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Donut Steel.
11 years ago
Finally found myself with time enough for visualize the anime series Paranoia Agent [Mōsō Dairinin] by Madhouse, directed by the now gone Satoshi Kon (Paprika; Tokyo Godfathers).
Even if the main target of this very acid satire is the Japanese viewers, its message of the toxicity of escapism and lack of maturity for dealing with day to day suffering can be also addressed to the western public. Using elements of jungian psychoanalysis (the collective unconscious) and those of bhuddism (introspection and meditation to accept suffering) for tell us the story of a blow out of proportions lie which ends blurring the line between reality and fiction, the series criticizes the constant need for escapism Japanese suffer in the contemporary world. Be this the illusion of success (Episode 2), the idealization of the past (episode 11), fantasies of realization (episode 5) or just plain auto termination (the hysterical slapstick episode 8), all the characters are examples of those demons which torment the standard Japanese citizen as well as the western civilization citizen. One of the episodes which called me most the attention is third, the one dealing with a woman with multiple personality disorder who at day is a shy and plenty of gravitas university professor while during night becomes pure unleashed libido, somehow my activities on-line concerning sexual RPs made me feel uncomfortably related to the situation that character lives during the episode and perhaps some other persons who are avid sexual RPers who real life day to day demands them maintain an ethos. In fact, this made me think the escapism what is sexual rpers sometimes make furries lost certain notions of logic and a good example of this is the recent interest for the character Rocket Raccoon.
Leaving Paranoia Agent to a side and being someone who still consumes comics I had been familiar with the character since the British writer Dan Abnett offered us the space opera saga Annihilation, the true start of the contemporary Guardians of the Galaxy and which saved obscure characters like Rocket Raccoon. It shocked me a character which has been popular for Marvel Comics fans since 2004 now ten years later has been assimilated in the list of mainstream iconic characters of the furry fandom, like Felicia or Fox McCloud, but of course, the main reason is because Rocket Raccoon was a comic book character and now is a film character. This is worry some for two reasons:
-People in the fandom are too busy or too lazy to even read comic books.
-Most of the people who constitute the fandom aren't really into that kind of media except that which is mainstream because their main interest is sexual.
The fandom started mainly as a group of animators and artist in general as well as fans of funny animals, those who grew up with Disney and Warner Brothers cartoons, but seems with each passing year it has become a source of toxic escapism. I am not talking about those with artistic talent, those can be excuse according to the existentialist philosophy of Albert Camus (1913-1960). Those artist do really enjoy a more productive and less toxic aspect of the fandom, even if their art is sexual is an act of rebellion of a mechanical absurd existence which is going to end with the extinction of oneself and in said act they find a meaning to that condition. Like the characters of Paraonia Agent, the absorption of Rocket Raccoon and its sexualization responds to a compulsive need to find new toys, new elements of escapism trough exorcising sexual frustration. Being sex purely mechanical it doesn't matter how many new kinks, new toys, you add to the game, it will become sooner or later dull. This never ending escape from oneself trough a sexual avatar just escalates as time pass, I had witnessed people starting with quite average characters when they established contact with the roleplaying community of the furry fandom and end with sexual monstrosities. Like Lil' Slugger, the main antagonist of Paranoia Agent, this escalation, the growing of importance of the sexual avatar, obeys the need of never face the reason of existential angst the player is facing in real life, because there is no act of rebellion, there is no creation, which offers a true meaning to the oneself.
Furry artist always keep a status quo concerning their characters and their art, because that act of creation offers them more relief than the most kinkier roleplay they could experience. Is a representation of their will of existence not a rejection of it. Same happens with the writers, the musicians, any who does a true act of creation and does not waste his or her time with simulation, what is the true nature of the sexual roleplay. Simulation, not creation.
Of course one could point art, writing and music are also simulations, but their process turn them into expressions of a creative will with intention of perpetuity (and by extension improvement) when the act of simulation that is sexual roleplay is ephemeral and it fades into nothing. This brings frustration when there is no partner to perform such act, when the artist only will suffer the cold grip of frustration when a mental block impairs him of do his will. The individual act of drawing a pornographic picture is far more satisfying than having a roleplay with someone who is unable to deliver a four lines post.
Even if this is obvious we should admit we have to acquire a conscience about this angst linked to the act of escapism.
Even if the main target of this very acid satire is the Japanese viewers, its message of the toxicity of escapism and lack of maturity for dealing with day to day suffering can be also addressed to the western public. Using elements of jungian psychoanalysis (the collective unconscious) and those of bhuddism (introspection and meditation to accept suffering) for tell us the story of a blow out of proportions lie which ends blurring the line between reality and fiction, the series criticizes the constant need for escapism Japanese suffer in the contemporary world. Be this the illusion of success (Episode 2), the idealization of the past (episode 11), fantasies of realization (episode 5) or just plain auto termination (the hysterical slapstick episode 8), all the characters are examples of those demons which torment the standard Japanese citizen as well as the western civilization citizen. One of the episodes which called me most the attention is third, the one dealing with a woman with multiple personality disorder who at day is a shy and plenty of gravitas university professor while during night becomes pure unleashed libido, somehow my activities on-line concerning sexual RPs made me feel uncomfortably related to the situation that character lives during the episode and perhaps some other persons who are avid sexual RPers who real life day to day demands them maintain an ethos. In fact, this made me think the escapism what is sexual rpers sometimes make furries lost certain notions of logic and a good example of this is the recent interest for the character Rocket Raccoon.
Leaving Paranoia Agent to a side and being someone who still consumes comics I had been familiar with the character since the British writer Dan Abnett offered us the space opera saga Annihilation, the true start of the contemporary Guardians of the Galaxy and which saved obscure characters like Rocket Raccoon. It shocked me a character which has been popular for Marvel Comics fans since 2004 now ten years later has been assimilated in the list of mainstream iconic characters of the furry fandom, like Felicia or Fox McCloud, but of course, the main reason is because Rocket Raccoon was a comic book character and now is a film character. This is worry some for two reasons:
-People in the fandom are too busy or too lazy to even read comic books.
-Most of the people who constitute the fandom aren't really into that kind of media except that which is mainstream because their main interest is sexual.
The fandom started mainly as a group of animators and artist in general as well as fans of funny animals, those who grew up with Disney and Warner Brothers cartoons, but seems with each passing year it has become a source of toxic escapism. I am not talking about those with artistic talent, those can be excuse according to the existentialist philosophy of Albert Camus (1913-1960). Those artist do really enjoy a more productive and less toxic aspect of the fandom, even if their art is sexual is an act of rebellion of a mechanical absurd existence which is going to end with the extinction of oneself and in said act they find a meaning to that condition. Like the characters of Paraonia Agent, the absorption of Rocket Raccoon and its sexualization responds to a compulsive need to find new toys, new elements of escapism trough exorcising sexual frustration. Being sex purely mechanical it doesn't matter how many new kinks, new toys, you add to the game, it will become sooner or later dull. This never ending escape from oneself trough a sexual avatar just escalates as time pass, I had witnessed people starting with quite average characters when they established contact with the roleplaying community of the furry fandom and end with sexual monstrosities. Like Lil' Slugger, the main antagonist of Paranoia Agent, this escalation, the growing of importance of the sexual avatar, obeys the need of never face the reason of existential angst the player is facing in real life, because there is no act of rebellion, there is no creation, which offers a true meaning to the oneself.
Furry artist always keep a status quo concerning their characters and their art, because that act of creation offers them more relief than the most kinkier roleplay they could experience. Is a representation of their will of existence not a rejection of it. Same happens with the writers, the musicians, any who does a true act of creation and does not waste his or her time with simulation, what is the true nature of the sexual roleplay. Simulation, not creation.
Of course one could point art, writing and music are also simulations, but their process turn them into expressions of a creative will with intention of perpetuity (and by extension improvement) when the act of simulation that is sexual roleplay is ephemeral and it fades into nothing. This brings frustration when there is no partner to perform such act, when the artist only will suffer the cold grip of frustration when a mental block impairs him of do his will. The individual act of drawing a pornographic picture is far more satisfying than having a roleplay with someone who is unable to deliver a four lines post.
Even if this is obvious we should admit we have to acquire a conscience about this angst linked to the act of escapism.
