Therianthropy
- Thread starter SpyMoose
- Start date
This is just more of that spirit animal stuff, isn't it?
Got a link?
http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7810558%5E421,00.html
This should do.
This thread could be about this story in particular, or just any discussion about therianthropy/lycanthropy at all. Ive just seen that this board takes things like astral prjection and the spirituality of lucid dreams as such a given, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on some of this stuff, which is realy more my taste... not that I think Im a werewolf, I just think its inherently more interesting than a discussion of "that time I had a really spiritual experience while meditating" or the other such fare that dominates this board.
This should do.
This thread could be about this story in particular, or just any discussion about therianthropy/lycanthropy at all. Ive just seen that this board takes things like astral prjection and the spirituality of lucid dreams as such a given, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on some of this stuff, which is realy more my taste... not that I think Im a werewolf, I just think its inherently more interesting than a discussion of "that time I had a really spiritual experience while meditating" or the other such fare that dominates this board.
It sounds like a general cult, which recruit & attract people with low self-esteems, often to be exploited by a leader who created the cult for that purpose. Doubtful the leader believes in the werewolf angle. It could just as well have been vampires. The vampire cult market may have been saturated already. Perhaps the leader of this cult owns cattle.
Sounds like regular stuff - they probably teach you how to sew your own werewolf suit. I'm impressed that the biggest concern anyone has it that they might get sick from eating raw meat - usually people don't have that much perspective.
In college there are religious recruiters of all kinds, usually they talk in soft voices and have sing-alongs, and they still make my skin crawl. If you've ever met one of these types you'll probably know what I'm talking about, and there isn't really that much difference between
"Awoo awoo!"
and
"Hi, my name's Steve. We're having a little get-together in the lounge. You can come along and meet some new friends! What's your name?"
I think the moral of the story is... don't let anyone put you on a leash.
In college there are religious recruiters of all kinds, usually they talk in soft voices and have sing-alongs, and they still make my skin crawl. If you've ever met one of these types you'll probably know what I'm talking about, and there isn't really that much difference between
"Awoo awoo!"
and
"Hi, my name's Steve. We're having a little get-together in the lounge. You can come along and meet some new friends! What's your name?"
I think the moral of the story is... don't let anyone put you on a leash.
I think that might be my problem. I never have met one of these religion/cult recruiter types. Whats wrong with me? Im quiet, alienated, I brood. Why arnt they trying to take advantage of my vulnerability? I feel slighted, am I not good enough for thier cults?
Try the fursuits... they always like to have a new, uh, companion. Of course, you'll have to be willing to have sex with a bunch of people who dress like Looney Tunes... but on the upside you'll learn how to sew.
Sew your own suit? They think that they are werewolves, not Asian women working in a sweat shop
(Yes I misleading misquote, but it was too convenient for me to resist). We're talking about therianthropes here, as far as I know they don't dress up in werewolf suits, they literally think that they are werewolves.Hey now, that can be fun in the right context
Oh shit, now I'm going to have to go on a rant.
Ok, I know what you think you are talking about here, but it isn't Therianthropes. Therians are a bunch of weirdoes, I guess they qualify as a subculture, not unlike those freaks who think they are vampires, only these people happen to think that they are actually shape shifting werewolves, or have some sort of spiritual animal connection or something and basically take "lets pretend" into the bizarre realm where not even they remember they're just playing a game. Beyond that I don't know a hell of a lot about 'em, I'm no expert, but I've heard little bits in the past, and come across one or two on the internet, which seems to be the breeding ground for all sorts of nutters, as these sciforums should well have shown you by now.
You're talking about people who dress up in animal costumes, or fursuits (you got the word correct, but those who dress up in fursuits are referred to as Fursuiters, not just fursuits), and have promiscuous sex with anonymous strangers. Judging by this opinion I'd say you either watch CSI, and happened to see the recent espoused featuring "furries", either that or you watch MTV at irregular hours, or read Vanity Fair and happen to have a pretty sharp memory.
Getting to the point: it sounds to me like you're bringing up furries, and confusing them with therianthropes. The two are not one in the same, Furries, for the most part, actually have enough of a grasp on reality to realize that they are people roleplaying anthropomorphic animals, and not some sort of mystical fairytale creature.
My next point would be that if your idea of Furry is what you saw on TV, then you've got it all wrong, so let me set the record straight. First off, abandon the idea that furries are all people who get off on dressing up in animal costumes and screwing each other. This is a completely bizarre and false idea. Most furs, don't own a fursuit, have never been in one, and are unlikely to get in one, especially for any sort of sexual purpose. TV depicts furry as some sort of bizarre sexual fetish because frankly that's what gets ratings, no one would want to watch a piece which accurately depicted the furry fandom, because frankly it would be boring, kind of silly, and their viewers couldn't rub themselves lewdly while viewing it. In other words, there are no gatherings where everyone's in a fucking animal costume, they aren't going to conventions to fuck each other, and there is no secret back room wherein there is a hideous orgy of anonymous fursuiters getting it on to bad techno music, this is all a fabrication.
Ok, so now that I've let you know what furry is not, let me give you a more accurate idea of just what it is. Furry is a subculture which exists primarily on the internet. It's referred to internally as the furry fandom, or the Anthropomorphic fandom, meaning that it's members are people who have some sort of affinity for anthropomorphic animal characters (animals which show human like traits) In movies, books, comics, TV, or what have you. Unlike therianthropes, furries do not believe that they themselves are anthropomorphic animals, or cartoons or stuffed animals in human bodies, or what have you, despite what you may have seen on CSI, there is no religious element; furries do not believe that they are spiritually connected to animals, and don't give little seminars at conventions to talk about finding your inner animal. Some small percentage of furries may feel this way, or act stupid in such a manner, but I assure you that when they speak up they are usually laughed at like the over spiritual weirdoes that they are.
As I said the furry fandom exists mostly on the internet. The bulk of furry events and meetings take place over mailing lists, IRC Servers, MU*s, blogs, internet forums, and of course more web-sites than you can shake a stick at. Being that a large core of the fandom, are pretty diehard nerds (wouldn't you have to be to sue a Mu*?) role-playing is pretty common, and when in a furry internet space, you can pretty much assume that they are all role-playing as some sort of furry character or another, or taking on a "fursona" as some call it. But again, furries don't actually think that they ARE their fursona, it's just more fucking fun that way. If you ask a furry in some furry internet space, whether or not he's really an anthropomorphic raccoon with blue hair and big anime eyes, and he says yes, don't think that others will turn on you if you laugh at him.
Ok, now you're probably asking yourself about where fursuits, conventions and the whole CSI depiction comes in. Furries do hold a number of fairly large conventions annually. There are about a half dozen each year that are big enough to draw crowds into the thousands. Most of these attendees are not in fursuits. Fursuiters are so few and far between that the practice of having other convention attendees volunteer to be a guide for a fursuiter, and essentially assure that they don't bump into shit that they can't see with their goofy masks on, is actually quite economic and workable. In otherworlds conventions do not really look as depicted in CSI wherein every member was dressed up. More common than fursuiting is wearing a tail, or ears, or some sort of face painting, or the like (and even more common than that is not really dressing up at all and wearing plain clothes). This may sound sort of silly (oh and it is), and the best way to think of it is probably like a star-trek convention in which everyone is wearing spock ears or that kingon head ridge stuff. It's something that's seen only at cons, furrys don't run around normal life dressed up like idiots anymore than an anime fan would run around dressed up like Vampire Hunter D. It's silly, lighthearted, kind of stupid when viewed from the outside, but if you're into the scene it's easy to lighten up and just see it as some good ol' fashion fun.
The episode of CSI depicted a sort of runway that fursuiters were parading on, while some sort of bad club music played, in an attempt to give it some sort of strip club atmosphere. I can kind of see where they got this from, as to the best of my knowledge some cons (never been to one myself) have a fursuiter runway walk, but it's not there for patrons to get stiffies and slip bills into a fursuiter's thong, it's a venue for the fursuiters to show off their costumes, an event I'm sure you'd see at any event where many costumes are present.
Now that I've made furries out to be a bunch of boy-scouts in cat ears, I'll cover some of the less presentable aspects. Yes there are terms like "yiff", and if you learned that term from CSI let me assure you that it does not refer to a giant fursuit orgy. . . can you imagine how messy that'd be, something like that would be a real nightmare. Anyway, as I was saying, Yiff is just a furry slang word for sex, and there is certainly a sexual aspect to the furry fandom. It's not an aspect that all furs acknowledge, so don't assume that when you learn someone is furry that they get off on nude depictions of anthro animals. Part of the furry fandom, a big part, is media created by furries, which you'll find an abundance online, comic strips, art hosting sites, flash cartoons, and what have you, and there also happens to be some erotica and flat out porn. Aside from that there are indeed a number of sexual fetishists within the fandom, and I'm inclined to say that the number of them has been rising in part due to media coverage like the CSI episode which portray the furry fandom as a sexual fetish. I can't say that no one has sex in or gets off on fursuits, but I can tell you that that's not really polite discussion in the fandom. Every subculture, or hell culture in general, as it's share of complete lunatics and freaks, and furrydom is no different, I can't speak for the behavior of all furs, just furs in general. Some sex does go on at cons, sans fursuit, of course. I'd attribute this mostly to the saturation of net geeks in the fandom, for whom conventions are the biggest social event (certainly the biggest among furs) that they will attend in a year, the fairly young age of most furs, and uhh possibly the fact that so many furs are homosexual males *cough* read into that what you will. For most furs, though, the adult aspects of the fandom are fairly unwelcome, and they'll generally get pissed if you just assume that they are into it, or characterize furs as people who get off on. . . whatever.
You may have heard some other myths about the furry fandom, so let me take a moment to address a few of the common ones. First off, of those furries who are into the sexual side of the fandom are not into bestiality. Ask just about any fur (again I can't account for every single twisted and deranged individual) if they find bestiality appealing, or if they LIKE animals in that way, and it's probably going to piss them off. Imply that furries in general get off on animal sex and they'll also get really pissed off. Furries are not zoophiles, they find bestiality to be just as disgusting as any other person. Furries who screw under the pretense of furryness, still screw other furries, IE, real live human beings and not animals. They may simply growel/howel/meow a lot more than the average person while they do it. Also relevant in this topic, would be that furry is not a movement, religion, or cult. Furry can not be any of these things, as there really isn't any leadership in the fandom, and certainly no centralization. The closest thing in the fandom would be some important figure heads; people who run cons, are particularly vocal in the fandom, or who are particularly good artists. No one, to the best of my knowledge is heading the secret furry counsel of leaders and setting official furry policy. This is part of the reason that I can't speak for all furs, it's a collection of individuals, not a completely cohesive and predictable whole.
Well there it is, I hope that straightened out the situation a bit. That was an awful lot of typing, and I hope people at least stop and take a look at it.
The startrek convention comparison is apt, I'm sure there is some hot klingon on vulcan loving going down at those, but something about people in big mascott uniforms geting it on seems more worth gossiping about.
Anyway, to sum up, furries are not therianthropes... through some therianthropes may be furrys...
Back on track, anyone have a spirit animal? or.... er.. anything. Im begining to get the idea that no one, not even me, takes this situation seriously... i just so want to stop talking about lucid dreams and meditation.
Anyway, to sum up, furries are not therianthropes... through some therianthropes may be furrys...
Back on track, anyone have a spirit animal? or.... er.. anything. Im begining to get the idea that no one, not even me, takes this situation seriously... i just so want to stop talking about lucid dreams and meditation.
Mystech, sweetie, I already knew all about the furries before they were on TV...
I was not saying that Fursuits were Therians
I was saying that the Fursuits were a cult who would gladly welcome SpyMoose among their ranks, and probably teach him how to sew a moose suit for himself.
It was unfair of me to generalize since each person's sexual predilection is different, but I will submit that
1) To say that none of the furries are into bestiality is also a generalization, (more so if you believe the Kinsey report),
2) Some of the fursuits claim to do the sex thing, even if it's not quite like Law and Order would have it, and
3) The fursuits generally even creep out most of the other furries.
This is what the Burned Furs were bitching about... although with respect I submit that the Burned Furs were also a bunch of losers and have probably splintered by now. (The Trotmanite Reformation...)
I was not saying that Fursuits were Therians
I was saying that the Fursuits were a cult who would gladly welcome SpyMoose among their ranks, and probably teach him how to sew a moose suit for himself.
It was unfair of me to generalize since each person's sexual predilection is different, but I will submit that
1) To say that none of the furries are into bestiality is also a generalization, (more so if you believe the Kinsey report),
2) Some of the fursuits claim to do the sex thing, even if it's not quite like Law and Order would have it, and
3) The fursuits generally even creep out most of the other furries.
This is what the Burned Furs were bitching about... although with respect I submit that the Burned Furs were also a bunch of losers and have probably splintered by now. (The Trotmanite Reformation...)
Well I'm glad for that, champ, good thing you're keeping on top of these internet subcultures, someone has to after all.
Again, the people would be fursuiters, whereas fursuit just refers to the costume they are wearing. Also, they aren't a cult, fursuiter is just a name for a furry who dresses up in fursuit.
Yes I said several times that there was no way that I could speak for all furs, but in general that sort of thing is certainly frowned upon, but there's nothing that would prevent a zoophile from being a furry.
Again that'd be fursuiters, and yeah some have been known to use the suit in sexual encounters, I understand, but it'd be very unfair to assume that that's the primary idea behind fursuiting.
Well, no, this is just flat out not true. Fursuiters, who are just furries in a fursuit, are accepted in the furry fandom at large, it's only those individuals who might be walking around with matted crusty crotch fur that might earn some uneasy looks and ire from their fellow furs.
Uhh yeah burned furs was sort of a short lived and rather annoying thing, they aren't really a break off, as far as I know they just sort of disappeared. I guess one thing that furs dislike more than being branded as sexual deviants, would be those who bitch about it constantly.
Its funny how you guys are bashing Therianthropy so much. And although I'm tempting to bash you back, I will not. I just wanted to show you that this phenomena has gone as far as to being on a scientific encyclopedia, and wikipedia. So if you'd like. Here are the links. If you just LOOK you'll find CREDIBLE websites...
Wikipedia - Therianthropy
Absolute Astronomy - Therianthropy
There are also many 'werecommunities'/message boards and help websites.
Get Real - shifters.org
The Awereness Forums
Werenation
Werewolf
I'll have you know that the majority of therianthropes (the ones not incredibly stupid) highly believe that physical shapeshifting is NOT possible. SO Don't start with the 'They think their shapeshifing werewolves' if you have no Idea what you're talking about. Or maybe you've been talking to the wrong people. *cough*roleplayers*coughcough*. We just to keep the bad seed out.
But then again you can just be ignorant. Like everyone else who isn't open minded and shuns anything of this... If this is the case I truely am sorry for you.
P.s. As it says in those 2 encyclopedia definitions... Therianthropy must not be confused with clinical Lycanthropy and the Furry Fandom.
Wikipedia - Therianthropy
Absolute Astronomy - Therianthropy
There are also many 'werecommunities'/message boards and help websites.
Get Real - shifters.org
The Awereness Forums
Werenation
Werewolf
I'll have you know that the majority of therianthropes (the ones not incredibly stupid) highly believe that physical shapeshifting is NOT possible. SO Don't start with the 'They think their shapeshifing werewolves' if you have no Idea what you're talking about. Or maybe you've been talking to the wrong people. *cough*roleplayers*coughcough*. We just to keep the bad seed out.
But then again you can just be ignorant. Like everyone else who isn't open minded and shuns anything of this... If this is the case I truely am sorry for you.
P.s. As it says in those 2 encyclopedia definitions... Therianthropy must not be confused with clinical Lycanthropy and the Furry Fandom.
SpyMoose said:
I think it's just a bunch of furries whom don't care or don't know about
fursuits.