Fracture it how? Wouldn't anthromorphizing yourself be a single uniting principle? Not to mention those who do not fall under this definition would still be part of furry fandom itself. So it's not a fracture as it is a subdivision.
The essence of being a furry
- Thread starter ZeeDog
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Fracture it how? Wouldn't anthromorphizing yourself be a single uniting principle? Not to mention those who do not fall under this definition would still be part of furry fandom itself. So it's not a fracture as it is a subdivision.
Draco_2k
Rawr.
So far the uniting principle is the devotion to anthropomorphic characters. Why would you want to fracture it, yet stop at a certain point?
They're synonyms.
Because you can like the art, without understanding the rest of the subculture(like the types who like the art, but groan at the sight and avoid pouncing, nomming, etc), while it would be pretty difficult to not understand if you wag your tail during RP, for example.
Also, one of my points is that I've generally never saw it used as a synonym of furry fandom.
Draco_2k
Rawr.
And you can "understand the rest of subculture" without paying attention to art scene. Wouldn't that make two separate subgroups within a bigger one?
And uh... You didn't answer my question. You can fracture role-players and art fans both on their merits, just like you can with the "furry" itself - but why would you want to do it in the first place, and why stop where you did?
About that other discussion: see end of previous page.
Actually, it's not about RP or collars or meowing specifically, but that you anthromorphize yourself, because in the process, you must grasp the idea of anthropomorphizing, and thus, get the subculture as a whole. If you only look at art, you don't necessarily have to get it, since you might just appreciate the style, but not the ideas behind it. Because of this, the subculture might seem irrational and fanatical to you, so you would have mainstream culture and the furry subculture tied to the same word, and would cause conflict.
As for what the previous discussion has to with this: it started with someone saying that people were attracted to to furry because of lack of social pretenses and animal innocence, to which I said was ridiculous, because animals couldn't really be innocent or malicious because they lack conceptual faculties, and furry was better explained through animal symbolism and anthromorphization, which lead to comparative psychology, and here we are.
Draco_2k
Rawr.
As I said before, role-playing, art, spirituality, self-identification and reasoning can be applied to "Furry" independently as well as separately.
I have no idea what you mean exactly by "anthropomorphising yourself", and why does it suddenly deserve a category on it's own, least of all above all other interests encompasses by the fandom.
Well, that's a lot simpler then: it can be both.
Whether or not animals are "innocent" (stupid concept to begin with) doesn't affect how people perceive them - so some might very well be "into it" because of it. Just like like they could be into it due to spirituality, or symbolism, or self-identification, or plain old "Cool" factor.
Albino-Kitsune
Member
I always looked at furry like being a drug user. It makes you happy but people aren't going to understand. Some will be angry, many won't understand, a few won't care, but there is that handful that you can't trust with knowledge like that and you could find yourself in between a rock and a hard place if they let it known to anyone else.
In short, you just don't tell people you're furry. Ever. Unless you're sure they're furry too or can handle it. I don't like other people knowing things they're not going to understand and won't take the time to learn the facts about before they start dribbling nonsensical crap at me.
As far as what makes you furry, furry just is. I do believe it's that simple.
It's an appriciation of animals or animal traits and a kinship to something other then the human element.
"Humans are boring, let's break away from that." Is the idea I get sometimes when I think about furry. xD
In short, you just don't tell people you're furry. Ever. Unless you're sure they're furry too or can handle it. I don't like other people knowing things they're not going to understand and won't take the time to learn the facts about before they start dribbling nonsensical crap at me.
As far as what makes you furry, furry just is. I do believe it's that simple.
It's an appriciation of animals or animal traits and a kinship to something other then the human element.
"Humans are boring, let's break away from that." Is the idea I get sometimes when I think about furry. xD
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Not really. There are some things that can be appreciated independently of the fandom, and some that require you to appreciate the fandom. For example, someone who likes RP would not repudiate furry art, but someone who likes furry art may dislike furry RPers. The different parts of furry fandom are more like a piramid than a list of separate things.
Top top bottom
Lifestyle -> RPing -> Art
Where the everything from the beginning of each part, to the bottom of the pyramid, is included in it. So a lifestyler will like everything, Art fans will only like the art. Also, by like, I don't mean necessarily participate in the activity, but more tolerate and accept the activity as good. So you'd be at RP even if you don't RP, if you think furry RP is great. Essentially, how far you think it should go.
Which brings to my point, those who anthropomorphize themselves are a different group of people, with their own subculture and traditions. Basically, the point where consider yourself an anthro animal in spirit(whether it be RP, fursuits, dog collars, etc) is where you start calling yourself a furry, since you'd be guided by ideas differently than the rest of the fandom. Also, I don't really mean to unite the fandom as much as unite furries themselves. What is considered furry fandom is another topic entirely.
Which is the same thing I concluded. Animal innocense is ridiculous, but it still would fit under my theory.
Which is what I aim to change. Your furryness shouldn't be hidden, it should be clearly and rationally explained out in the open. Ignorance of what furry is among the general population will only hurt us.
Nah, stuff that just is more fundamental than a specific subculture(stuff like A is A)
Draco_2k
Rawr.
Hey, welcome back.
Personally, I've been in the fandom long enough to see people who are into roleplaying, but don't care about art, people who are into spirituality who don't have a fursona, as well as those who like art, roleplaying and have a fursona altogether. These interests are not necessarily interconnected, less of all being in hierarchical relationship to one another.
Furthermore, your claims are non-sequitir. Explaining your hypotheses would help a lot more than asserting the lot of them in rapid succession. That is to say, present the full logical chain instead of just the conclusions. You know, etiquette.
There is no such thing as "anthropomorphising yourself" (please don't make up words without explaining their meaning). Fursuiting, fursonas, collars, etc. are not necessarily connected to spirituality (can be just for fun), and the only thing "Furry" ever meant is an appreciation of anthropomorphic characters.* Look it up.
*Barring Furry Lifestylers. Google can also clear that up.
Also, "Innocence" only has any meaning under some sort of law.
This is outright incorrect.
Personally, I've been in the fandom long enough to see people who are into roleplaying, but don't care about art, people who are into spirituality who don't have a fursona, as well as those who like art, roleplaying and have a fursona altogether. These interests are not necessarily interconnected, less of all being in hierarchical relationship to one another.
Furthermore, your claims are non-sequitir. Explaining your hypotheses would help a lot more than asserting the lot of them in rapid succession. That is to say, present the full logical chain instead of just the conclusions. You know, etiquette.
That's also wrong.
There is no such thing as "anthropomorphising yourself" (please don't make up words without explaining their meaning). Fursuiting, fursonas, collars, etc. are not necessarily connected to spirituality (can be just for fun), and the only thing "Furry" ever meant is an appreciation of anthropomorphic characters.* Look it up.
*Barring Furry Lifestylers. Google can also clear that up.
What theory.
Also, "Innocence" only has any meaning under some sort of law.
General population doesn't even know what the fuck that is. Leave them alone.
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Cascading-Eclipse
Found a Man
The human brain is the only one smart enough to even study itself, and through that study others, they say.
To me, being a furry is the love of animals, anthromorphic or no. I love wolves to a huge degree. I mean, I'm not going to go out and fuck a wolf in the ass, but I seem to have an affinity to them. Have you ever seen "Never Cry Wolf"? That's the movie that got me into the furry fandom, in a sense.
Cascading-Eclipse
Found a Man
And, god people, quit arguing. Furry means different things for different people. 
For instance, for me it means my attraction to furry porn, and affinity to wolves. For someone else, it could be something entirely different. Quit calling each other wrong. You can't be wrong. Furry is a noun based on opinions. Therefore, whenever you say something about it, you're never right and never wrong.
For instance, for me it means my attraction to furry porn, and affinity to wolves. For someone else, it could be something entirely different. Quit calling each other wrong. You can't be wrong. Furry is a noun based on opinions. Therefore, whenever you say something about it, you're never right and never wrong.Well, that analogy doesn't work well considering being a football player denotes participation in an activity while, as I see it, being a furry just denotes an increased interest in the subject of animal anthropomorphism.
I consider a person "furry" when he or she is especially interested in this subject of furry. More than average.
For instance: If a person "just likes" Disney's Robin Hood, I don't consider him/her a furry, but if one of the major reasons he/she likes the movie is the furryness of the characters then I consider that person a furry.
That is my opinion at least. There seems to be as many opinions on the matter as there is people in the fandom.
FurryWurry
Not FuzzyWuzzy!
What goes around, comes around ;3
This argument was old more than a decade ago when alt.lifestyle.furry split from alt.fan.furry.
You're furry if you believe you're furry.
This argument was old more than a decade ago when alt.lifestyle.furry split from alt.fan.furry.
You're furry if you believe you're furry.
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Thank you. You just said what I have always tried to tell people. A Furry IS someone who connects with the animal. I do. I am a Furry. Thats why wonder why some 'furries' BWAA over trolls...when they only draw/like the art. :\
Nevarous
Ironjaw
I know I'm new here, but please don't bite my head off for throwing in my two cents.
I believe this whole furry thing is a matter of spirit, such as I acted like my animal long before I knew what a furry was, furrydom didn't start with the word or even with the Internet.
Humans have always seen themselves as one animal or another, look at Native Americas, some tribes named their kids after animals. But did this mean the man named "Rabbit" was a frightened little guy? Or that the one called "Eagle" was a great and mighty killer? Even though they were named after animals they shared few traits with their name-sakes.
But the further humans got from their hunter/gatherer ways the more they began to think of themselves as animals.
Today, a man who sees himself as a rabbit may be frightened and scared or even just see himself a very lucky.
I think that the close they get to a future that has little or no room for animal like habits, the more people will start to see themselves as animals.
Somehow humans went to believing in animal like souls, but not acting like them. To thinking themselves as non-animals but act animal like in secret.
I think I just mudled up my thoughts and made a jumble of words out of what sounded like a good train of thought at the time.
I believe this whole furry thing is a matter of spirit, such as I acted like my animal long before I knew what a furry was, furrydom didn't start with the word or even with the Internet.
Humans have always seen themselves as one animal or another, look at Native Americas, some tribes named their kids after animals. But did this mean the man named "Rabbit" was a frightened little guy? Or that the one called "Eagle" was a great and mighty killer? Even though they were named after animals they shared few traits with their name-sakes.
But the further humans got from their hunter/gatherer ways the more they began to think of themselves as animals.
Today, a man who sees himself as a rabbit may be frightened and scared or even just see himself a very lucky.
I think that the close they get to a future that has little or no room for animal like habits, the more people will start to see themselves as animals.
Somehow humans went to believing in animal like souls, but not acting like them. To thinking themselves as non-animals but act animal like in secret.
I think I just mudled up my thoughts and made a jumble of words out of what sounded like a good train of thought at the time.
Spin~TF~Spin
Member
The OP's post and what I have observed from many furries makes the assumption that there is a "fundamental self" which can then be expressed outwardly, and with true clarity, throught the constrution of a fursona.
Now, whether there is or isn't a fundamental and true "self" is something you could spend all day arguing one way or another so it isn't my intent to argue one way or another. What I find truly interesting is that many furries tend to keep assuming there is a true "self" and accept it as if it were proven fact.
Now, what could be the cause behind such a phenomenon? Could it just be chance, given that many non-furs also believe in a fundamental entity of the "self"?
Now, whether there is or isn't a fundamental and true "self" is something you could spend all day arguing one way or another so it isn't my intent to argue one way or another. What I find truly interesting is that many furries tend to keep assuming there is a true "self" and accept it as if it were proven fact.
Now, what could be the cause behind such a phenomenon? Could it just be chance, given that many non-furs also believe in a fundamental entity of the "self"?
