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Time For A Change...
14 years ago
I believe that today is better than Yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow could be…
The Furry Fandom as a political entity, is a bizarre, and unusual organization, if it can be called organized that is. Since our inception as a formal Fandom in 1980 we have been a loose configuration of multinational people with little to no govorning body, and spoken for only by a few charismatic figureheads with no real power beyond that which they command with their presence.
To understand the Furry Fandom as a political entity one must know a little bit about the history of the Furry people. The concept of Furries, Anthropomorphism, has been around since the dawn of man, but it was not intill 1980 that the followers of Anthropomorphism orchestrated themselves into a body, a people, a Fandom. Since then the Furries have remained largely disorganized. United by a common love, but with no formal body or recognized leader. We have had leaders of sorts, but these have been largely charismatic leaders, figureheads, who speak for the Fandom, and propose guidlines by which the Fandom should govern itself. By unbroken tradition these leaders have been chairmen of the biggest, or most locally influential Furry Conventions of their time. Despite the influence these people have had, the only real political power was the power they wielded over their own convention. As I said, they merely have had the power to propose guidelines to the rest of the Fandom, but being chairman of powerful Furry conventions they come to be the face of the Fandom
In it’s first decade, as the Fandom was finding its feet in the world, it had no speaker. In the 90’s It was headed by a Mustelid named Sylys Sable, who pioneered the organization of Furry Fandom into a social body. He was superceeded by David Exline, who’s time as a public figure lasted only a disasturous 2 years before he was replaced by a charismatic east coast Ivy League chemist who has come to be known as “Uncle Kage.” for the 2000’s Kage dictated policy for his own convention, but tried to extend his reach farther than his own convention. (Another notable figure would be Cheetah, who runs Eurofurence.) Kage has made lots of progress for the Furry Fandom. He has done much to repair Furry’s name, and made great progressive strides in promoting Furry culture. Though many people are critical of Kage’s Closed Door policies, that is strict control of the press inside Anthrocon, and efforts to make Fandom more presentable at face as PG, keeping the R behind closed doors, one cannot refute the changes that it has had on the Fandom. He has succeeded in reforming Furry, and making it a more accepting place for all. He healed the Fandom post civil dispute. Thanks to Kage this Fandom has had a leading voice, a voice to guide it, but thats all he is. A voice. And despite his many contributions, which we all thank him for, I feel his decade is up. I feel it’s time for a change.
I wholeheartedly appreciate all the sacrefices that Kage has made for this fandom, but his Closed Door policies have no relevence anymore. It is starting to look unseemly, like we have something to hide. I think the world has either largely forgoten about us, or is open to the idea of us a passive now that having these closed door policies is a hinderance, not a help. And of all the accomplishments Kage has made, he has never addressed the fundamental problem of stability. True the Fandom is more secure from outside threats, but it is still trying to tear itself apart at the seams. In a way, Kage has focused too much on “Foreign” policy than he has “Domestic” issues. In short, as important as they were, and as groundbreaking they were, his policies are outdated, and don’t address the problems facing the Fandom today. Problems like long term stability, Fandom unity, the advancement of the artistic culture, and resistance to Fad status.
It is my feelings that this Fandom is due for a change in leadership. That it needs someone young who can address the problems of today, instead of maintaining locked doors and a hard grip.
My Ideal Furry leader would be someone who is elected by the Furry people to lead, held accountable to his constituents. I think we should do away with this decade cycle of charismatic leaders who have no real power beyond the strength of their voice. Ideally, we should have a system in place of representatives of the people, and a leader who can wield real power, and has a cabinet to which he can delegate authority too. As of now, we have none of that. We have an open position of vocal authority which can do nothing to stop a real problem. It does not matter what they look like or who they are, as long as they can faithfully fulfill the position of their office, and be a true leader to the Furry people. One who has the capacity, and avenue to listen to his people and address their concerns. This is my ideal form of Furry leadership. Lets have someone step up before someone steps on us, and some corporation dictates to us what to like, what to wear, and how our culture should be defined. Lets have some form of Furry proto government. Anything would be better than decade after decade of charismatic rule until the Fandom sputters out. I, for one, want to see Furry around for ever. Furries Aeterna. The only way to secure this is to organize.
As of Mr. Conway, we will always need him. There is much work to be done, but I think its time we have a new voice of the people. One who is responsive to the Furry people, not IS the Furry people, and one who has some power vested within him. Who will step up?
The Furry Fandom as a political entity, is a bizarre, and unusual organization, if it can be called organized that is. Since our inception as a formal Fandom in 1980 we have been a loose configuration of multinational people with little to no govorning body, and spoken for only by a few charismatic figureheads with no real power beyond that which they command with their presence.
To understand the Furry Fandom as a political entity one must know a little bit about the history of the Furry people. The concept of Furries, Anthropomorphism, has been around since the dawn of man, but it was not intill 1980 that the followers of Anthropomorphism orchestrated themselves into a body, a people, a Fandom. Since then the Furries have remained largely disorganized. United by a common love, but with no formal body or recognized leader. We have had leaders of sorts, but these have been largely charismatic leaders, figureheads, who speak for the Fandom, and propose guidlines by which the Fandom should govern itself. By unbroken tradition these leaders have been chairmen of the biggest, or most locally influential Furry Conventions of their time. Despite the influence these people have had, the only real political power was the power they wielded over their own convention. As I said, they merely have had the power to propose guidelines to the rest of the Fandom, but being chairman of powerful Furry conventions they come to be the face of the Fandom
In it’s first decade, as the Fandom was finding its feet in the world, it had no speaker. In the 90’s It was headed by a Mustelid named Sylys Sable, who pioneered the organization of Furry Fandom into a social body. He was superceeded by David Exline, who’s time as a public figure lasted only a disasturous 2 years before he was replaced by a charismatic east coast Ivy League chemist who has come to be known as “Uncle Kage.” for the 2000’s Kage dictated policy for his own convention, but tried to extend his reach farther than his own convention. (Another notable figure would be Cheetah, who runs Eurofurence.) Kage has made lots of progress for the Furry Fandom. He has done much to repair Furry’s name, and made great progressive strides in promoting Furry culture. Though many people are critical of Kage’s Closed Door policies, that is strict control of the press inside Anthrocon, and efforts to make Fandom more presentable at face as PG, keeping the R behind closed doors, one cannot refute the changes that it has had on the Fandom. He has succeeded in reforming Furry, and making it a more accepting place for all. He healed the Fandom post civil dispute. Thanks to Kage this Fandom has had a leading voice, a voice to guide it, but thats all he is. A voice. And despite his many contributions, which we all thank him for, I feel his decade is up. I feel it’s time for a change.
I wholeheartedly appreciate all the sacrefices that Kage has made for this fandom, but his Closed Door policies have no relevence anymore. It is starting to look unseemly, like we have something to hide. I think the world has either largely forgoten about us, or is open to the idea of us a passive now that having these closed door policies is a hinderance, not a help. And of all the accomplishments Kage has made, he has never addressed the fundamental problem of stability. True the Fandom is more secure from outside threats, but it is still trying to tear itself apart at the seams. In a way, Kage has focused too much on “Foreign” policy than he has “Domestic” issues. In short, as important as they were, and as groundbreaking they were, his policies are outdated, and don’t address the problems facing the Fandom today. Problems like long term stability, Fandom unity, the advancement of the artistic culture, and resistance to Fad status.
It is my feelings that this Fandom is due for a change in leadership. That it needs someone young who can address the problems of today, instead of maintaining locked doors and a hard grip.
My Ideal Furry leader would be someone who is elected by the Furry people to lead, held accountable to his constituents. I think we should do away with this decade cycle of charismatic leaders who have no real power beyond the strength of their voice. Ideally, we should have a system in place of representatives of the people, and a leader who can wield real power, and has a cabinet to which he can delegate authority too. As of now, we have none of that. We have an open position of vocal authority which can do nothing to stop a real problem. It does not matter what they look like or who they are, as long as they can faithfully fulfill the position of their office, and be a true leader to the Furry people. One who has the capacity, and avenue to listen to his people and address their concerns. This is my ideal form of Furry leadership. Lets have someone step up before someone steps on us, and some corporation dictates to us what to like, what to wear, and how our culture should be defined. Lets have some form of Furry proto government. Anything would be better than decade after decade of charismatic rule until the Fandom sputters out. I, for one, want to see Furry around for ever. Furries Aeterna. The only way to secure this is to organize.
As of Mr. Conway, we will always need him. There is much work to be done, but I think its time we have a new voice of the people. One who is responsive to the Furry people, not IS the Furry people, and one who has some power vested within him. Who will step up?
