.  For me, it was my artistic talents that led me to become a furry; for others, it was their desire to emulate an animal of their liking.  I've yet to find a fully composed a criteria for marking an individual who is destined to be a furry.

I speak with confidence because, over ten years of being fully immersed in the furry community, I've compiled my experiences and observations into what I believe to be a fairly accurate understanding of the community, and its plethora of sub-genres, cliques, and beliefs.  Call it a cumulative "survey," if you will.  I will never claim to have seen EVERYTHING; but I have seen a LOT.  I will say that probably a good 50% of my life is ado with my friends and experiences in the furry community.

And also: I think that, out of my hundreds of friends and acquaintances in the fandom, I'd estimate that at least half of them are Christian or similarly religious.  Some may not be so devout as others, but they still hold some faith in their beliefs.

Also ALSO: The use of the word "furiends" seriously makes me cringe.  Seriously. :|

[Elias.Ringtail]

Also ALSO: The use of the word "furiends" seriously makes me cringe.  Seriously. :|

"Fursecuted" is the one that makes me grind my teeth. :/

[Temrin]

yeah... Seeing people putting "fur" into whatever words possible makes me cringe, so i hear ya.

The only exception being convention names lol.

[Sevrin]

"Fursecuted" is the one that makes me grind my teeth. :/

whats really terrible is when a furry uses the word fursecuted while talking to a non furry... thats just about the quickest way to make someone hate furries, that and talking about your sexcapades with other furs and constantly using the word "yiffing".

[Tef]

really? that's weird, cause I've only ever, out of the hundreds of furs I've seen, seen one christian furry. (well only seen one that stated they were christian, at least) maybe I just don't ask enough questions O.o

Given that Christians have been the butt of jokes and discrimination because of what politicians are proving themselves out to be on news, I wouldn't be surprised if a considerable amount of Christian furries try to closet their beliefs.

I digress.

@Temrin, Neox: True enough. Furpaccino? No thanks!

P.S. Neox, I really enjoy reading your posts man. No seriously.

[Ja'Nathun]

You know, Neox, when I read your opening post, I find it easy to agree with everything that you're saying. It's like a matter of common sense: it seems so obvious...but only when someone says it.

I'll be honest, I've found myself struggling to understand this issue for a while, having been a victim of it many a time before. I've fallen into the trap of thinking "I know many furries who are nice. Here's a new furry to meet. They MUST be nice!" but it's never that easy. Lol, I dealt with a similar problem when I began working in an electronics store in a part of town just chalk FULL of old people. I thought to myself, "this won't be so bad. Old people are just like my grandparents. I'm sure they're all just as nice. It's what happens when you get old." Boy was I wrong! It didn't take me long to figure out that old assholes can and DO exist, and it's all because they used to be young assholes. Being old does not make you nice; you are who you were. In like manner, being a furry does not completely change who you are, or who you were.

Also, Neox, to add further support to what you're saying about how certain groups all claim to have their own brand of drama, I've given plenty of long-winded speeches to a good friend of mine, who is gay, before about how stupid it is to use the words "Gay Drama" in any sentence about himself or his friends. Nothing changes just because he's gay.

Funny story, though, you can make an anagram out of Gay Drama if you say A Mad Gary.

[tokar]

"You might be referring to the typical teen furry: a kid going through his/her adolescent years, constantly fighting with their parents, full of angst, hormones, and wanting to be different from mainstream society, so they join the furry community."

could it be that "becoming a furry" is the 1060's hippie of the 20teens?

[Wereman]

Tokar, you probably mean 1960s furries? Furry can be a rebellion of some sort, especially if you are not part of the fathom. One regretful thing, when new and young members join the community (which we always welcome), they act out and experience things. For member who have been in the fathom for a long time this can be a damper but we are here to educate them.

Oddly enough the adding the "fur" feels acceptable to site a few examples:

http://www.furnation.com/wereman/az6.gif
http://www.furnation.com/wereman/az2.gif
http://www.furnation.com/wereman/az7.gif
http://www.furnation.com/wereman/az8.gif

Using altered words to non-furries is less acceptable indeed.

Back to a topic Drake posted earlier in this thread, pay your part of the ride when you are driven to an event. There is the saying the more you give the more you get back, though this doesnt always apply to everyone. Some need to pinch every penny they have, but if they cannot pay their part they need to face the consequences decline their participation. Then you have to make the decision that you have to save up to join an event in the future and pass on a current event

[Temrin]

Wereman, those are all furry related -titles.- That it self is acceptable. Conventions do that every year for their theme titles as well as furry related websites and company people have made in relation to the fandom. (Furplanet for example.) Its when people, in every day chat, start saying fur instead of for, furiend instead of friend. paw instead of hand, and pretty much inserting "fur" into ever work ever possible to fit it into, as well as other words (like tail wagging, howling -both irl and online-, etc) on a more then an "every so often" thing. I've said paw instead of hand before. but i do not make a habbit of it. It sounds extremely childish in my opinion anyways. And as I've read, quite a few others think so as well. Just because we like cartoon animals (which to most people, seems childish) doesnt mean we cannot talk like mature adults. Talking like mature adults makes people respect us more. Many non-furries look upon edited "fur" text as immature, childish, and as a few have said to my face, when talking about the fandom, unbelievably stupid sounding. Since most furry websites are viewable to the public eye, the people who act very.. 'eccentric' about the fandom in these quirky ways are the ones that make a lot of outsiders go "wtf is this? a child circus?"

That is what i've heard from a lot of outsiders that had the balls to approach me and ask for clarification. Those people realized that not all of us are like that after i explained a lot of things. But what about all the rest right? Private forums and between IMs/notes/PMs the people, go ahead and say what you want in regards to fur flavouring your text. XD But this is just me saying that some outsiders think we all do this and think we are utterly immature.

Sorry if all that sounds extremely harsh to anyone.

[Spirit]

Neox, I want to thank you for your opening post...  I saw alot on the forums the last little bit, and sad to say it actually started to turn me away quite a bit.  I became a fur due to personal feelings and beliefs, and I truly embraced it when I was able to meet other furs and just be me.  I dislike alot of the posting regarding drama in other threads and the direction it was taking.  I saw alot of mini wars breaking out and just as in highschool different groups of furs getting closer together and combating other furs in verbal arguements in the forums.  That is NOT what the fandom is about, in fact its the exact opposite.  I enjoy the fandom/lifestyle because we tend to be open and accepting and welcoming.  I consider the furs like another ethnic background for this particular example.  Show me any other culture/ethnic background, that does not have the same problems we encounter within our fandom/lifestyle.  We are not perfect nor is any other culture out there.  We have a common factor, being a fur, but we all have different personalities.  This needs to be understood.  Some of this "drama" that has been mentioned isn't just acting out, I know of a few furs that have underlying issues that are not fully within their control, and are just mislabelled as dramatic.  We need to take that into consideration before just throwing out drama tags.  Remember we have fought hard to have an acceptable image within our community and to the views of non furs, lets not digress backwards here to a sense of persecuting those within our fandom while we are on the verge of escaping persecution to some extent.  That does not mean that childish and mooch type behaviour is acceptable.  The people out there that are just abusing the furrie community for its generosity need to walk now because your all obvious as to who you are and you will eventually find a cold should everywhere you attempt to mooch or misbehave.  But those with legitimate issues need to be respected too.  Sometimes we may have something serious on our plates, and we might lash out or react in manners we dont normally, that isnt grounds to point fingers or paws and call out drama.  I think talking to those in question will help, but if it persists, then remove the negative elements from the good bunch and lets move forward.  I love my new found fur friends and community, but if we cant step up to the plate and act in the manner we demand the rest of the non furrie community to see us as, then I for one will not sit in the middle, i'll extract myself and stand as a solitary fur as I would feel thats better than the other option to stay in the middle and get caught up on wordplay, drama and wars.  Love, acceptance and good hearted people wearing fur, thats the basis of the furrie community (or at least it was).  Ya, i'm a new fur, but it doesn't take any value away from what I just said above...

[Silvermink]

could it be that "becoming a furry" is the 1060's hippie of the 20teens?

I think we're pretty far back in the line to claim that particular role. :)

[Nibi]

Funny story, though, you can make an anagram out of Gay Drama if you say A Mad Gary.

This made me laugh. xDDD

And as a new furry and new to this website I'd like to point out that I wasn't discouraged to join at all because of the drama I saw. I honestly wasn't surprised, it's in every forum site I've ever visited. No matter where you go there will always be people who cause drama and take advantage of other people.

[Temrin]

@Nibi not all people are as understanding that drama is everywhere. Can cause some unneeded grief when you find those people who dont look at the bigger picture.

[Wereman]

Thank you for sharing you viewpoint, Temrin. You will always have a group not linked to the fathom but who heard of it making falsified assumptions. One part of them are ready to be educated about it while the others stay with their assumption and even prejudice.

I think it took me several years to explain to one individual that we are not making love to animals (that b-word). It would not come as a surprise that several individuals who heard about the fathom may have such assumption.

[Nibi]

Thank you for sharing you viewpoint, Temrin. You will always have a group not linked to the fathom but who heard of it making falsified assumptions. One part of them are ready to be educated about it while the others stay with their assumption and even prejudice.

I think it took me several years to explain to one individual that we are not making love to animals (that b-word). It would not come as a surprise that several individuals who heard about the fathom may have such assumption.

I'm not going to lie when I say I first thought that's what being a furry was about. But then I started watching videos on YouTube of the cons and going onto furry websites and very quickly learned it had nothing to do with that at all. XDD