Furries - Not Entirely Human?

[Proverbial Jon]

"Furry" for me is just a label given to us by those outside the fandom in order to categorise something they don't understand.

I am a furry, I consider myself a human who simply enjoys the idea of anthropomorphic animals. I like animals in general as well. I don't own a fursuit nor go to cons but I have a character that I like to identify as sometimes. I did not choose to be a furry, nor do I do it for attention or to fulfill some sort of animalistic desire. I simply am furry, there's no other way to explain it. I think the furry experience is very personal and certainly different for everyone. For me it really is more of an interest/hobby than a lifestyle but I still consider my furry nature a significant part of who I am.

Would I become an animal given half the chance? Why hell yes! But is that something that only furries could admit to? Surely many people would welcome a chance to be something other than themselves at times, furry or not.

It turns out a considerably large portion of the furry fanbase describe themselves as bisexual or homosexual and a small fraction (1-9%) admitted to zoophilia, with most (about 80%) of furries being men.

This is an interesting topic and I can't even begin to imagine why it is so. I think furries in general are just more open and accepting people. I'm not sure how that is connected to animals or the fandom in general but my experiences within the fandom certainly support this statement. I'm not entirely sure what I would classify my sexual orientation as, I haven't had that much in the way of sexual experience, but I certainly wouldn't rule out bisexualism.

 

[dyre]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

We did actually worship animals for most of history. It is only very recently that humans by and large have stopped this. Remember, we were around for a LONG time before we started living in buildings or even speaking a language. In most cultures they still do actively worship some form of animals, actually, especially in Asia.

Damn, that's weird. Worshiping the same stuff you hunt and eat. What if you ran into one of those animals, and it wanted to eat you? In any case, that still makes more sense than furries thinking they're not human.

I hate to ask for a source (because it's mostly assholes who ask for sources), but do you have any source for that?

edit: regarding your edit, yeah, that makes some sense, though I can still see a lot of problems coming up with interaction with those animals

 

[Grey Day for Elcia]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

We did actually worship animals for most of history. It is only very recently that humans by and large have stopped this. Remember, we were around for a LONG time before we started living in buildings or even speaking a language. In most cultures they still do actively worship some form of animals, actually, especially in Asia.

Damn, that's weird. Worshiping the same stuff you hunt and eat. What if you ran into one of those animals, and it wanted to eat you? In any case, that still makes more sense than furries thinking they're not human.

I hate to ask for a source (because it's mostly assholes who ask for sources), but do you have any source for that?

We mostly worshiped the animals we didn't hunt, because they were the ones we were scared of. Read my edit for an explanation. But we also worshiped the ones we ate, as they were seen as magical beings, whose existence seemed to be in service of us--so that we could eat them. It would have seemed very amazing that a moving, living thing could be eaten and it would make you live.

I could find sources, but just look around the world; they worship Elephants in many Asian countries, cows in many too, wolves were an iconic creature who were seen as demi-gods and spirits by many primitive tribal people. Tigers were gods of strength and power who are still killed today because they are believed to posses magical cures within their body. The list goes on and on. Other animals played a huge role in our existence.

 

[Grey Day for Elcia]

edit: regarding your edit, yeah, that makes some sense, though I can still see a lot of problems coming up with interaction with those animals

You don't interact with them--that's the point. Take the lion, for example. Here you have this powerful, massive beast that sees in the dark and hunts large animals. It's very voice spooks all other life for miles around. You don't know what it is. All you know is it's much better than you. No one ever goes near them and anyone who comes into contact with one dies. They tell stories about them and their existence takes on an almost mythical air.

To primitive man, that's something to fear, to respect and to learn from. Warriors want to look like them, they channel their spirit to strike fer into their enemies and to give them bravery. All the hunters want to hunt like them and catch the big animals. When something goes bump in the night, the children don't think it's the boogeyman, they think it's a lion come to kill them.

 

[ccggenius12]

I just can't shake the impression that 46% of furries admit to believing that they are less than human.
I find the second statistic about wanting to be 0% human ambiguous though. Are anthropomorphic animals 0% human, or somewhere in between? I guess what I'm getting at is that that statistic doesn't tell me whether they want to be a dog, or a talking bipedal dog. If it's the former, those people are just weird. Why would anyone give up fully realized sentience...

 

[dyre]

edit: regarding your edit, yeah, that makes some sense, though I can still see a lot of problems coming up with interaction with those animals

You don't interact with them--that's the point. Take the lion, for example. Here you have this powerful, massive beast that sees in the dark and hunts large animals. It's very voice spooks all other life for miles around. You don't know what it is. All you know is it's much better than you. No one ever goes near them and anyone who comes into contact with one dies. They tell stories about them and their existence takes on an almost mythical air.

To primitive man, that's something to fear, to respect and to learn from. Warriors want to look like them, they channel their spirit to strike fer into their enemies and to give them bravery. All the hunters want to hunt like them and catch the big animals. When something goes bump in the night, the children don't think it's the boogeyman, they think it's a lion come to kill them.

Pretty cool stuff, I guess. I forgot how weak we used to be as a species

 

[Grey Day for Elcia]

edit: regarding your edit, yeah, that makes some sense, though I can still see a lot of problems coming up with interaction with those animals

You don't interact with them--that's the point. Take the lion, for example. Here you have this powerful, massive beast that sees in the dark and hunts large animals. It's very voice spooks all other life for miles around. You don't know what it is. All you know is it's much better than you. No one ever goes near them and anyone who comes into contact with one dies. They tell stories about them and their existence takes on an almost mythical air.

To primitive man, that's something to fear, to respect and to learn from. Warriors want to look like them, they channel their spirit to strike fer into their enemies and to give them bravery. All the hunters want to hunt like them and catch the big animals. When something goes bump in the night, the children don't think it's the boogeyman, they think it's a lion come to kill them.

Pretty cool stuff, I guess. I forgot how weak we used to be as a species

If not for our brains, we're pretty much right down there with earthworms XD

 

[Worgen]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

edit: I'm probably being a little harsh on any animal-spirit religions that might have existed. I guess if they believe there are animal spirits, more glory to them. But I'm pretty sure these people still believed they were humans, and heck, it beats thinking you're not human simply because you wear a fursuit or like pictures of wolf-like humans :\

Even today we tend to use animal terms for things, you call a guy a stud and its a compliment, we have animal mascots for countries. We are still very caught up in animal worship, we just don't call it that. And one thing that allot of people forget, is that humans are still animals.
I always got the impression the suits was more about wishing you could be something else, instead of thinking you are something else.

 

[Jamash]

I can see their point, I mean humans as a whole do kind of suck. I mean Polar bears do not hat Black bears, they do not go to war, they rarely if ever kill out of spite.

That's only because Polar Bears and Black Bears never encounter each other in the wild.

If they shared a common territory, the Polar Bears would totally eradicate the Black Bears, killing them because they're competitors for food and territory (and killing them for food).

Polar Bears (and other animals) often kill their young, both for food and to deny the presence of another male.

They don't do this out of hate or spite because those are human emotion and it would be anthropomorphism to put those onto animals, but that doesn't mean they don't kill each other for territory and resources like humans do, the only difference is that we attribute negative emotions as reasons for our actions.

Animals, especially carnivores in difficult environments, aren't any less murderous than humans, the only difference is that they haven't evolved the intelligence and technology, nor have the organisation and numbers, to wage large wars beyond their natural habitats. If all the animals in the world shared a common territory, eventually there would only be one Apex Predator, the rest would be food or extinct.

I'd even say humans are better than animals because we have the concept of morality and can acknowledge that killing is wrong. We often use our free will and morality to contradict and deny our base animal instincts.

 

[Metalix Knightmare]

Oh Christ. The Otherkin. A group of people so freaking weird even most furries don't want to be involved with them.

Just write them off as the nutjob splinter group that they are and move on. Nothing good can come from this.

 

[Bertylicious]

Not that surprising really. I mean Furries are pretty 'other' so I'm not surprised they'd feel a disconnect from "humanity".

I imagined your avatar saying it in his or her doggy voice. Made the comment so much more awesome.

Roast Beef is a cat:

http://achewood.com/

 

[Freechoice]

It turns out a considerably large portion of the furry fanbase describe themselves as bisexual or homosexual and a small fraction (1-9%) admitted to zoophilia, with most (about 80%) of furries being men.

This is an interesting topic and I can't even begin to imagine why it is so.

Because it's about furries and it isn't being accusatory?

You familiar with Lil' Miss Rarity? The creator, Lil' Miss Jay, talked about the furry community on FA and why he left it. I can't fucking find it though. GODDAMMIT.

 

[Daverson]

I realize there's been a lot of movement among civil rights campaigns to "take back" previously derogatory terms, though... I don't think "subhuman pride" is such a great idea.

Wait, am I bigoted to considering myself superior to animals? Because I mean, giving cows equal rights would really complicate beef dinners... though, done correctly, you could easily justify farming "the other white meat", so... maybe not such a bad idea?

 

[dyre]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

edit: I'm probably being a little harsh on any animal-spirit religions that might have existed. I guess if they believe there are animal spirits, more glory to them. But I'm pretty sure these people still believed they were humans, and heck, it beats thinking you're not human simply because you wear a fursuit or like pictures of wolf-like humans :\

Even today we tend to use animal terms for things, you call a guy a stud and its a compliment, we have animal mascots for countries. We are still very caught up in animal worship, we just don't call it that. And one thing that allot of people forget, is that humans are still animals.
I always got the impression the suits was more about wishing you could be something else, instead of thinking you are something else.

I suppose attributing animal-like qualities to humans in a positive manner can be seen as sort of a desire to attain some characteristics of an animal, but I don't think any "stud" would claim to be part horse

Yeah, I sort of figured that too about suit-wearers, but apparently almost half of them think they're not actually 100% human. I wonder what the other x% is, lol.

 

[Theta]

As well was worshiping animal-spirits, people used to worship forces of nature. Storms, earthquakes, floods. Basically anything we didn't understand that was powerful enough to wipe us out in the blink of an eye got personified so we'd have something to beg, plead and bargain with for a chance to live another day. Also sacrificial feasts to appease the biggest animals after/before a hunt (elks and bears here in Finland) were common when you go back far enough (the time of course varies by region).

Although I don't consider myself a furry, I'll admit to sometimes being so confused and depressed with all the horrible **** you see about on the news that I found myself wondering whether I had anything in common with the people doing this kind of stuff. Either they weren't human or I wasn't because trying to understand why some people do the stuff that goes on in the world on a daily basis had me convinced we couldn't be of the same species. But maybe that's just my own messed up bouts of depression talking.

I find the concept of trans-humanism fascinating, though. Something like Warren Ellis's Transmetropolitan (note: very, very NSFW), although that wasn't his main point with that particular series. But like someone here on the thread said, if the technology existed to (safely) alter yourself on the genetic level to gain new traits, how many of us would 'remain base-line human'? I'd bet the number would be lower than you'd think.

 

[RJ 17]

I hate coming late to topics like this as I'm certain people have already said what I'm going to say but I've no patience to read through 4 pages worth of comments to make sure.

As such I'll simply say it:

This should be rather common knowledge really. It's no different than transexuals saying "I'm a man trapped in a woman's body" or "I'm a woman trapped in a man's body." People who envision themselves as being something they're not often feel deeply and psychologically that they are what they "feel like" being. Just as a man who wants to become a woman will most likely say "I really feel like I'm a woman, and I want my outside to represent that", I don't find it surprising that furries would say they feel like they're really animals.

 

[Worgen]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

edit: I'm probably being a little harsh on any animal-spirit religions that might have existed. I guess if they believe there are animal spirits, more glory to them. But I'm pretty sure these people still believed they were humans, and heck, it beats thinking you're not human simply because you wear a fursuit or like pictures of wolf-like humans :\

Even today we tend to use animal terms for things, you call a guy a stud and its a compliment, we have animal mascots for countries. We are still very caught up in animal worship, we just don't call it that. And one thing that allot of people forget, is that humans are still animals.
I always got the impression the suits was more about wishing you could be something else, instead of thinking you are something else.

I suppose attributing animal-like qualities to humans in a positive manner can be seen as sort of a desire to attain some characteristics of an animal, but I don't think any "stud" would claim to be part horse

Yeah, I sort of figured that too about suit-wearers, but apparently almost half of them think they're not actually 100% human. I wonder what the other x% is, lol.

I don't know, it seems like most guys would love to hear they are "hung like a horse", despite the fact that over a certain size is more attractive to other men than women. Plus you have the whole were wolf thing, that is literally someone wanting to be able to unleash the beast within or get fucked by a wolf or something, I don't get the whole girls loving twilight thing so I might be wrong with that.

The other % is probably whatever spirit animal whatever thing they wish they were more like.

 

[dyre]

That's...interesting.

Of course, any furry who considers him/herself not human is delusional, because biologically, he/she is indeed human. You can't think away your species.

I'm not sure about that, I mean for most of human history we worshiped animals and had ideas about being possessed by animal spirits, its weird but people are farken weird.

I'm not aware that we worshiped animals for most of human history...I mean, maybe we worshiped gods with animal-like features, but straight up worshiping bears or tigers? I hadn't heard about that.

Besides, none of those people thought they were animals (that is, non-human members of the animal kingdom), or if they did think so, they were wrong.

edit: I'm probably being a little harsh on any animal-spirit religions that might have existed. I guess if they believe there are animal spirits, more glory to them. But I'm pretty sure these people still believed they were humans, and heck, it beats thinking you're not human simply because you wear a fursuit or like pictures of wolf-like humans :\

Even today we tend to use animal terms for things, you call a guy a stud and its a compliment, we have animal mascots for countries. We are still very caught up in animal worship, we just don't call it that. And one thing that allot of people forget, is that humans are still animals.
I always got the impression the suits was more about wishing you could be something else, instead of thinking you are something else.

I suppose attributing animal-like qualities to humans in a positive manner can be seen as sort of a desire to attain some characteristics of an animal, but I don't think any "stud" would claim to be part horse

Yeah, I sort of figured that too about suit-wearers, but apparently almost half of them think they're not actually 100% human. I wonder what the other x% is, lol.

I don't know, it seems like most guys would love to hear they are "hung like a horse", despite the fact that over a certain size is more attractive to other men than women. Plus you have the whole were wolf thing, that is literally someone wanting to be able to unleash the beast within or get fucked by a wolf or something, I don't get the whole girls loving twilight thing so I might be wrong with that.

The other % is probably whatever spirit animal whatever thing they wish they were more like.

I don't think any guy would actually literally want a dick the size of a horse's though (I can't be sure though...how big is a horse's penis anyway?). That seems like the sort of thing that would bring up all sorts of problems in real life. I too, do not have a full understanding of the Twilight/vampire/werewolf thing so I'm afraid I cannot comment on that.

I guess people can think whatever they want, but in the end they're still a member of the homo sapiens species.

 

[Erana]

There's a long history of people spiritually identifying with animals, some more literal than others. With, say, many Indian traditions, animals are used both as largely symbolic elements for Gods, but also generally in the canon of "sentient beings," that anyone can be reincarnated into, given the right circumstances.

And, you know, if say, someone from a Native American tribe that traditionally believed that humanity came from bears or something, identifying with the image and idea of the animal seems perfectly reasonable. And if people today take that in a secular direction, with using, say, the arcetype of an animal as a source of hope/encouragement/comfort, fine.
You look to emulate your idea of a patient and enduring Spirit Elephant to get you through a rough time? Some people use Saints, or a god from a pantheon or something.

If you show this identification with game or forum avatars? You're getting a little geeky. Just using an animal because you think its kool? Sorry, but you're a total nerd. (Nothing wrong with that here, of course)

What just kills me though, is when people who don't actually know or refuse to understand the first thing about the animal in question is an animal. You know, when someone wants to be a dog because they saw a drama/fighting anime where they fight giant demon bears like an organized (and very japanese) military and think that's honestly what dogs are like. Its disconcerting and it really does feel like someone's living in a delusion.
No, the dog is not trying to talk to you with its eyes, its staring at your hamburger.
Things like that.

The thing about this behavior is that its the same out-of-control daydreams of someone who believes they'll be whisked away by vampires or go to Hogwarts or something.
I don't think that most of them actually have some strange predisposition or affinity for animals, they're just bored out of their mind with their lives. And animals are just the flavor of fantasy they've escaped to.

People think furries are something strange and bizarre, but I don't think its really that different from any fandoms or fantasies. The only issue at hand is that it has a bit of a tangential relation to boning something that can't give consent.

I still don't get it, though. Why would you identify with some smelly animal that would get fur and feathers all uncomfortably jammed in their stylish hoodies when you can have future science robots?!
Much, much more appealing.