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So much hate in the world...
9 years ago
Hello those who read this. ^^ If you're wondering about the followup to my last journal...still alone and still depressed. But hey, that's the way I was before he came into my life, so I guess I can deal. Just really hard to go back to having no one when you've actually had someone in your life like that. Before, I didn't really know what I was missing despite being 31 yrs old.
But I'm actually writing this journal just because I can't believe how much hate there is in the world. A lot of it stems from bigotry, in a way. And I'm so abhorred to see that so much bigotry still exists in the world. There have been a lot of shootings lately. Were they all race-based? It's possible. More likely certain shootings have been sensationalized because of race, but it still brings attention to the matter. I'm sure at least some of the current shootings of innocent people by law enforcement officers had some basis in race. Or incompetence...or both.
What really amazes me is how much this sort of bigotry even permeates our imaginations. Quite frankly, I feel like furs, as a general rule, are fairly progressive and forward-thinking individuals, which is why I'm surprised every time I see the kind of bigotry and hatred amongst us that I see out in the real world.
Take for example...Demicoeur's latest comic "Cinderfrost." It's shaping up to be a very fun and possibly deep comic by an artist that I happen to adore. If you haven't checked out his stuff and you like gay furry pr0n as well as a beautiful artistic style, then you're missing out. Now, in "Cinderfrost," there is a particularly nasty, hatred-inducing character named 'Ciel' who just so happens to be a unicorn. And it never fails on every page's comments section, people start talking about what assholes and bastards all unicorns are based off of this one terrible individual.
I know that the majority of these comments are made in jest and aren't meant to be serious, but comments don't have to be serious to hurt, and this is one way that bigotry starts. Unicorns don't exist. No anthropomorphic animals do as yet. We're talking about imaginary constructs in a fictitious environment, so you might say this doesn't have any real-world relevancy. I disagree. If we're throwing around slurs about an entire group based upon a single individual within said group in our imaginary "we can do whatever we want" place, what kind of comment does make upon us as individuals and as a society? Even when we're playing make-believe, we're bigots? That's pretty sad. You don't hear me going around saying all foxes are childish, class-a douchebags just because that's what my previous bf was and he happened to be a fox. I know there are a lot of anthro foxes out there that would get at least a little hurt by someone saying that, and why not? It's literally an attack upon who they are...imaginary or not.
The whole situation with Cinderfrost isn't helped any by the fact that unicorns are a real minority within the fandom and there aren't a whole lot of popular artists drawing them in comic-type, personality-exposing situations. There aren't a lot of us unicorns to represent and defend our fursonas...and I know if I comment upon that thread, people will end up jumping all over me either because I'm being "overdramatic and butt-hurt," or literally because they think it's funny to make slurs against unicorns given the theme of the comic.
So I don't post on the comic threads with anything logical or thought-out. But come on people...aren't we better than this? Making slurs against an entire group of people even in a world that doesn't exist? It's not funny, and it's not okay if it hurts even one person's feelings, because there's literally no reason for it.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
But I'm actually writing this journal just because I can't believe how much hate there is in the world. A lot of it stems from bigotry, in a way. And I'm so abhorred to see that so much bigotry still exists in the world. There have been a lot of shootings lately. Were they all race-based? It's possible. More likely certain shootings have been sensationalized because of race, but it still brings attention to the matter. I'm sure at least some of the current shootings of innocent people by law enforcement officers had some basis in race. Or incompetence...or both.
What really amazes me is how much this sort of bigotry even permeates our imaginations. Quite frankly, I feel like furs, as a general rule, are fairly progressive and forward-thinking individuals, which is why I'm surprised every time I see the kind of bigotry and hatred amongst us that I see out in the real world.
Take for example...Demicoeur's latest comic "Cinderfrost." It's shaping up to be a very fun and possibly deep comic by an artist that I happen to adore. If you haven't checked out his stuff and you like gay furry pr0n as well as a beautiful artistic style, then you're missing out. Now, in "Cinderfrost," there is a particularly nasty, hatred-inducing character named 'Ciel' who just so happens to be a unicorn. And it never fails on every page's comments section, people start talking about what assholes and bastards all unicorns are based off of this one terrible individual.
I know that the majority of these comments are made in jest and aren't meant to be serious, but comments don't have to be serious to hurt, and this is one way that bigotry starts. Unicorns don't exist. No anthropomorphic animals do as yet. We're talking about imaginary constructs in a fictitious environment, so you might say this doesn't have any real-world relevancy. I disagree. If we're throwing around slurs about an entire group based upon a single individual within said group in our imaginary "we can do whatever we want" place, what kind of comment does make upon us as individuals and as a society? Even when we're playing make-believe, we're bigots? That's pretty sad. You don't hear me going around saying all foxes are childish, class-a douchebags just because that's what my previous bf was and he happened to be a fox. I know there are a lot of anthro foxes out there that would get at least a little hurt by someone saying that, and why not? It's literally an attack upon who they are...imaginary or not.
The whole situation with Cinderfrost isn't helped any by the fact that unicorns are a real minority within the fandom and there aren't a whole lot of popular artists drawing them in comic-type, personality-exposing situations. There aren't a lot of us unicorns to represent and defend our fursonas...and I know if I comment upon that thread, people will end up jumping all over me either because I'm being "overdramatic and butt-hurt," or literally because they think it's funny to make slurs against unicorns given the theme of the comic.
So I don't post on the comic threads with anything logical or thought-out. But come on people...aren't we better than this? Making slurs against an entire group of people even in a world that doesn't exist? It's not funny, and it's not okay if it hurts even one person's feelings, because there's literally no reason for it.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
Here's a pie you can smoosh it in my face now. :>
But yeah, people in vague general tend to be lazy among other things and it's easy to spout or think blanket-ideas about whole swathes of individuals based on one tiny example. Though it may be grounded in evolution and instinct (it works well in nature to avoid and dislike anything remotely similar to something else that was bad), we are gifted with brains capable of thinking well past such things. There are times we could all do with using that grey matter more and not taking the easy route. :3
On the subject of hate in the world, I daily try to remind myself that there's not as much as appears. It's just what stands out the most, unfortunately. Sorta like how I 'hate' kids because they're always loud and screaming, but the thing is the ones that are quiet and well-behaved I don't notice as much, so i just think they all suck. XD So I've been trying to force myself to notice more often. :3 Or the news - when do you ever hear a news story about it being a nice day, or someone helped their neighbour move across town, or someone gave hundreds of dollars to a tiny charity? Yeah it's all this guy was shot, everybody hates this thing, nobody has a job, everything is terrrrriiibbbbbbbllllee. XD
Anyway I've been teaching myself there is goodness in the world, and the more I focus on it actively the more I see. =^.^= But that's not to say there's not still tons of badness. :P Just reiteration of how easy it is to focus on negative and hard to see positive sometimes.
Anyhoo, very true that both in real life and virtual many should think about what they're saying more before they say it. They likely won't. :) But we can hope!
I'm lazy too, and it's ruining my life, but I don't judge an entire group of people on the actions of a single person. That's not to say that others don't allow laziness to affect their judgement in that way, just saying one can be lazy and not be an intolerant bigot.
And there are definitely good people, and it seems that society is still moving toward less bigotry in general...after all, I can be openly gay with very few people being antagonistic toward me now...that wouldn't have been the case just fifteen years ago back when I was in school. Not to mention I live in one of the first few states to legalize same-sex marriage. But it's impossible to write off even the single bad ones, when they can legally (or even illegally) obtain a fully-automatic weapon and kill tens or even hundreds of people on their own.
I don't mind kids, but I'd make a terrible parent. Kids tend to like me and I engage well with them, but the thing is when something happens like a dirty diaper, or throwing up, or a temper tantrum...I can just pick up and walk away. XD And I don't have to supply them with clothes and food and all that stuff. :p I never wanted to have any dependents. A small part of the reason my previous bf didn't work out...despite me being entirely forthright with him about that fact before we moved in together.
I'm sure they won't think before speaking. Thing is, online you have all the time you could want to think about what you're saying before you post it...so there's really no excuse for it.
Oh well...just had to post something somewhere. :p
As for unicorns, I find the negative stereotype you speak of as illustrated by the character Ciel to be highly unusual and mystifying given the way unicorns have been represented historically and in myth. Usually unicorns represent the very opposite of what Ciel is: the pure, the innocent, the virtuous, the fair, the precious, the kind, etc. I think Jewel from the The Last Battle in the Chronicles of Narnia series is a better example of what a unicorn should be than Ciel. It's a shame that Ciel is such an asshole too because he would otherwise be irresistibly sexy ;)
Hatred in the world has always been and will continue to be, unfortunately. It's not going away.
I will admit that I hold some prejudices myself, but I work on them. And I don't broadcast them publicly because it doesn't do any good to needlessly hurt feelings.
You're right that in mythos and ancient beliefs as well as many iterations of high fantasy...unicorns do represent such principles and properties. Unfortunately, however, they remain heavily under-represented and quite rare within the fandom, and there is definitely a distinct separation in many peoples' minds between the mythical idol and the anthropomorphic representation. I don't see those qualities linking in most minds, and so the fandom is left with a very high-profile very negative representation. And I agree, Ciel would be hot if it weren't for the fact that he's a jaded, unmitigated asshole.
We just can't live side by side sometimes.