Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

The place to talk about anything just generally furry. If you have a furry-related thread that doesn't fit anywhere else, put it here! Just keep it clean.
Leeward
Recalcitrant Ruminant
Posts: 7036
Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:23 pm

Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#1

Post by Leeward »

I've slept on it, repeatedly, and I've come to some realisations which I'd like to share for the benefit of any who might be in similar positions to that in which I used to be (who, ironically, will most likely not believe me... but that's all right, I just want to get it off my chest).

Yesterday I read an article about some people in the USA who repeatedly molested this little boy at their furry parties. After the initial knee-jerk reaction of "But that's just the crazy minority, that's not what furry is all about!" I got thinking once again. The question was nagging at me: What is wrong with the furry fandom? Why does it get so much negative press? The answer is remarkably simple: the fandom, i.e. the fans, i.e. the people, are what's wrong with it. The fandom is what's wrong with the fandom.

Without exception, every single furry (including myself) I've ever known and/or heard of has deep, sometimes rather disturbing, issues. I know, everyone has issues, but this is exceptionally, disproportionately true for furries. The fandom is where I've learned of some of the most messed up fetishes in existence. The worst types of special snowflakes I've ever had the displeasure of interacting with practically reside in it. I'm not talking about sensitive people or minorities here; I like to think I've very open-minded when it comes to things like gender identity and sexual orientations. No, I'm talking about the utterly pathetic, I'm-different-therefore-fuck-you downright creepy weirdos for whom escapism has turned into a way of life, whose very existence is a sad joke. And if that offends you, you should take a long hard look in the mirror and pull your fragile little self together. The real world is far more judgemental than I am, and you are woefully unprepared.

There is a broad spectrum between enjoying a particular sub-genre of fantasy and making your entire life revolve around it. It's one thing to use an anthro character of your creation as an online persona, but it's another entirely to use it as a proxy or justification for everything you do... especially when it starts becoming socially unacceptable, and even more so when it's illegal and/or unethical. I'm all for challenging traditional social norms and making outlandish fashion statements like wearing collars and fursuits in public, but when some demented shit-for-brains starts raping kids and saying it's just part of furry culture and you should accept them for who they are, that person should be in jail and/or institutionalised. But the best is, the lines are so blurry you can't even tell the difference between the two! I know furries pride themselves on being inclusive, but is that really the kind of person you want to be associated with? To me at least, the answer is obvious: hell no!

When I first joined, all I did was give. I was full of inspiration and good intentions. All the fandom did was take, take, take, until I couldn't give any more. Not a single word of gratitude, only whining that I couldn't do more. And then at the slightest sign of dissent about this absurd status quo, I became the bad guy. You know what I call that kind of behaviour? I call that parasitism. The fandom, by which I mean the literal fandom (the "community"), has been nothing but a blight on my life. Every time I tried to do something for the community or one of its members (i.e. someone I wasn't particularly friends with but was a fellow furry to and therefore felt a sense of patriotism towards), I suffered the consequences with mental breakdowns and nearly making my partner leave me multiple times (which, in hindsight, I don't blame him for at all; I was a mess, and I am immensely grateful that he stuck through it with me).

And yet, somehow, miraculously even, I met some wonderful individuals here. But the most well-adjusted and functional people here are, unsurprisingly, those who keep the local community at arm's length. They may be so invested as to have fursuits or attend cons, or distant enough to only collect yiffy art, but either way they are wise enough to not get involved with the bulk of the people. They spot worthwhile individuals and associate with those, but the rest they simply don't bother with. These are the people I want to be friends with.

I'm probably forgetting several, but off the top of my head here are some honourable mentions. Sev, whom despite all our fights I'm still somehow friends with. Ryall, who was the first person to reach out to me here. VoxLupus. Eylof. Galahad. Faanvolla. RavenSong. Contrast. Even Helios_phi. And, dare I mention them, Auric/Tetsudra and Sonic2k/Randall. These are people who have (in some cases at long last) got their shit together, and whom I respect as human beings. They have perspective, and they have what it takes to empower themselves in spite of (and in some cases because of) their issues. Now that, I find admirable.

In conclusion, furries are all varying degrees of crazy. The slightly crazy ones are mostly okay, and some of the moderately crazy ones can be cool, but for the most part they're not a crowd I want to be a part of.

It was fun while it lasted, but I think I've outgrown the idea now. Anthropomorphic characters are cool, and they always will be to me, but I'm done using them as a means to try and feel like I'm part of something greater than myself, especially if it attracts delusional whackos who treat it as a tool of the trade for child predators.

If you've read this far, by now you're probably wondering why I'm still here. Well, this is the only community I've ever really felt like I could be a part of. After that went south, for a while I thought it was funny to be a thorn in ZAFur's side, but evidently I'm not achieving anything and annoying the wrong people. So I'll stop wasting my and everybody else's time and just go. There's nothing left for me here anyway. I've got better things to do.

Leeward out.

PS: I apologise to all the still starry-eyed peeps who might have otherwise found some joy here, for all my negative vibes that soured your experience. Rest assured it will still be ruined sooner or later though, just not by me. If I somehow already did that, well too fucking bad. You don't know it yet but you're better off staying far away from this place; thank me later.

PPS: Valerion, thanks for being a good sport, I salute you.

PPPS: Rakuen, go fuck yourself.
User avatar
Sev
Superbike Snow Leopard
Posts: 6596
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:27 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Western Cape
Location: A Twisty Road

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#2

Post by Sev »

As I said earlier, I'm still not sure whether or not to be pleased with or offended by that mention. I'm sure there's more to us than just fighting. :P

I'm kinda in the same boat as you: the less that I interact with the fandom at large, the happier that I am in general.
User avatar
Rakuen Growlithe
Fire Puppy
Posts: 6718
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:24 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Growlithe (pokemon)
Region: Other
Location: Pretoria
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#3

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

Your negativity about the fandom doesn't really apply to my experiences. I've certainly seen some messed up people with serious issues; banned some of them from here, but overall furries have been really nice and welcoming to most people. You say that the fans are the problem and all have deep and disturbing issues but academic comparisons from the IARP did not find a difference with mental health and such things between furs and non-furs. I think the reason it seems that way is the same reason that some people see furry as all sexual, furs are just more open.

I was in one channel where people were talking all sorts of weird health issues and this exchange happened.
Furry 1: Second question: why do all furries have some condition
Furry 2: Believe it or not, it's not restricted to furries
It's just more noticeable when you're part of a group of people who share info like that
If you learn more about non-furs you will probably find the same issues you see in the fandom. When that happens you will either rejoin the furry fandom or become a recluse. I dunno which. The forum record for "leaving forever" is something like four times so it's perhaps not so easy to give up furry.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
User avatar
Sev
Superbike Snow Leopard
Posts: 6596
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:27 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Western Cape
Location: A Twisty Road

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#4

Post by Sev »

Being a furry is like an addiction.

Or perhaps just a really bad case of sunk cost fallacy...
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#5

Post by Sudan Red »

So there is this lady at work and for the past 7years that I have been working more closely with her, she complains to me about her financial situation. Every day. I go through her office which adjoins the kitchenette and she traps me with her story. EVERY. DAY.

Although I am of course sympathetic to her plight (times are tough & getting tougher), and have of course commiserated with her many, many mornings, I cannot change her situation. I cannot give her a raise. I cannot find her a better job. I cannot make her medical aid cost less or make her kid's school waive tuition fees. I cannot make her car not break down.

I have no power to make life better for her, despite the time & energy she puts into complaining to me. I try to avoid conversation with her at all costs because interacting with her is often a draining & negative experience.

This doesn't make her a bad person. Not at all. She is hardworking, sweet & funny when she isn't complaining. I feel like a horrible person for avoiding non-work-related conversation with her.

People just wear you down.
Cape_F0X
Light-footed
Posts: 2294
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 12:35 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Vulpes chama
Region: Western Cape

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#6

Post by Cape_F0X »

Would I have liked to have more than 2000 post before leaving? Yes, yes I would.

Are there aspects I didn't enjoy? Yes, but it rarely affected me and it would be useless to dig up and fight on the Internet?

Can I stop asking myself questions and just leave because one of the people I think makes the most sense is going? Jip.
User avatar
Faanvolla
Plaas Brak
Posts: 1961
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:55 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Dog (Vampire)
Region: Western Cape
Location: Stellenbosch
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#7

Post by Faanvolla »

I'm sorry you've had a bad experience with the fandom lee, and I wish you good luck on whatever it is you do in the future, and I hope you have a great time in the next community you join.

And if you do also 'come back' as many others who leave do,
I hope you can come back in a less intense way, for your own sake. I think you cared so much, that when it felt like you couldn't improve anything from your pov it all agree to feel hopeless. It might be, it might not, I can't tell honestly.
The forum and the fandom, to me, feels like it has shifted somewhat since I joined back in 2012, but maybe that's mainly my perspective changing. I'm only still as 'active(lurky)' here as I am, because somehow the Swedish furry forum is even way less active than this one (I joined 9/2016, and 5 people joined since then, with a post or two being made every second day).

Maybe if you do come back, just don't bother with the forum at all.
Join some telegram groups, see if there's anyone you think is worth talking to in pm, and go from there.
But I'm rambling now, and you're clever enough to think of all these solutions and probably even more.
So good luck, and enjoy!
Seize the day, not your bearings.
Steam, Rockstar SocialClub, Uplay, Battlenet: Faanvolla#2539, Telegram: @Faanvolla
Switch Code: SW-0054-4917-1029
DeviantArt,Furaffinity,SoFurry, Weasyl, FurryNetwork
ProfilePic by hanimetion
User avatar
Sev
Superbike Snow Leopard
Posts: 6596
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:27 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Western Cape
Location: A Twisty Road

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#8

Post by Sev »

The mobile groups are nothing but a maelstrom of chaos and fluff (heh).
User avatar
Galahad
Posts: 1972
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:31 pm
Gender: Male
Region: Gauteng
Location: Pretoria

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#9

Post by Galahad »

Rakuen Growlithe wrote:You say that the fans are the problem and all have deep and disturbing issues but academic comparisons from the IARP did not find a difference with mental health and such things between furs and non-furs
I have to disagree partially. The IARP did not in sum (considering each and every mental disorder altogether) find a significant correlation between furries and non-furries. But it did find a significant positive correlation between "Asperger's" (high-functioning autism) and "furriness" when a sample was taken from Anthrocon 2013:
Perhaps most interesting, however, was the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (in particular, Asperger’s Syndrome, or high-functioning autism) within the furry fandom. Approximately 4% of participants indicated that they had been diagnosed of Asperger’s Syndrome. Given that estimates of the prevalence rate of Asperger’s Syndrome in the general population differ immensely, it is difficult to know exactly how much more prevalent this condition is in the furry fandom than the general population. However, the most conservative estimates suggest that, based on the obtained data, furries are at least 2.25 times more likely to have Asperger’s Syndrome than the general population, even after controlling for different sex ratios in the furry fandom. Additionally, there was a small, but significant positive relationship between the extent to which participants identified as being furry and having Asperger’s Syndrome (B = .083, p = .023).

{SOURCE}
This is also not cross-examining the prevalence of therians/otherkin in the fandom (7% of the sample at Anthrocon 2015) and the prevalence of mental disorder among that demographic. (For the sake of not bringing unnecessary controversy.)

On a less empirical and more anecdotal note, one need only search this forum to find that autism is a challenge a significant portion of the SA furry community faces. (There was a thread created on the topic of Asperger's, which is a good example.)

So, does that mean all furries are autistic? No. Does it mean becoming a furry makes you autistic? No. What it means is that the furry fandom is likely more appealing to such individuals - perhaps as a (mostly) harmless escape.
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#10

Post by Splicer-Fox »

I have said this before somewhere,
but I think that:

The furry fandom does attract broken and pot
entially destructive people.
I think this is because we outwardly project we are tolerant and accepting. (Luckily we are not completely tolerant)

I think those “problem people” only become furries after learning about the community and potential “easy” friendships they can create. The involvement in art and culture thing is just a way to buy your way in.

But honestly I think some people are “TryHarding”.
There are no positions of power here.
Even being a community organiser or mod is more of a punishment than a privilege.
User avatar
Sev
Superbike Snow Leopard
Posts: 6596
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:27 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Western Cape
Location: A Twisty Road

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#11

Post by Sev »

Splicer-Fox wrote:I think those “problem people” only become furries after learning about the community and potential “easy” friendships they can create. The involvement in art and culture thing is just a way to buy your way in..
I have never thought of it that way; you may actually be onto something.
User avatar
Franky
The Bad Guy
Posts: 1748
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 12:32 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Mortally Challenged Fox
Region: Gauteng
Location: Where bad things happen.
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#12

Post by Franky »

Leeward wrote:I'm probably forgetting several, but off the top of my head here are some honourable mentions. Sev, whom despite all our fights I'm still somehow friends with. Ryall, who was the first person to reach out to me here. VoxLupus. Eylof. Galahad. Faanvolla. RavenSong. Contrast. Even Helios_phi. And, dare I mention them, Auric/Tetsudra and Sonic2k/Randall. These are people who have (in some cases at long last) got their shit together, and whom I respect as human beings. They have perspective, and they have what it takes to empower themselves in spite of (and in some cases because of) their issues. Now that, I find admirable.
What I get for keeping the fandom at stick length.
User avatar
Sudan Red
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 10:59 am
Gender: Female
Sexual preference: Straight
Species: Lion
Region: Gauteng

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#13

Post by Sudan Red »



Oh lulz!
User avatar
Animew
Banter kitty
Posts: 1217
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:45 pm
Species: Animu cat

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#14

Post by Animew »

GNYAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
oh great gibly gawds! this is rich! \(>w<)/ man i quite literally nearly peed my freaking pants laughing(not that I’m wearing any).
leeward going full on mental and doing the "im leaving the internet forever” speech!? oh mah glawb das funny as hell.

the fuzz happened to you gurl? someone die or something? well, i actually came round to ask WTF happened to anthro culture... but I’m guessing some drama happened and shit got taken off the internet or something...

anywho, lee... I’m guessing some messed up shiz is happening in your life rite now and reading of some pedos in the fandom is the straw breaking the cows back and all that. but you have to face up to the facts... it ain’t the fandom that makes the fandom messed up... it’s the people... there sure as hell are some crazy ass mother fuckers up in this fandom... pedos rapists murderers and some folks i don’t even have names for the messed up crap they do... i should know \(OwO)/ i draw cub,gore,NC and all that F-ed up stuff (because psychopaths are freaking rich yo! and I’m just a material kitty in a material world FFS! stop judging me!)

...but guess what... that shiz is by no means mutually exclusive to the furry fandom... no really, before i was drawing sick shit for the furry fandom i was drawing sick shit for the anime fandom. was quite literally the exact same crowd of sociopaths psychos and pedos.

ahem... yea i think i pretty much said this already but no one listens to me, probably because i best represent the filth that makes the fandom appear like a collective of freaks. but trust me, I’ve been part of a LOT of fandoms and I’ve found exactly the same problems repeated over and over.. lee, it’s not the freaking fandom! it’s the goddamned people! people are nuttier than squirrel shit! ALL people! the ones you think are normal are just skilled enough sociopaths to hide their true selves from you... <w< and that includes you BTW. you just as messed up as the rest of us and you know it, you just too uppity to admit it to yourself or anyone else.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ afraid im with the fire dog on this, you will likely return after a while because the world is full of psychos and its better to hang with the psychos you already know.

also im really serious about all fandoms having this problem... did you know there are folks in the knife makers guilds that ritualistically cut folks up BEFORE raping them? makes everyone look at you like a freaking nutter for belonging to the guild... <_< and there are people that build miniatures who fantasize about putting small people in their miniature houses and watching them do stuff, true story. truth is there ain’t nothing you can like doing that someone cant fuck up for you by doing some excessive version of it.

so please… do fandom related stuff because you like doing them, not because you want to belong! good god damnit, i keep saying this but no one ever listens! y'all just treat every damn fandom like your personal cult! always trying to influence other folks and what they doing! ain’t none of you goddamn business what they doing man! gees, just mind yo own business and do the shit YOU wana do in the fandom!

well, i'm off to go find some other drama that i missed but that hasn’t been locked yet by the oppressive paws of that damn fire dog lol.
(^w^)/ ~♥
Duck face? i thought they were all just making fart noises when posing for pictures...
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#15

Post by Splicer-Fox »

Animew wrote: ...but guess what... that shiz is by no means mutually exclusive to the furry fandom... no really, before i was drawing sick shit for the furry fandom i was drawing sick shit for the anime fandom. was quite literally the exact same crowd of sociopaths psychos and pedos.
True true

All communities gravitate towards paedophilia eventually.
Anime, Bonies, Islam, Catholicism, Minecraft players… (I heard even radical feminism is moving that way recently)
User avatar
Adagio
Warm Hearted
Posts: 3589
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:06 am
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Gauteng
Location: Pretoria, Silverton
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#16

Post by Adagio »

Splicer-Fox wrote:
Animew wrote: ...but guess what... that shiz is by no means mutually exclusive to the furry fandom... no really, before i was drawing sick shit for the furry fandom i was drawing sick shit for the anime fandom. was quite literally the exact same crowd of sociopaths psychos and pedos.
True true

All communities gravitate towards paedophilia eventually.
Anime, Bonies, Islam, Catholicism, Minecraft players… (I heard even radical feminism is moving that way recently)
Don't forget the vintage motor club...
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#17

Post by Splicer-Fox »

I can see why people would rather have some cheese pizza on the back seat of an antique car,
instead of an unmarked van.

Much more romantic. :(
User avatar
Raven Song
Stealer of Time
Posts: 7039
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:56 pm
Gender: Does it matter?
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Shapeshifting Anubian
Region: Other
Location: Londonium ONce more...
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#18

Post by Raven Song »

Splicer-Fox wrote:All communities gravitate towards paedophilia eventually.
Anime, Bonies, Islam, Catholicism, Minecraft players… (I heard even radical feminism is moving that way recently)
1picty.jpg
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. Pablo Picasso
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#19

Post by Splicer-Fox »

User avatar
Raven Song
Stealer of Time
Posts: 7039
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:56 pm
Gender: Does it matter?
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Shapeshifting Anubian
Region: Other
Location: Londonium ONce more...
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#20

Post by Raven Song »

But I'm already a pegasister
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. Pablo Picasso
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#21

Post by Splicer-Fox »

RavenSong wrote:But I'm already a pegasister
You could make some money.
They are looking for female voice actors.
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/594335
User avatar
Raven Song
Stealer of Time
Posts: 7039
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:56 pm
Gender: Does it matter?
Sexual preference: Other
Species: Shapeshifting Anubian
Region: Other
Location: Londonium ONce more...
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#22

Post by Raven Song »

Except judging by the comments he never finishes anything :P Maybe I shall give it a try :P I can do a mean Rainbow Dash impersonation if needed :P
Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist. Pablo Picasso
User avatar
YoteFox
Posts: 1266
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:07 pm
Gender: Does it matter?
Species: Arctic Sabre Fox

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#23

Post by YoteFox »

All I have to say is your making a bold blanket statement here and stereotyping everyone for that matter. Yes there are some nut jobs in this fandom but seriously you just have to look past them to get to the good people.

Leeward, you may or may not read this but all in all your experience and your final demise was your own doing. You ruined it all for yourself, no one but you. Those aggressive posts which you so playfully dubbed "Thorn in ZaFur's side" is what lead you off the path. You were the wacko, you caused a lot of people to rather abandon the forums including myself and for what reason?

You don't have to give and give and give and give as you put it, if you constantly give people will constantly take ( Notice I said people and not furries because well people do this)

Yes furries do have issues, some of them extremely deep psychological issues but I mean who doesn't? in the real world we are told to be strong and hide those emotions because one cannot show weakness. Stop trying to be some white knight of the fandom and just enjoy it. I used to be like that, I had the mentality of "I AM THE SAVIOR OF OUR FANDOM", our fandom doesn't need to be saved. Stop focusing on what others are doing and do what you want to do I mean seriously have you made an attempt to even get to know any of these people you so willfully lambast on a thread or are you making assumptions based on a few words they post on a website?

Furries used to irk me to no end until I really got to know most of these peeps and you know what I can really say that I am super happy to be part of these "whack jobs", I have gone out of my way to host meets at my brother's plot for these people and you know what I would do it again because they are absolutely worth it.

So I ask you with tears in my eyes what did I do to you that you feel entitled to bash so vigorously on a community I find pleasure in, just because your experience was ruined doesn't mean it WILL be ruined for the rest of us. I dealt with crap and I can fairly say that I rather find a lot of enjoyment in the community. Doesn't matter where you go, idiots will be everywhere it's just more blatantly obvious at certain places than others.

I never had any issues with you, in fact I actually respect you a lot. But you are taking the whole furry fandom thing way to seriously, just relax and enjoy the occasional shit shows from a distance no need to get involved. Personally I'm just doing my own thing in the community and my main draw to it is the fursuits and I'm super happy just engaging in everything fursuit and enjoying the general craft and workmanship.
I'd rather be fursuiting

Suit up and it will make you feel better
- Pepper Coyote


People get built different. We don't need to figure it out, we just need to respect it. Maybe he likes his company more than I like mine - Princess Bubblegum
User avatar
Animew
Banter kitty
Posts: 1217
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:45 pm
Species: Animu cat

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#24

Post by Animew »

YoteFox wrote: I never had any issues with you, in fact I actually respect you a lot. But you are taking the whole furry fandom thing way to seriously, just relax and enjoy the occasional shit shows from a distance no need to get involved.
you know... im starting to think, the fandom isn’t really the issue. call me crazy but i think something seriously messed up is happening in lee's real life right now. she's always been pretty damn solid but there seems to be something making her feel helpless and angry in general. (Owo)\ and i doubt it’s all Rakuen... as far as i can tell it all started when she flipped her shit at rakuen for doing fire dog stuff, BUT im thinking something RL is rattling her cage... and judging from the time line it may be pretty serious ...like a break up or grandparents/parents being immanently mortal.

... anywho, please don’t think harshly of her words yote. im getting the feeling we are not seeing the bigger picture. this sounds like the growls/snarls of a wounded aminal so don’t take it personal methinks.
Duck face? i thought they were all just making fart noises when posing for pictures...
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#25

Post by Splicer-Fox »

I took some time off the internet during the time Lee and Sonichu were active on the forum.
The drama was getting old by the time I caught up on what was going on.

I really felt that this was about people wanting some sort of authority/influence and not getting it.
People who doubted the “great deeds of furry-ness” they wanted to accomplish got rude words.
And the admins stepped in and became the new threat too authority.

I hope they come back though.
Just cool off, take a break and resume the arts and culture.
BTW what happened too Helios-phi?
User avatar
Animew
Banter kitty
Posts: 1217
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:45 pm
Species: Animu cat

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#26

Post by Animew »

Splicer-Fox wrote:I took some time off the internet during the time Lee and Sonichu were active on the forum.
The drama was getting old by the time I caught up on what was going on.
same here, totes missed all the action. (Owo)\ but as far as i know she banded together with a dragon and a squirrel to make their own furry website... which seems to have disappeared off the internet while i was gone...
<w< wait, sahnik? that borderline boring family man? with the wife and kids? GNYAHAHAHAHAHAHA! you mean he got involved in drama!? OwO guess he wasn't as boring as i thought, he seemed like a nice guy tho... wonder what happened.
Splicer-Fox wrote:BTW what happened too Helios-phi?
Ծ_Ծ i know right! it’s like all the best furs disappear off the internet when I’m not looking. i couldn’t even find any trace of drama leading to his redaction.
Duck face? i thought they were all just making fart noises when posing for pictures...
User avatar
Sev
Superbike Snow Leopard
Posts: 6596
Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2014 9:27 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Gay
Species: Snow Leopard
Region: Western Cape
Location: A Twisty Road

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#27

Post by Sev »

I can't quite recall what happened, but his exit was pretty spectacular.

It was a combination of him getting irritated at the "tripe" posted here, plus a couple of users rubbing him the wrong way.
User avatar
Splicer-Fox
Posts: 1956
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:38 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Fox fennec springbok thing
Region: Gauteng
Location: Thailand
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#28

Post by Splicer-Fox »

Animew wrote: same here, totes missed all the action. (Owo)\ but as far as i know she banded together with a dragon and a squirrel to make their own furry website... which seems to have disappeared off the internet while i was gone...
<w< wait, sahnik? that borderline boring family man? with the wife and kids? GNYAHAHAHAHAHAHA! you mean he got involved in drama!? OwO guess he wasn't as boring as i thought, he seemed like a nice guy tho... wonder what happened.
Sahnik and the Squirrel are one and the same.
Its that typical thing were people eject themselves out the fandom and then return with a new fursona.

It seems that Sahnik/Squirrel wanted to arrange big projects around the SA community and when people started criticizing the scope, there were insults.
I believe Lee tried to moderate some of this and demanded intervention by the mods.
The intervention was not what they were expecting, and caused the mods to be the new subject of drama.
Sides were drawn at this point.
(~ this is more or less speculation)

Reasons for creating a new website were brought up at some point. (this is where i started reading the forum again.)
It seemed that a huge schism was going on.

Apparently they were also arguing about taboo subjects like cheese pizza being discussed on the forum.
This was used to argue over the quality of moderators and the level of free speech on the forum? somehow?
I am sad I missed this part.
User avatar
Rakuen Growlithe
Fire Puppy
Posts: 6718
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:24 pm
Gender: Male
Sexual preference: Bi
Species: Growlithe (pokemon)
Region: Other
Location: Pretoria
Contact:

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#29

Post by Rakuen Growlithe »

A lot of drama over not much. For all her claims about leaving the fandom (she's been logging in here regularly), she only lasted two weeks before posting on furry sites again. Not this one yet but her own. Her not posting there about leaving the fandom should've been a big tip off for most people.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind."
~John Stuart Mill~

“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties.”
~John Milton~
User avatar
Galahad
Posts: 1972
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2016 6:31 pm
Gender: Male
Region: Gauteng
Location: Pretoria

Re: Thoughts about the furry fandom, and why I want to leave it

#30

Post by Galahad »

As far as I am aware, Leeward was active on the Furnace - her forum - because she was welcoming a new member; a responsibility that would naturally fall onto her as administrator. Besides, if she did abandon that forum as well, one could choose to criticize her abrupt departure from there, instead. She has her reasons and personal circumstances, just as each of us has his or her own - and this is a tedious matter. So how about we stop monitoring unnecessarily the activity of others so closely, and leave them be?
Locked