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The Almighty Finger of the Internet
6 years ago
General
You know what really sucks?
Going to look at an image / animation / model / etc., and being blasted by dramatics.
I'm not into that kind of thing. Never was. I don't want to keep up with the current crap. I don't care who said or did what.
Most of the time, people are going to get it wrong anyway. Not that they care, anyway.
If someone wants to take you out, they will. They don't have to know you or anything that you do.
You're guilty by accusation. Even if you're innocent of whatever you're accused of.
And the second you're guilty of something most people hate, you're done. Your career is over. Your life is over.
There's nothing else that you can do, and nowhere that you can go.
You can leave for years, come back, and the hate will still be just as fresh as the day you left.
And that to me really disturbs me.
It's a real shame that the more power and intelligence and opportunity a person or group of people have, the WORSE they often become.
There are people that learn a lot about computers, and instead of using that knowledge to help people, they make viruses and ransomware.
There are groups of people that sometimes use places like CraigsList to set up ambushes and robbery points, when all the other person wanted to do was buy something off of them.
Almost everyone on the internet has the opportunity to learn so much information, and interact with almost all people around the world. But what do they do with that opportunity instead? They fight about every thing they can think of.
It's not everyone, of course. And it's not limited to the fandom. Only fools believe that. But still.
"But it's not bad if we go after ~those~ kinds of people". "Those" being whatever type of people that most others usually hate. Often centered around a couple of different types or taboos, though it can be a variety of things.
And that was an actual sentence I read from someone.
But what does that *really mean*? As long as it's something or someone that most people hate or is different, it's OK?
I don't think so. I think people should try and understand something / someone before they point and harshly criticize them.
It's OK to hurt them, troll them, incarcerate them, beat them up, even kill them? Is it really? Why? What good will come of them? What are you really doing and helping when you do that? Helping yourself to feel better?
I don't think that's right. I think people should be helped and talked to.
Criminal behavior? Anyone can be a criminal at any time for any reason. They don't even have to be aware of it. But regardless of behaviour and actions, only a small handful of people are actually and truly bad.
"But if we get these people out of /our/ fandom, then it will be a much better place!" ~Our~ fandom, as though it's the property of a select few, when it's really a community for all.
Will it? Will it really? When FA decided that cub erotica would be banned, people everywhere rejoiced, as though they had just won some grand victory. The very next day, those same people were complaining and arguing about something else.
When there were people that decided they wanted to leave the fandom for whatever reason, many people rejoiced in the same way. "Yay, we finally got rid of them! I hope they rot!!". The very next day, they were arguing and complaining about something else.
It has nothing to do with the very small amount of certain types of people in the fandom. It's aboutthe fandom's people's perception of them, and what people choose to do with them.
They're making the fandom look bad? I don't necessarily think so. I think what makes the fandom look bad is the sheer amount of in-fighting that goes on.
It's rather rare [for me] to come across someone who might be into, or even do, something that most people don't like. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE A BAD PERSON. They just have to ~think~ about something that another person hates.
And if that person has followers or people who still support them? They're in the stink too, **just because they don't hate alongside you**.
But many times, including today when I was just looking at an image, I've come across forums and comment threads and sub-sites and the like of people just fighting and arguing over seemingly anything and everything.
What do you think happens when someone goes to look up furry, and all they come across is fighting? Hardly the fault of someone in a taboo. Very much the fault of people who think they must be entitled to a fight because they have a strong opinion.
I like the fandom. I have called it home for over 14 years. Yes, I have seen it change a bit over the years, most notably shortly after I joined. Not necessarily for the better in all cases... But this current generation of furs... ugh.
Jeez.
Some people say that the fandom is and has been dead for a long time. I can see where they're coming from. Some others say it's not dead, but it is dying. I have been in and out of that thought as well.
You can still have furries without a fandom, but it's definitely nice to know there are like-minded people out there. It surely isn't as weird when I know I'm not the only person who thinks about and likes "animal-people".
I've often thought of the fandom as a neighborhood. Some people come and go They can be good people or bad people. Some even stay for the long haul. That neighborhood is a community of people.
But what happens when a group of loud, rowdy neighbors movies in? They scream and yell, even in the middle of the night. They drink and have parties all the time. They litter and destroy the properties around the neighborhood.
And they will sometimes randomly attack people. Why? It doesn't matter why. There's always a reason and excuse why.
Because of these people, the neighborhood looks more dirty and trashy. People are starting to move out. People are turning away from coming in.
And even though the original inhabitants far outweigh the loud neighbors, they are mostly a quiet and peaceful folk, and the others are, well, not.
When other people come into the neighborhood wanting to look at houses, they see what the neighborhood looks like now and see the loud neighbors, they start to think that's the norm for this place and turn away. That's unfair to all the other inhabitants.
That's what I feel the current fandom is.
As with the image problem, and people leaving left and right, if you want things to get better, you have to be better. You have to be the change you want to see.
Stop the fighting. Knock it off with the finger pointing. Quit with the exposed videos. Actually become more positive. Stop relying on only a very small amount of people to it all for you. There aren't many of them. We've sadly lost another recently.
That's one of the reasons I still try to be a helpful and positive person. Yeah I know, I gotta work on it, but still. I want to be someone that others can rely on when they need help, or someone to talk or listen to, or their spirits lifted.
Yeah, I've been screwed before, but why should I blame all furs for the actions of a few? That's dumb. I don't want it to change me. I don't just want to be better, I want to see things get better.
That's what community is all about I think. I don't want to run away the second things get tough, or turn into a butt because a few people were butts to me. I want to see things get better, while also becoming a better person at the same time.
I apologize for the long journal. I tried not to post anymore of those, and I know people don't really read them anyway.
I've always been against misinformation, and be a promoter of truth and thinking critically and for yourself.
When I see all this fighting going on, and certain groups of people getting attacked left and right, it really makes me wonder what's going on, and who the "true bad guy" is here.
I had more to say about this, but I have to go for now. I do have a much bigger journal for another time which touches on this subject, but that's not for a while. And that journal will be one of the last few big journals I will post.
Sorry. I just get tired of walking into war zones when I just wanted to check the mail, you know.
Going to look at an image / animation / model / etc., and being blasted by dramatics.
I'm not into that kind of thing. Never was. I don't want to keep up with the current crap. I don't care who said or did what.
Most of the time, people are going to get it wrong anyway. Not that they care, anyway.
If someone wants to take you out, they will. They don't have to know you or anything that you do.
You're guilty by accusation. Even if you're innocent of whatever you're accused of.
And the second you're guilty of something most people hate, you're done. Your career is over. Your life is over.
There's nothing else that you can do, and nowhere that you can go.
You can leave for years, come back, and the hate will still be just as fresh as the day you left.
And that to me really disturbs me.
It's a real shame that the more power and intelligence and opportunity a person or group of people have, the WORSE they often become.
There are people that learn a lot about computers, and instead of using that knowledge to help people, they make viruses and ransomware.
There are groups of people that sometimes use places like CraigsList to set up ambushes and robbery points, when all the other person wanted to do was buy something off of them.
Almost everyone on the internet has the opportunity to learn so much information, and interact with almost all people around the world. But what do they do with that opportunity instead? They fight about every thing they can think of.
It's not everyone, of course. And it's not limited to the fandom. Only fools believe that. But still.
"But it's not bad if we go after ~those~ kinds of people". "Those" being whatever type of people that most others usually hate. Often centered around a couple of different types or taboos, though it can be a variety of things.
And that was an actual sentence I read from someone.
But what does that *really mean*? As long as it's something or someone that most people hate or is different, it's OK?
I don't think so. I think people should try and understand something / someone before they point and harshly criticize them.
It's OK to hurt them, troll them, incarcerate them, beat them up, even kill them? Is it really? Why? What good will come of them? What are you really doing and helping when you do that? Helping yourself to feel better?
I don't think that's right. I think people should be helped and talked to.
Criminal behavior? Anyone can be a criminal at any time for any reason. They don't even have to be aware of it. But regardless of behaviour and actions, only a small handful of people are actually and truly bad.
"But if we get these people out of /our/ fandom, then it will be a much better place!" ~Our~ fandom, as though it's the property of a select few, when it's really a community for all.
Will it? Will it really? When FA decided that cub erotica would be banned, people everywhere rejoiced, as though they had just won some grand victory. The very next day, those same people were complaining and arguing about something else.
When there were people that decided they wanted to leave the fandom for whatever reason, many people rejoiced in the same way. "Yay, we finally got rid of them! I hope they rot!!". The very next day, they were arguing and complaining about something else.
It has nothing to do with the very small amount of certain types of people in the fandom. It's about
They're making the fandom look bad? I don't necessarily think so. I think what makes the fandom look bad is the sheer amount of in-fighting that goes on.
It's rather rare [for me] to come across someone who might be into, or even do, something that most people don't like. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE A BAD PERSON. They just have to ~think~ about something that another person hates.
And if that person has followers or people who still support them? They're in the stink too, **just because they don't hate alongside you**.
But many times, including today when I was just looking at an image, I've come across forums and comment threads and sub-sites and the like of people just fighting and arguing over seemingly anything and everything.
What do you think happens when someone goes to look up furry, and all they come across is fighting? Hardly the fault of someone in a taboo. Very much the fault of people who think they must be entitled to a fight because they have a strong opinion.
I like the fandom. I have called it home for over 14 years. Yes, I have seen it change a bit over the years, most notably shortly after I joined. Not necessarily for the better in all cases... But this current generation of furs... ugh.
Jeez.
Some people say that the fandom is and has been dead for a long time. I can see where they're coming from. Some others say it's not dead, but it is dying. I have been in and out of that thought as well.
You can still have furries without a fandom, but it's definitely nice to know there are like-minded people out there. It surely isn't as weird when I know I'm not the only person who thinks about and likes "animal-people".
I've often thought of the fandom as a neighborhood. Some people come and go They can be good people or bad people. Some even stay for the long haul. That neighborhood is a community of people.
But what happens when a group of loud, rowdy neighbors movies in? They scream and yell, even in the middle of the night. They drink and have parties all the time. They litter and destroy the properties around the neighborhood.
And they will sometimes randomly attack people. Why? It doesn't matter why. There's always a reason and excuse why.
Because of these people, the neighborhood looks more dirty and trashy. People are starting to move out. People are turning away from coming in.
And even though the original inhabitants far outweigh the loud neighbors, they are mostly a quiet and peaceful folk, and the others are, well, not.
When other people come into the neighborhood wanting to look at houses, they see what the neighborhood looks like now and see the loud neighbors, they start to think that's the norm for this place and turn away. That's unfair to all the other inhabitants.
That's what I feel the current fandom is.
As with the image problem, and people leaving left and right, if you want things to get better, you have to be better. You have to be the change you want to see.
Stop the fighting. Knock it off with the finger pointing. Quit with the exposed videos. Actually become more positive. Stop relying on only a very small amount of people to it all for you. There aren't many of them. We've sadly lost another recently.
That's one of the reasons I still try to be a helpful and positive person. Yeah I know, I gotta work on it, but still. I want to be someone that others can rely on when they need help, or someone to talk or listen to, or their spirits lifted.
Yeah, I've been screwed before, but why should I blame all furs for the actions of a few? That's dumb. I don't want it to change me. I don't just want to be better, I want to see things get better.
That's what community is all about I think. I don't want to run away the second things get tough, or turn into a butt because a few people were butts to me. I want to see things get better, while also becoming a better person at the same time.
I apologize for the long journal. I tried not to post anymore of those, and I know people don't really read them anyway.
I've always been against misinformation, and be a promoter of truth and thinking critically and for yourself.
When I see all this fighting going on, and certain groups of people getting attacked left and right, it really makes me wonder what's going on, and who the "true bad guy" is here.
I had more to say about this, but I have to go for now. I do have a much bigger journal for another time which touches on this subject, but that's not for a while. And that journal will be one of the last few big journals I will post.
Sorry. I just get tired of walking into war zones when I just wanted to check the mail, you know.
or perhaps it was just my isolation from it since then that makes it seem that way.
in the 90s there was still real fiction about science being written, not just wars and soap operas in urban space.
but back to furry, which seems to have become something of an art business feeding frenzy,
whether hoydi toydi art criticism gives it their blessing or not.
for me, that takes away from it a little bit. and for the social aspects, well that, i've never been social enough to really notice,
so i don't feel entirely qualified to comment on that aspect of things.
but the imagination, at leas some of it, where it hasn't been narrowly channelized to appeal to art consumption markets,
is still there, and so too, strangers, at leas if one of them is wearing their fur, aren't so automatically considered creeps,
that people do, at conventions, still hug each other.
so i absolutely refuse to condem furry as having gone completely to hell. it really hasn't. at least not yet, as far as i've noticed.
i've noticed people all the time saying it has. still a relatively small percentage, and of course, the emotionally dependent,
making dramatic exits from 'the fold' so to speak, but the latter is nothing all that new either.
i don't entirely understand drama, but when i was young i felt it more.
not that i'm so old i never can. just old enough for it to not often be a thing.
i have other issues, not specifically with the fandom as such.
i grew up in a world where it was possible for things to exist, and without everyone insisting on trashing them,
WITHOUT having to be 'owned'.
where you didn't have to be rich, to enjoy an environment you could enjoy,
because you didn't have to own everything, or even anything, in it.
And I far too often just feel like I'm too dumb and slow regardless.
But, I have seen and have felt the affects of some of these things from others, and if I can feel the effects all the way over here, there's no doubt the people close to it are being crippled.
I know it's not all bad. Though I haven't been to a fur con before, I have been to a con. Being there in person is much different from being online.
In person, you really feel the true nature and spirit of people. People are much nicer and much more helpful. Or at least they are more of themselves.
Rather, a version of their self that can't be easily hidden behind the anonymity of the internet.
Whereas on the internet, a lot of people abuse the notion of anonymity. Some people have big mouths, and do nothing but spout all kinds of stuff.
Whether that stuff be harmful or true or insensitive or not. Many of these same people also have a big audience, which is an unfortunate circumstance.
Luckily, many of these people don't go to cons. At least to my knowledge. Some do, but many don't.
Though that's one of the reasons I am still here. There was a time long ago when I thought about leaving. First because of me. I thought I would be "aiding in making the fandom look bad", but I didn't. And a few times afterwards, because of all the in-fighting.
But the instigators and real trouble makers only have big mouths. They don't have a big stake in the population here. When a person thinks about leaving but decides to stay, they start to see that. They start to see a few things they would have missed if they just upped and walked away from it all.
And the ones that make those ridiculous exits are often the ones that don't see that. Now they've taken to making videos instead of journals about their exits, which have done a fair bit of destruction to the image of the fandom. Not that they care. They're gone. They have a video to monetize.
I can understand why a person would be angry about some things, but not often to the extent that some people take it. Though as I've mentioned, I've always been against misinformation and the pursuit of understanding.
I often see a lot of lies thrown about, and many confused people when it comes to issues of dramatics. I don't engage in stuff like. I tried a few times to say my piece and get info, but in the end, it seems to be more about who can scream the loudest and say the most shocking thing.
I wish we ALL --everybody, all the people on the planet-- could just sit down one day and talk. Try to understand one another.
No, we won't all see eye to eye, and that's fine. But is there really a reason that so many people have to fight about so many things?
I don't think so. There really aren't that many bad people out there at all. Just the differing perceptions that people have on others and other philosophies.