[QUOTE=Silver Tyger Girl]
I included question one because most furries I’ve seen have a fursona - an animal persona of varying states of anthropomorphic-ness. Some have more than one. This persona’s use can vary from being an online identity (like mine) to an actual fantasy to (for the really weird ones) what they think they’re actually like (yes, some VERY WEIRD people think they are actually foxes or dragons or something and some magical force is keeping people from seeing them like that. I repeat these are VERY WEIRD people and a VERY VERY small minority).
For most people it’s no different from a Star Trek fan having a Vulcan character as their online persona.
The tail and wings, well among other things it gives me something to focus on besides ‘my sister is in the hospital again’ (which is the last time it came up). I imagine I can feel my wings wrapping around me like warm blankets and it helps me feel safe. Imagining myself as ‘Silvercat’ means that I can defend myself, I can take care of myself, I’m strong and brave. I can often feel a sensation in various parts of my body - my shoulders, my tailbone, my ankles where my body would be different. For the record - again, I don’t think I actually have a tail or wings or anything like that. This sensation is, well not completely imaginary, but not connected to anything. (I get the same thing when I’m reading about someone getting injured - it tingles where they hurt. It’s a weird thing and probably a symptom of my overactive imagination.)
Does that help? Did that do anything besides make people think I’m really really weird?
[/QUOTE]
It does help, and while it does sound unusual, I have heard of weirder things around here! I must admit, I am particularly interested in the fact that it helps you manage stress. What you and Small Hen have explained about it does not entirely surprise me, as I think that fantasies are often used for that purpose. I just hope…and I don’t want this to be taken the wrong way…that you don’t use it as too much of a crutch. I have no idea if it’s a healthy way to deal with stuff, but I’d imagine that it could become unhealthy under certain circumstances.
[QUOTE=winterhawk11]
That said, though, I think even I would have a little bit of an issue if the woman had Barney paraphernalia or other things related to very childish activities as cube decorations. But dragons just mean she’s a geek, and might help her meet other geeky coworkers. I don’t see the problem.
[/QUOTE]
No, we have some personal stuff. She had pictures of her cat up in the cube as well. Thing is, it’s a small office and we all pretty much had a measure of each other by then. It would’ve only taken a moment’s thought to realize it wouldn’t get a positive reception, if not a negative one either. Besides, it wasn’t a cube decoration, but they were actually sitting on top of the wall facing outward. They weren’t there for her, but directing them to the other coworkers instead.
I talked to her about it afterward and she said she specifically likes seeing people confused by geekiness, so she was intentionally going for awkward. At the time, though, it struck me as horribly missing the point. shrug
If being a furry is not primarily about sex, why does nearly every post with examples of furry art include the warning “but don’t click on any other links, because some of what you find might be not safe for work.”
If it’s not a sex thing, why is a warning like that even needed?
[QUOTE=Justin_Bailey]
Question for those of the fursuasion.
If being a furry is not primarily about sex, why does nearly every post with examples of furry art include the warning “but don’t click on any other links, because some of what you find might be not safe for work.”
If it’s not a sex thing, why is a warning like that even needed?
[/QUOTE]
To some it is a sex thing as has already been stated and to most it is not as has aleady been stated.
Seriously you can find anything taken to the sex angle on the internet even furniture. Google “furniture porn”.
I just want to thank **LurkMeister ** for the Kevin and Kell comic link it is quite comical and I am enjoying it.
[QUOTE=levdrakon]
But, I don’t belong to a defined sub-culture, so excuse me for being curious. I don’t think I’ve been abusive.
[/QUOTE]
No, you haven’t been abusive, and if anything I’ve said in response to any of your posts has given you the impression that I thought so, I apologize. As you may have gathered, some of us do get a bit defensive, particularly when someone trots out the “all furries are perverts who want to have sex with animals” crap. Please, if you have any questions about furry fandom, feel free to ask.
Because a lot of furry artists, just like many other artists, sometimes do adult material to one degree or another. This might be just anthropomorphized animals with exposed breasts (and more), or sexual activity, or other bizarre things.
And, on preview, you’re welcome Tahssa. I have most of the books (I need to get the last few one of these days).
[QUOTE=LurkMeister]
No, you haven’t been abusive, and if anything I’ve said in response to any of your posts has given you the impression that I thought so, I apologize. As you may have gathered, some of us do get a bit defensive, particularly when someone trots out the “all furries are perverts who want to have sex with animals” crap. Please, if you have any questions about furry fandom, feel free to ask.
[/QUOTE]
The Yahoo! group I mentioned earlier had exactly one member into bestiality but he didn’t last long, being as he obviously misunderstood what the group was for.
I also mentioned Doug Winger earlier, though I much prefer his not-so-bizarre things.
[QUOTE=LurkMeister]
Because a lot of furry artists, just like many other artists, sometimes do adult material to one degree or another. This might be just anthropomorphized animals with exposed breasts (and more), or sexual activity, or other bizarre things.
[/QUOTE]
But again, if it’s not a sex thing, why are NSFW images so prevelant in furry fandom. I mean, it’s a pretty safe bet that if I link to a Star Wars fansite, odds are it won’t have a drawing of slave girl Leia getting reamed by Chewbacca.
Although, come to think of it, I’m sure an image like that is on a furry fan site somewhere.
[QUOTE=Justin_Bailey]
But again, if it’s not a sex thing, why are NSFW images so prevelant in furry fandom.
[/QUOTE]
I think it has to do with all those funny animal cartoons and a want to do something with the characters that would otherwise never see the light of day. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of the risqué stuff that animators stick into the backgrounds of cartoons. From there it’s a natural progression to carrying the risqué into original creations, particularly if someone is paying for it.
[QUOTE=Justin_Bailey]
But again, if it’s not a sex thing, why are NSFW images so prevelant in furry fandom. I mean, it’s a pretty safe bet that if I link to a Star Wars fansite, odds are it won’t have a drawing of slave girl Leia getting reamed by Chewbacca.
Although, come to think of it, I’m sure an image like that is on a furry fan site somewhere.
[/QUOTE]
The furry conventions I’ve been to have generally featured a small-scale art show room much like a typical SF convention. It seems like, while there were sexually explicit images at such shows, they were a small proportion of the total. They were also restricted to an “Adult” section at the back of the room. Yes, if you didn’t happen to notice the sign (like me), it was a bit of a “what the hell?!” moment to turn that corner.
I wouldn’t argue that it’s not a sex thing for anybody; clearly it is. It’s just not a sex thing for everyone.
Personally I think it’s the fault of the furries who are also anime fans. They give everyone else a bad reputation. Of course anime fans are all perverts.
[QUOTE=Terrifel]
The furry conventions I’ve been to have generally featured a small-scale art show room much like a typical SF convention. It seems like, while there were sexually explicit images at such shows, they were a small proportion of the total. They were also restricted to an “Adult” section at the back of the room. Yes, if you didn’t happen to notice the sign (like me), it was a bit of a “what the hell?!” moment to turn that corner.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, there’s probably a “vocal minority” factor as well.
[QUOTE=Justin_Bailey]
But again, if it’s not a sex thing, why are NSFW images so prevelant in furry fandom.
[/quote]
Because there are certain things you Do Not Google For, even if what you seek is innocent? Because 95% clean still means there’s a 1 in 20 chance that you’ll see something that makes your eyes bleed?
Just letting you know - I didn’t take this the wrong way. The truth is, I’m not sure it was a healthy outlet. I didn’t have a healthy outlet during that time. I was depressed and anxiety ridden for a few months in the spring. I wasn’t sleeping. Sometimes the mouse thing helped me sleep, and sometimes it was drinking until I passed out. Neither were especially proactive, but one didn’t fuck with my liver (I get sporatic depression every few years. I’m much better now.)
If you met me, you would never know that I think this way. I interact normally in society. I’m smart, though not especially well spoken. I dress normally, eat normally, do normal things. I have a few friends. Now I’m not saying that everyone is a little bit furry, but I do think that if you pick your average person off the street and dig deep enough into their brains, you’ll find a touch of freak.
[QUOTE=Small Hen]
Just letting you know - I didn’t take this the wrong way. The truth is, I’m not sure it was a healthy outlet. I didn’t have a healthy outlet during that time. I was depressed and anxiety ridden for a few months in the spring. I wasn’t sleeping. Sometimes the mouse thing helped me sleep, and sometimes it was drinking until I passed out. Neither were especially proactive, but one didn’t fuck with my liver (I get sporatic depression every few years. I’m much better now.)
If you met me, you would never know that I think this way. I interact normally in society. I’m smart, though not especially well spoken. I dress normally, eat normally, do normal things. I have a few friends. Now I’m not saying that everyone is a little bit furry, but I do think that if you pick your average person off the street and dig deep enough into their brains, you’ll find a touch of freak.
[/QUOTE]
Probably true! I definitely think that everyone has their own way of dealing with stress, and you are right for sure that drinking excessively is not the best possible option. The thing I think is particularly unusual about how you and STG have described it is that it really does seem like the kind of things kids do when they are scared. My personal experience has been that my adult brain is simply not capable of “experiencing” a fantasy to the point where it would actually help me escape from my fears or stress, you know? I mean, even if I tried really hard, I don’t think I could do it. Maybe I’m unusual in that regard, I don’t know. But I’m definitely not surprised that you have a “normal” life…I think a lot of regular-type people have stuff “behind the scenes” that others would find freaky, as you say.
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena]
My personal experience has been that my adult brain is simply not capable of “experiencing” a fantasy to the point where it would actually help me escape from my fears or stress, you know? I mean, even if I tried really hard, I don’t think I could do it. Maybe I’m unusual in that regard, I don’t know. But I’m definitely not surprised that you have a “normal” life…I think a lot of regular-type people have stuff “behind the scenes” that others would find freaky, as you say.
[/QUOTE]
I’m not sure if it’s unusual or not, but I do see this attitude from time to time–and trust me, it’s completely the opposite from my side of the fence. That is, it’s hard for me to understand there are people who CAN’T create fantasy places and identities inside their heads, and that they really don’t understand that it’s possible.
I know a lot of people think fantasy lives or being able to play imaginative games is indicative of childishness, but I prefer to believe that the adult part of the ability is knowing when and how to turn it on and off.
[QUOTE=Zeriel]
I’m not sure if it’s unusual or not, but I do see this attitude from time to time–and trust me, it’s completely the opposite from my side of the fence. That is, it’s hard for me to understand there are people who CAN’T create fantasy places and identities inside their heads, and that they really don’t understand that it’s possible.
[/QUOTE]
I’m not sure what attitude you are referring to. My only point is that it seems to me that many adults lose the ability (or desire? Not sure which.) to have this kind of fantasy life, so it’s interesting to me that some adults do, and that it can be a tool for them in managing stress or fear or whatever. I certainly never said that I don’t understand how it’s possible that someone might have a different experience from me in this regard.
Why would I think the ability is childish? If it was, I wouldn’t have any respect for artists or writers.
I definitely think that everyone has their own way of dealing with stress, and you are right for sure that drinking excessively is not the best possible option. The thing I think is particularly unusual about how you and STG have described it is that it really does seem like the kind of things kids do when they are scared. My personal experience has been that my adult brain is simply not capable of “experiencing” a fantasy to the point where it would actually help me escape from my fears or stress, you know? I mean, even if I tried really hard, I don’t think I could do it. Maybe I’m unusual in that regard, I don’t know. But I’m definitely not surprised that you have a “normal” life…I think a lot of regular-type people have stuff “behind the scenes” that others would find freaky, as you say.