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My thoughts on "Popularity" in the Fandom (RANT ALERT)
11 years ago
General
I had a journal up about this a week ago, but I think some of what I said came across the wrong way (which was not my intentions!), so I am re-writing this completely. I deleted the old journal the same day I wrote it.
NOTE: This is a RANT journal. You are free to comment on it but it is just that, primarily a rant. I opened up my last journal for debate/discussion but this one won't be. You are free to post your opinions but it is just a rant journal to save the confusion that somehow happened from the last one.
Ok so I thought I would bring up the topic of "popularity" in the fandom. And by popularity, I mean the constant fight for people to become well known or popular, particularly those that just want a huge fan base surrounding them simply for the self gratification of being well known and having everyone know them, love them, etc. Honestly, I really do not give two craps about being popular, nor do I aim to become so. I hate it when people speak behind my back and try to claim "oh she only did that to be popular!" That annoys the heck out of me, because that is far from the truth! Not only does it annoy me that 1) people are speaking behind my back instead of just confronting me about it but 2) you are assuming something that is completely opposite with how I am. You could just COME to me if you have a problem with me, ya know! :I
I also hate it when people will lie, slander, steal artwork/trace, or hang out with someone who is popular JUST to get popular themselves!! You should hang out with the people for who they are, not just because they are popular and to try to get popular themselves.... what happened to getting to know people first? :I
And what pisses me off more (and this happened to a dear friend of mine. My sympathies still go out to her x-x) is when someone gets popular due to someone else's "popularity" then goes and just tosses them aside like yesterday's garbage. I mean REALLY?? How can someone stoop so low as to go and do this to someone who was supposed to be "their friend." I mean really, how low can you go?
Recently, I had someone that slandered my name behind my back to get sympathy. She took a situation which could have been handled in private, and used it to her advantage to lie about it more than what really happened, and used it to slander me and make me look bad, and for people to poo-poo her. They also lied about a lot of things (said my white knights were attacking them and telling her she should kill herself), and blocked me, preventing me from seeing any of it or being able to contact them to get it rectified without the constant white knighting. It has since put a damper on people's impressions of me, and people have blocked me and now think I am a horrible person because of her lies and slander.... thanks to a few GREAT friends, I was made aware it was all lies. Honestly, I find it sick that you would turn around and use me just to get popularity and attention. If anyone does this to me, or my friends, ever again, it is going to result in an insta block. >:I
I just do not understand it I guess. The needs or desires to get popular, and slander, lie, cheat, or use people at your own expense just to get there. How can you willingly hurt another person just to get "fame?"
I can understand the desire for artists, writers, singers, dancers, etc. to get their names out there, but your WORK should speak in and of itself! If you are truly talented, people will come to you for that alone! You should not have to try to "fit in with the rest of the crowd" and definitely NOT USE PEOPLE just to get to where you want to be. You should be yourself, and appreciate the people you do have around you!!
It is why I do not have a lot of "popufurs" that I find to be stuck up or obnoxious on my friend's list on facebook. The ones that may be "well known" or "popular/popufur" are the ones that are kind, sweet hearted people that most of them do not care about popularity. They are great people because of who they are!! And that is how it should always be! :3
Please, NEVER use or hurt anyone to gain fame, and definitely do not fan/be around someone just to get popular, and definitely do not slander or lie about others just to get their either! It just makes you look bad in the end. :I And it usually causes more drama, stress, and pain on the people involved.... x-x
Anyway, so those are my thoughts! ♥
END RANT!
NOTE: This is a RANT journal. You are free to comment on it but it is just that, primarily a rant. I opened up my last journal for debate/discussion but this one won't be. You are free to post your opinions but it is just a rant journal to save the confusion that somehow happened from the last one.
Ok so I thought I would bring up the topic of "popularity" in the fandom. And by popularity, I mean the constant fight for people to become well known or popular, particularly those that just want a huge fan base surrounding them simply for the self gratification of being well known and having everyone know them, love them, etc. Honestly, I really do not give two craps about being popular, nor do I aim to become so. I hate it when people speak behind my back and try to claim "oh she only did that to be popular!" That annoys the heck out of me, because that is far from the truth! Not only does it annoy me that 1) people are speaking behind my back instead of just confronting me about it but 2) you are assuming something that is completely opposite with how I am. You could just COME to me if you have a problem with me, ya know! :I
I also hate it when people will lie, slander, steal artwork/trace, or hang out with someone who is popular JUST to get popular themselves!! You should hang out with the people for who they are, not just because they are popular and to try to get popular themselves.... what happened to getting to know people first? :I
And what pisses me off more (and this happened to a dear friend of mine. My sympathies still go out to her x-x) is when someone gets popular due to someone else's "popularity" then goes and just tosses them aside like yesterday's garbage. I mean REALLY?? How can someone stoop so low as to go and do this to someone who was supposed to be "their friend." I mean really, how low can you go?
Recently, I had someone that slandered my name behind my back to get sympathy. She took a situation which could have been handled in private, and used it to her advantage to lie about it more than what really happened, and used it to slander me and make me look bad, and for people to poo-poo her. They also lied about a lot of things (said my white knights were attacking them and telling her she should kill herself), and blocked me, preventing me from seeing any of it or being able to contact them to get it rectified without the constant white knighting. It has since put a damper on people's impressions of me, and people have blocked me and now think I am a horrible person because of her lies and slander.... thanks to a few GREAT friends, I was made aware it was all lies. Honestly, I find it sick that you would turn around and use me just to get popularity and attention. If anyone does this to me, or my friends, ever again, it is going to result in an insta block. >:I
I just do not understand it I guess. The needs or desires to get popular, and slander, lie, cheat, or use people at your own expense just to get there. How can you willingly hurt another person just to get "fame?"
I can understand the desire for artists, writers, singers, dancers, etc. to get their names out there, but your WORK should speak in and of itself! If you are truly talented, people will come to you for that alone! You should not have to try to "fit in with the rest of the crowd" and definitely NOT USE PEOPLE just to get to where you want to be. You should be yourself, and appreciate the people you do have around you!!
It is why I do not have a lot of "popufurs" that I find to be stuck up or obnoxious on my friend's list on facebook. The ones that may be "well known" or "popular/popufur" are the ones that are kind, sweet hearted people that most of them do not care about popularity. They are great people because of who they are!! And that is how it should always be! :3
Please, NEVER use or hurt anyone to gain fame, and definitely do not fan/be around someone just to get popular, and definitely do not slander or lie about others just to get their either! It just makes you look bad in the end. :I And it usually causes more drama, stress, and pain on the people involved.... x-x
Anyway, so those are my thoughts! ♥
END RANT!
And the media tends to advertise celebrities and their drama to gain attention. People love drama, and especially about well known people. People get bored easily watching politicians on TV
Something I see missing in some of the "popufur" is the lack of understanding that things they say or do can create consequences that can make them drop from the popumountain and they have to start all over again.
I agree to some extent on your last part... is a sad truth about being well known and having to watch what you say. Sometimes something you say out of the best intentions can be completely construed around.
It is why I am not really for popularity. People that you thought were your friends, and in fact only were around you because you were so well known, can drop you like a bat. Afterwards they try to go back to the very same friends they "tossed aside" due to their popularity. In the end, they are now more alone than they were before.... was it really worth it?
As long as you are not treating people like shit in order to achieve your goals, that is.
I agree Snow, in many cases popularity is way over rated in this small community.
I think that it's because it is so small that contributes to this effect in a way.
I recall once you mentioned you don't like the idea of someone liking you "just for your fursuit".
I understand where you're coming from, and what you meant, but if someone likes you FOR your fursuit, it isn't a bad thing either!
When I first saw your fursuit I really enjoyed it. It was the thing I ever knew about you- and thus wanted to get to know you better as a person because of that!
Your fursuit helps to make you more awesome, as do other things that you bring to the community.
All in all, if you contribute real content to the community and have a decent head on your shoulders, the sky's the limit!
But just because someone IS popular doesn't automatically mean they stepped on people to get there.
I work very hard to maintain my presence as an artist, and hope that I can in turn grow my fan base.
While I would like to be a successful and well-known creator, that is not the sentiment that is driving me personally.
I just want to perform to the best of my abilities.
And if ya read in my journal, I said there is nothing wrong about being popular as an artist, dancer, etc. As long as you do not hurt others, use them, etc. just to get there. Treat all with respect, and you get respect back!
Especially for a fursuiter!
For instance, when a fan or fans sees their favorite fursuiter in person.
Their brain just shuts off and all they wanna do is run up to them and hug them, trample, whatever.
The suiter has no enjoyment in their suit bc they're being bombarded with fans!
And then their is the theives who feel they just have to come up with a character that nearly or completely copies said popular character.
The moral of this is: the less popular the less people who will try to steal or accidentally injure you or injure the suit.
Or as you stated, people try to BE YOU.... :I Heck my friend Kwik had some chick that tried to get her suit of Kendi remade. Luckily the suit maker contacted Kwik..... but yeah. :I
And poor Ino has had people trying to make their own "Telephone" (this one young girl started making a suit that looked exactly like her, and not just species wise since Angel Dragons are an open species), and yeah.... :I Or they trace/steal your art and claim it as theirs, or try to make their own fursona out of your art, etc. x-x
I plan to take art commissions, and I am trying to advertise just to get more commissions, but that does not mean I will do what what's-her-name did and try to slander other people's names and lie about stuff just so people commission me for my art, etc.
As for the copying of characters, I am constantly bashed and threatened because of Marshmallow and it's only getting worse as of late. How Marshmallow is a ripoff of telephone and mistaken as an angel dragon.
I see similarities with the feathers but do you know how many dragons have that?
Honestly I got my inspiration from Toothless. But I knew Marsh was going to be a super fluffy dragon so batty wings and batty like tail span wasn't going to look good on a dragon with fur so feathers came to mind as well as the species.
Hell, if you look at Marsh's ref sheet she looks like a monstrous kangaroo of some sorts lmao.
I didn't even know Telephone existed when I made Marsh. Even Ino says Tele and Marsh look nothing alike and I have no idea why I am constantly called an angel dragon. Nothing against the species.
Anywho, enough of my rant about that. Popularity sucks and staying as a geek is better :)
I mean really..... people need to find something more productive or entertaining with their lives than bitching to other people about this or that person's fursona having one thing in common with another person's character.
And you would really commission me? :O YAYS!
And of course I will!
As far as the suit copying... Pff, whatever. People can try copying my characters. The people that know me,and matter, know which one is the real me. I'll admit I'll be ticked if someone copies my character exactly but like, this species nonsense is just ridiculous. I saw a fight on FA because two artists of a similar recent style made Harlequin Great Dane characters but omfg the second so totally stole their design!.... You mean, an officially recognized color of an officially recognized breed? Yeah, whatever. Get over yourself.,y'know?
I also agree wholeheartedly on the species nonsense, it is ridiculous. Though it can be amusing to see people try to white knight others simply because "oh they could be copying so and so" XD
From all I have heard, you are a caring, and truthful, upright furson. Do not change for anyone else!
*HUGGGGS*
CEF
I do not plan to stop being me, simply because others want to ruin it. :3
Just my two cents on this whole popularity crap in this community.
Honestly, I would be alright going to these fandoms an not knowing anyone cause at least I can get away from life for awhile and enjoy myself.
In all honestly popularity, fame and getting well known can go fuck itself.
If I do fursuit commissions that doesn't mean I am going to give a shit who want to buy one from me and who doesn't.
If I do art who give two shits if the persons doesn't like my STYLE or I am not well known for them to commission me.
My life will still go on and hey at the very lest I am enjoying every bit of it.
So it all comes down to if you don't like me well you see this nice furry ass?? Kiss it.
Cheers. XD
Oh and love you Snow.
I'll be here every week.
I plan to start making fursuits with my mate