Furries don't believe they're animals. You're possibly confusing furries with therians. There's some overlap, but they're ultimately different groups and the latter are the ones that believe they're the animal in question. If you're going to object to a thing, the least you could do is get your facts straight beforehand.

"There seem to be some people on Lemmy who genuinely believe that they are an animal."

Well, taxonomically speaking...

You have GOT to worry less about people pretending and hurting no one when there is actual shit happening in the world.

Where are you seeing this and why are you not ignoring it?

it's dumb but what can we do? furries control 99% of all digital infrastructure, mess with them at your peril

Humans have had concepts of "spirit animals" and have admired and taken on animal traits going back literally all the way to paleolithic times. The earliest form of human art is cave paintings of humans and animals. Many early cultures worshipped animals or deities with animal traits.

Humans just like animals, we think they're neat. Some people identify with animals more than others do -- humans always have, and they always will.

It's only really a problem when it gets in the way of living a healthy, fulfilling life. Most furries are just normal people with a hobby or interest that they enjoy, and some are more passionate than others. Some people, especially neurodiverse people, make their favorite hobby a significant part of their life. Again, as long as it doesn't impede them from living a happy, healthy life, there's nothing wrong with it.

Some people are obsessed with sports, anime, games, etc. and enjoy cosplaying or dressing up/painting their faces/etc to identify with their hobbies or characters they love. Furries are similar in that regard.

I would say the number of furries who believe they actually ARE an animal is almost 0% of furries, and is probably some rooted in some form of dysphoria or dissociative disorder, and if I was friends with someone like that, if I felt like it was causing them discomfort or leading them to have problems in life, I might gently try to encourage them to consider therapy. But if they're just having a happy, healthy life, socializing with others, and they just believe that they've got an animal soul trapped in a human body but it doesn't bother them much, then frankly, who gives a shit?

Ultimately, I guess what I'm getting at is, why are you so mad about this? Why do you care what hobbies people have, or how they identify? How does this impact your life?

Humans do, in fact, belong to the animal kingdom. We are all animals here. Not plants or fungi, but animals.

It seems more like you're describing a specific subset of furry called a therian.

But also: Where have you even encountered therians on Lemmy? Even the therian communities here are pretty dead.

Recently was watching something with Andrew Callahan, and he brought up that most furries are completely misunderstood. He assumed the entire culture was a sex thing when he started interviewing at a convention, and was pulled aside by someone there. They explained that while yes, there are definitely some that are into it for the sex, the vast majority of folks are on the spectrum and use that suit to help them loosen up in social situations. Made a lot more sense to me hearing him speak on it.

The only furry I've known is also trans, fwiw.

I mostly agree with you that I do not get the subcultures at fucking all, only to know that they are distinct. I don't think most furries actually think that they are actually spiritually that animal in any way. Thats otherkin; you're conflating two weird subcultures.

So the otherkin folk are really weird to me, but I dunno that they are clinically weird unless they truly believe their own shit.

Furries who like to get into suits and party, hey, do your thing, and sorry the real perverts make your existence harder. I don't wanna yuck anyone else's yum, just keep them at arms length.

I barely have enough spare cash for my hobbies. I can't afford fursuits even if I wanted them. It's weird! (Just mostly harmlessly so.)

Imagine not giving a fuck about what other people think or do as long as it doesn't hurt others...

Hard, I know, but it's how normal people should behave: what the hell does it change to you in your daily routine if someone likes to dress with a furry suit? Is there a furry near your house that keeps you from having breakfast every day? Or that keeps you closed in your house? Or that hits you when they see you?

Has a furry kidnapped your children? Has a furry stolen your job?

Every time I see someone minding other people's lives, I instantly believe they are worried that somehow they'll become that themselves. Are you furrychondriac?

As a trans woman, who cares? Honestly, like, literally what difference does it make in your life if someone strongly associates themselves with pictures they draw of animals or wears a custom mascot outfit or whatever?

I don't think furries are remotely equivalent to trans folks or any kind of queer identity, except for one single and notable element. That being the inability of others to mind their own damn business when it comes to them.

Like seriously, the thought process that leads to posts like this is the similarity. The need to police others and write rambling screeds demonizing people who aren't doing anything that has any impact on their lives very much reminds me of the kind of people who spend their days freaking out about where I pee or what I've got under my skirt.

I would urge you to think about the impulse that made you want to make a post like this. What is it about strangers being a bit odd that makes you want to make a fuss about it? Because you may have decided that queer folks aren't on that list, which is great, but clearly there is still a list. Why? Where does the list come from? What makes it make your brain itch enough to scratch it?

We're in the middle of an upswing in dangerous and violent authoritarianism. People are being literally blown up in droves, the Gulf Stream is in danger of collapsing, and there are megalomaniacs in charge of some of the most significant human institutions on the planet. Why are you being distracted by people who draw silly cartoons of themselves and spend too much money on fursuits?

Because I guarantee that impulse is closer to the people who would love to see me off myself than you were thinking when you made this post.

It's endlessly both amusing and psychologically fascinating how you're seemingly getting progressively more and more angry while just sharing your opinion before anyone has even had time to engage with you. It's an objective fact that strong emotions cloud people's judgment, so I can only wonder what it is that's actually making you feel so emotional about it.

Clearly you're not just a passive, distant observer to this but you're somehow emotionally invested in it as well. It's not really that I necessarily even entirely disagree with what I believe you're saying - it's just the way you're saying it that makes me a bit suspicious about what's really going on in the back of your head, whether it's conscious or not.

It's a cliché, but I feel like more often than not this kind of strong reaction to something that in no way affects your own life probably tells more about yourself than it does about other people or about what's true in the world. I'm not sure whether you're trying to convince us or yourself.

Edit: Okay, I read your other responses and I see what's going on here. Bye.

Really appreciate op making the sacrifice so that everyone can Unite and explain so much about the furry culture and its sub cultures. I legit didn't know some of these details. Very educational and fascinating.

oh hell here comes the fun police

It's weird, but not something I really care about or would judge someone on, tbh.

So, I'm just throwin' it out because I dont feel it's shown in the post a whole lot. Most furries are not like that. I'm pretty deep in the fandom, the 'head' of several communities, and hangout in it all the time. Throughout all that, I can count on one hand, the number of individuals I directly interacted with who associated with those thoughts.

I ain't gonna go in depth on the whole therian part, moreso just that furries as a whole aren't individuals who see themselves as animals.

Lol, we had this shit going on so long ago, and now it's circled back. Danithefox on 4chan will never be forgotten.