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Apathy = Negative-Trolling?
General | Posted 15 years agoA month and a half ago, I started watching a group on LJ that details the more juicy bits of "teh furry DRAMMA". It was all fun and slightly lol-worthy when I first joined, laughing at examples of people who really don't know any better and REALLY make a mess of things in their own lives.
I'm not laughing anymore.
Why I even still pay attention to that group today is a mystery to me. There are some SERIOUS head-cases who need to be locked up or medicated or...well, I won't go as far as mentioning the third thing, but it's getting more and more difficult to not say it every day. In a way, I feel even more torn about the fandom than I did when I first started watching the LJ group.
As a boy, my parents always stressed to me, "Choose your battles." In other words, there are issues that come up in life when you have to know just how much you can take on. Don't do enough when you make that decision, you'll be ostracized by some people. Take too much of a stand one way or the other, you'll be ostracized (if not also arrested and/or killed). But apparently, there is a third group that is looked upon with similar revulsion. That group of people watch the events happen from a distance, choosing to not get involved at all. Apparently, this kind of "apathy" is just as toxic as trolling - if not worse.
So I ask you...because I'm completely screwed on this question: Is apathy on certain issues worse than action? Am I being a bad furry by choosing not to involve myself in the business of another when the only things I know about it are in the form of words being thrown from afar?
And if that's the case, do I even belong in the furry fandom?
(I know, none of this is making any sense. It's late, I'm drowsy and my mind is twisted in knots over issues that I feel I should never have any involvement in yet can't resist the temptation to indulge. Maybe in the morning I'll feel more clear-headed about things...
...but any input you can provide will also help.
I'm not laughing anymore.
Why I even still pay attention to that group today is a mystery to me. There are some SERIOUS head-cases who need to be locked up or medicated or...well, I won't go as far as mentioning the third thing, but it's getting more and more difficult to not say it every day. In a way, I feel even more torn about the fandom than I did when I first started watching the LJ group.
As a boy, my parents always stressed to me, "Choose your battles." In other words, there are issues that come up in life when you have to know just how much you can take on. Don't do enough when you make that decision, you'll be ostracized by some people. Take too much of a stand one way or the other, you'll be ostracized (if not also arrested and/or killed). But apparently, there is a third group that is looked upon with similar revulsion. That group of people watch the events happen from a distance, choosing to not get involved at all. Apparently, this kind of "apathy" is just as toxic as trolling - if not worse.
So I ask you...because I'm completely screwed on this question: Is apathy on certain issues worse than action? Am I being a bad furry by choosing not to involve myself in the business of another when the only things I know about it are in the form of words being thrown from afar?
And if that's the case, do I even belong in the furry fandom?
(I know, none of this is making any sense. It's late, I'm drowsy and my mind is twisted in knots over issues that I feel I should never have any involvement in yet can't resist the temptation to indulge. Maybe in the morning I'll feel more clear-headed about things...
...but any input you can provide will also help.
What If...?
General | Posted 15 years agoOkay, I'll give this a shot...
Seen everywhere on FA, but stolen from
bradhound
What if?~
● I died:
● I kissed you:
● I fell:
● I lived next door to you:
● I showed up at your house unexpectedly:
● I stole something:
● I was murdered:
● I cried:
● I asked you to marry me:
● I was hospitalized:
~Would you~
● Trust me enough to sleep in the same bed as me?
● Keep a secret if i told you one?
● Hold my hand?
● Study with me?
● Cook for me?
● Love me?
● Date me?
● Have sex with me?
~More ~
● When and how did we meet?
● Describe me in three words.
● What was your first impression of me?
● What do you think of me now?
● What reminds you of me?
● Could you see us together forever?
● When's the last time you saw me?
● Are you gonna re-post this to see what I say about you?
Seen everywhere on FA, but stolen from
bradhound What if?~
● I died:
● I kissed you:
● I fell:
● I lived next door to you:
● I showed up at your house unexpectedly:
● I stole something:
● I was murdered:
● I cried:
● I asked you to marry me:
● I was hospitalized:
~Would you~
● Trust me enough to sleep in the same bed as me?
● Keep a secret if i told you one?
● Hold my hand?
● Study with me?
● Cook for me?
● Love me?
● Date me?
● Have sex with me?
~More ~
● When and how did we meet?
● Describe me in three words.
● What was your first impression of me?
● What do you think of me now?
● What reminds you of me?
● Could you see us together forever?
● When's the last time you saw me?
● Are you gonna re-post this to see what I say about you?
I Need to Get To Know More of You!
General | Posted 15 years agoBlatantly copied from 
wildfox34
1. Your Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Film:
5. Favorite Song or Album:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
9. Do we know each other outside of FA?
10. What's your philosophy on life?
11. Is the bottle half-full or half-empty?
12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
13. What is your favorite memory of us?
14. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
16. You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarkey) - what are they?
17. Can we get together and make a cake?
18. Which country is your spiritual home?
19. What is your big weakness?
20. Do you think I'm a good person?
21. What was your best/favorite subject at school?
22. Describe your accent:
23. If you could change anything about me, would you?
24. What do you wear to sleep?
25. Trousers or skirts?
26. Cigarettes or alcohol?
27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
28. Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?
wildfox341. Your Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Film:
5. Favorite Song or Album:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
9. Do we know each other outside of FA?
10. What's your philosophy on life?
11. Is the bottle half-full or half-empty?
12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
13. What is your favorite memory of us?
14. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
16. You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarkey) - what are they?
17. Can we get together and make a cake?
18. Which country is your spiritual home?
19. What is your big weakness?
20. Do you think I'm a good person?
21. What was your best/favorite subject at school?
22. Describe your accent:
23. If you could change anything about me, would you?
24. What do you wear to sleep?
25. Trousers or skirts?
26. Cigarettes or alcohol?
27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
28. Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?
Fursuit Sex
General | Posted 16 years ago...yeah. I'm going there.
Personally, if someone wants to partake in fursuit sex, I have no right to judge them for what they like sexually. We all have our "quirks", and if dressing up in a full bodysuit of fake hair does it for them...hey...go for it.
HOWEVER...it baffles me still to this day why anybody would do it.
For one thing, it gets AWFULLY warm in those suits - if you've ever worn one, you know EXACTLY what it's like. And the fur just lays there. It's not like a live animal's fur, which can be fluffed or flattened as necessary to help control body temperature. And the only port for this excessive body heat to escape is...an opening in the crotch? o.o The mental image alone has me shaking my head, "No".
Second... Well...I'll spare you the glorious details but...sex can get REALLY messy. I don't know why somebody - hell, ANYBODY - would invest in a suit that costs hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars and anywhere from a few weeks to several months to hand-craft for such an activity that could ruin their investment. Why? Just...why?
Thirdly, there's the issue of presenting that suit to the public. A lot of attention has been put on this topic in the past couple of months, both here on FA and in the mainstream media. Opinions on this matter are WIDELY variable, from those who defend it saying that it's nothing more than an act of self-expression, to those who stop short of saying that they want to criminalize the activity. Some have even taken to branding those who wear a sexsuit in public as pedophiles - a leap in logic that makes ABSOLUTELY no sense to me. But anyway, my opinion is this: Don't. Use it to get your own rocks off (or maybe those of another like-minded freak such as yourself), enjoy the experience and what not, but PLEASE - for the love of God, PLEASE - don't show it off in public. Don't wear it ANYWHERE that can allow for random people to just run up to you and touch it in some way. Just don't do it. And I really hope I don't have to explain WHY you shouldn't do it at this point. :-P
So, what's the lesson for today? Fursuit sex is not necessarily bad...but it's impractical on many aspects, difficult if not impossible to clean up afterwards, and the general public doesn't want to see what you did last night in suit. (And for anyone with internet access, it just squicks them even more to recognize a certain suit standing in front of them as the same one which was in an all-out orgy documented on X-Tube...you never know if that video was shot years ago...or last night. *shudders*)
*BRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRINGGGGG* Class dismissed, have a nice day. :-D
Personally, if someone wants to partake in fursuit sex, I have no right to judge them for what they like sexually. We all have our "quirks", and if dressing up in a full bodysuit of fake hair does it for them...hey...go for it.
HOWEVER...it baffles me still to this day why anybody would do it.
For one thing, it gets AWFULLY warm in those suits - if you've ever worn one, you know EXACTLY what it's like. And the fur just lays there. It's not like a live animal's fur, which can be fluffed or flattened as necessary to help control body temperature. And the only port for this excessive body heat to escape is...an opening in the crotch? o.o The mental image alone has me shaking my head, "No".
Second... Well...I'll spare you the glorious details but...sex can get REALLY messy. I don't know why somebody - hell, ANYBODY - would invest in a suit that costs hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars and anywhere from a few weeks to several months to hand-craft for such an activity that could ruin their investment. Why? Just...why?
Thirdly, there's the issue of presenting that suit to the public. A lot of attention has been put on this topic in the past couple of months, both here on FA and in the mainstream media. Opinions on this matter are WIDELY variable, from those who defend it saying that it's nothing more than an act of self-expression, to those who stop short of saying that they want to criminalize the activity. Some have even taken to branding those who wear a sexsuit in public as pedophiles - a leap in logic that makes ABSOLUTELY no sense to me. But anyway, my opinion is this: Don't. Use it to get your own rocks off (or maybe those of another like-minded freak such as yourself), enjoy the experience and what not, but PLEASE - for the love of God, PLEASE - don't show it off in public. Don't wear it ANYWHERE that can allow for random people to just run up to you and touch it in some way. Just don't do it. And I really hope I don't have to explain WHY you shouldn't do it at this point. :-P
So, what's the lesson for today? Fursuit sex is not necessarily bad...but it's impractical on many aspects, difficult if not impossible to clean up afterwards, and the general public doesn't want to see what you did last night in suit. (And for anyone with internet access, it just squicks them even more to recognize a certain suit standing in front of them as the same one which was in an all-out orgy documented on X-Tube...you never know if that video was shot years ago...or last night. *shudders*)
*BRrRrRrRrRrRrRrRINGGGGG* Class dismissed, have a nice day. :-D
Copywrongs
General | Posted 16 years agoBecause of a recent (and very public) exit from an artist that used to submit works to FA on a frequent basis, I've gotten to thinking about the practice by artists of making "copywrongs"...essentially, "Rule 34" renderings of big studio cartoon characters.
Now, I understand the practice...to a point (more on that in a bit). If you're a budding artist and want to extend your vocabulary as far as techniques and styles, there's few better ways to do it than to take an established character and drawing him/her/wutev in situations that the originators of the character would NEVER have thought of...or maybe even wanted. And, in some ways, it's fulfilling an adult-bred fantasy on the artist's part. (I won't go into the glorious details here, but if you're following a bloke like me, you already have an idea.)
HOWEVER...
...I think it becomes a completely different matter when an artist does such a Rule-34 job on a character then tries to sell such an image - or collection of them - for his/her own profit. I'm wondering right now if such an artist who does such a thing opens him/herself up to lawsuits by such companies as...say, perhaps...Disney? Or Universal? Or Dreamworks?
I'm just an art fan making these remarks, so maybe I'm completely off base here, but if there are any artists watching me, could you verify this?
Thanks in advance.
Now, I understand the practice...to a point (more on that in a bit). If you're a budding artist and want to extend your vocabulary as far as techniques and styles, there's few better ways to do it than to take an established character and drawing him/her/wutev in situations that the originators of the character would NEVER have thought of...or maybe even wanted. And, in some ways, it's fulfilling an adult-bred fantasy on the artist's part. (I won't go into the glorious details here, but if you're following a bloke like me, you already have an idea.)
HOWEVER...
...I think it becomes a completely different matter when an artist does such a Rule-34 job on a character then tries to sell such an image - or collection of them - for his/her own profit. I'm wondering right now if such an artist who does such a thing opens him/herself up to lawsuits by such companies as...say, perhaps...Disney? Or Universal? Or Dreamworks?
I'm just an art fan making these remarks, so maybe I'm completely off base here, but if there are any artists watching me, could you verify this?
Thanks in advance.
Thoughts On the Fandom...
General | Posted 16 years agoI apologize in advance for the length of this journal...I got on a roll and couldn't stop typing. If you get through all of it, I congratulate you. Oh, and if I get any of my facts, wrong, please feel free to let me know. Thanks!
Recently I've seen journals here on FA regarding the state of the fandom and furs questioning whether or not they should associate themselves with a subculture that has, in their eyes, degenerated into a cesspool of filth.
So, as I was inspired by these posts, I've decided to show my opinion of things.
First off, I am in no way the kind of furry to be proselytizing about a return of "purity" to the furry fandom. If I were to say anything against furry pr0nz, one look at the collection in my "Favorites" folder would give me a way as being a hypocrite. I do have my thoughts about the shadier aspects of the fandom, but before I go there...a bit of background is in order.
My first real exposure to what could be called the furry fandom came in the form of a chance finding. In 1996, I found a comic book in the pre-owned section of a gay bookstore called "Spike/Afterearth" by an artist currently known as
flatrat. I couldn't believe such art as this existed, and immediately purchased the book. (In later years, I'd throw it out as part of moving...and I regret giving it up to this day.) My interest piqued, I searched for other books like this...and from this search I stumbled upon "Associated Student Bodies." From there, I was introduced to the furry fandom. And the rest is history.
Now, in my mind, the furry fandom has always been "going downhill". Keep in mind that when I discovered ASB, the "Burned-Fur" movement was at its peak. Perhaps this was part of the reason why I remained hidden from the fandom during that time. Think about it...a gay male with an interest in gay male anthro art at a time when popular sentiment in the fandom was to wipe such purient interests as sex (of any kind) off of the furry map. Given the drama that the fandom is so famous for, it's really not too surprising that I didn't want any part of the argument.
As most people who have been involved with the furry fandom for a while know, the "Burned Furs" never really made any lasting impression on the fandom other than their reputation. Those who associated themselves with this movement couldn't really agree on where exactly the line in the sand should be drawn as far as "furry purity" goes. Infighting within the group on this matter ultimately caused the "Burned Fur" movement to collapse on itself. While it never really died completely (Hello? SA? CYD? lulz.net?), the stigma behind its name caused many who fundamentally disagree with the state of the contemporary furry fandom to reject branding themselves as a "burned fur".
Lately, news stories about people who associate themselves with the fandom in one degree or another have caused those in the fandom to take a look at their subculture and question what went wrong with it, where it went wrong, and when "Furry 2.0" will be created to replace the sad, sorry perversion of a fandom they once loved. Who can blame them? As we all know, the mainstream media will take any element of "weirdness" involved in the story and play it up to the max because, hey, it gets viewer's attention. Nobody in the fandom really likes it, but that's the reality we have to deal with.
Personally, however, I'm not convinced that such a thing as "Furry 2.0" (or whatever name can be dreamed for that movement) can ever exist. If the history of the "Burned Furs" movement is any indication, there's no real way that such an offshoot would last very long because sooner or later (usually sooner), a topic will be brought up that will polarize the community. Everybody involved in the fandom or any possible subgroup that might emerge from it has their own idea of what should be allowed and not allowed.
While many might look upon that as an organizational weakness, that's actually one of the things that has made the furry fandom so great in the first place. It always has been - as it continues to be today - a subculture that has allowed a kind of freedom of expression that is not afforded by modern-day society. The problem with this philosophy is that there are those who will abuse this to serve their own individual interests at the expense of everyone else's interests.
So...how do we change the fandom for the better? Is the creation of "Furry 2.0" really the answer (even with all the complications that could get involved), or is there something more we can do? Perhaps those of us who have been in the fandom for some time can take a moment to instruct those who are new to our community what is acceptable and what cannot be tolerated. One of the posts I've read regarding the state of the fandom suggested this, and frankly, I don't know of any other suggestion that could be more effective.
Bottom line: If we want to retain the "purity" in the fandom, it all starts with you and me. We in the fandom need to be held accountable for our actions, and serve as a positive model for those who are just coming on board. We need to have the integrity to stand up for what's right and applaud people for the great contributions they make to the fandom. Conversely, we also need to have the backbone to call people out who use the fandom in ways that do not serve anyone else within it except themselves and say, "YOU DON'T BELONG HERE AND WE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU."
The big question here is one that I'm not sure can be readily answered...how do we start?
And until that question gets addressed, we will continue to be a "fandom that is going downhill".
But that's just my thoughts on the matter...
Recently I've seen journals here on FA regarding the state of the fandom and furs questioning whether or not they should associate themselves with a subculture that has, in their eyes, degenerated into a cesspool of filth.
So, as I was inspired by these posts, I've decided to show my opinion of things.
First off, I am in no way the kind of furry to be proselytizing about a return of "purity" to the furry fandom. If I were to say anything against furry pr0nz, one look at the collection in my "Favorites" folder would give me a way as being a hypocrite. I do have my thoughts about the shadier aspects of the fandom, but before I go there...a bit of background is in order.
My first real exposure to what could be called the furry fandom came in the form of a chance finding. In 1996, I found a comic book in the pre-owned section of a gay bookstore called "Spike/Afterearth" by an artist currently known as
flatrat. I couldn't believe such art as this existed, and immediately purchased the book. (In later years, I'd throw it out as part of moving...and I regret giving it up to this day.) My interest piqued, I searched for other books like this...and from this search I stumbled upon "Associated Student Bodies." From there, I was introduced to the furry fandom. And the rest is history.Now, in my mind, the furry fandom has always been "going downhill". Keep in mind that when I discovered ASB, the "Burned-Fur" movement was at its peak. Perhaps this was part of the reason why I remained hidden from the fandom during that time. Think about it...a gay male with an interest in gay male anthro art at a time when popular sentiment in the fandom was to wipe such purient interests as sex (of any kind) off of the furry map. Given the drama that the fandom is so famous for, it's really not too surprising that I didn't want any part of the argument.
As most people who have been involved with the furry fandom for a while know, the "Burned Furs" never really made any lasting impression on the fandom other than their reputation. Those who associated themselves with this movement couldn't really agree on where exactly the line in the sand should be drawn as far as "furry purity" goes. Infighting within the group on this matter ultimately caused the "Burned Fur" movement to collapse on itself. While it never really died completely (Hello? SA? CYD? lulz.net?), the stigma behind its name caused many who fundamentally disagree with the state of the contemporary furry fandom to reject branding themselves as a "burned fur".
Lately, news stories about people who associate themselves with the fandom in one degree or another have caused those in the fandom to take a look at their subculture and question what went wrong with it, where it went wrong, and when "Furry 2.0" will be created to replace the sad, sorry perversion of a fandom they once loved. Who can blame them? As we all know, the mainstream media will take any element of "weirdness" involved in the story and play it up to the max because, hey, it gets viewer's attention. Nobody in the fandom really likes it, but that's the reality we have to deal with.
Personally, however, I'm not convinced that such a thing as "Furry 2.0" (or whatever name can be dreamed for that movement) can ever exist. If the history of the "Burned Furs" movement is any indication, there's no real way that such an offshoot would last very long because sooner or later (usually sooner), a topic will be brought up that will polarize the community. Everybody involved in the fandom or any possible subgroup that might emerge from it has their own idea of what should be allowed and not allowed.
While many might look upon that as an organizational weakness, that's actually one of the things that has made the furry fandom so great in the first place. It always has been - as it continues to be today - a subculture that has allowed a kind of freedom of expression that is not afforded by modern-day society. The problem with this philosophy is that there are those who will abuse this to serve their own individual interests at the expense of everyone else's interests.
So...how do we change the fandom for the better? Is the creation of "Furry 2.0" really the answer (even with all the complications that could get involved), or is there something more we can do? Perhaps those of us who have been in the fandom for some time can take a moment to instruct those who are new to our community what is acceptable and what cannot be tolerated. One of the posts I've read regarding the state of the fandom suggested this, and frankly, I don't know of any other suggestion that could be more effective.
Bottom line: If we want to retain the "purity" in the fandom, it all starts with you and me. We in the fandom need to be held accountable for our actions, and serve as a positive model for those who are just coming on board. We need to have the integrity to stand up for what's right and applaud people for the great contributions they make to the fandom. Conversely, we also need to have the backbone to call people out who use the fandom in ways that do not serve anyone else within it except themselves and say, "YOU DON'T BELONG HERE AND WE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU."
The big question here is one that I'm not sure can be readily answered...how do we start?
And until that question gets addressed, we will continue to be a "fandom that is going downhill".
But that's just my thoughts on the matter...
Furres = Drama Magnets?
General | Posted 18 years agoSometimes I have to read the journal submissions of the artists who populate FA and wonder...
"Do these people WANT to have conflict in their lives?"
I recently read a post from an artist that was related to the etiquette of providing comments to an art submission. I happen to agree with the points this artist made, but really didn't feel comfortable in saying anything in response. (I'm like that, I suppose...if I can't come up with anything somewhat original from the comments already posted, I won't bother.)
AND THEN...someone decided, "Hey! I could use a little bit of drama in my life..." and decided to ignite a flame war with said artist. Soon enough, the subject of the journal entry was lost in a growing civil war between two people who obviously hate each other's guts. And instead of just stepping back and letting the flames die down on their own, seemingly random people started taking sides and got entangled in the civil war themselves.
Honestly, I had to laugh when I saw the timestamp of the comments. This war was being fought at a point in the day when I am DEAD TO THE WORLD. And they just kept coming and coming and coming!
I know, I know...it's pointless for me to do a rant about drama in the fandom (shit, I'm gay AND a furre, why the hell haven't I been nominated for an Oscar yet??). But I really have to wonder, with all of the problems in this world that are actually WORTH getting burned up and screaming about, why must such energy be wasted on INTERNET DRAMA?? Think of the things that could be accomplished in this world if all the furs and all the faggots (I'm one of them, I can get away with saying it) turned that energy outward. Do you have ANY idea at all how much better this world would be if the piss and vinegar expelled in such places like this were poured on the issues that actually MEAN SOMETHING?
hehehe...and I'm saying this knowing no one will give me an answer. *sighs* Oh well...
^.^
"Do these people WANT to have conflict in their lives?"
I recently read a post from an artist that was related to the etiquette of providing comments to an art submission. I happen to agree with the points this artist made, but really didn't feel comfortable in saying anything in response. (I'm like that, I suppose...if I can't come up with anything somewhat original from the comments already posted, I won't bother.)
AND THEN...someone decided, "Hey! I could use a little bit of drama in my life..." and decided to ignite a flame war with said artist. Soon enough, the subject of the journal entry was lost in a growing civil war between two people who obviously hate each other's guts. And instead of just stepping back and letting the flames die down on their own, seemingly random people started taking sides and got entangled in the civil war themselves.
Honestly, I had to laugh when I saw the timestamp of the comments. This war was being fought at a point in the day when I am DEAD TO THE WORLD. And they just kept coming and coming and coming!
I know, I know...it's pointless for me to do a rant about drama in the fandom (shit, I'm gay AND a furre, why the hell haven't I been nominated for an Oscar yet??). But I really have to wonder, with all of the problems in this world that are actually WORTH getting burned up and screaming about, why must such energy be wasted on INTERNET DRAMA?? Think of the things that could be accomplished in this world if all the furs and all the faggots (I'm one of them, I can get away with saying it) turned that energy outward. Do you have ANY idea at all how much better this world would be if the piss and vinegar expelled in such places like this were poured on the issues that actually MEAN SOMETHING?
hehehe...and I'm saying this knowing no one will give me an answer. *sighs* Oh well...
^.^
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