Crush...Yiff...Destroy!

m_estrugo · Coadjutor Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 160

I found this excellent essay about five Geek Fallacies, in other words, exaggerated versions of notions that are themselves entirely reasonable and unobjectionable. It applies to any group of geeks, and it obviously includes furry fandom.

The essay is available at http://www.plausiblydeniable.com/opinion/gsf.html

Genghis · Coadjutor Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 186

That essay hit the nail right on the head. Hell, this needs linking on the front page.

The first point seems especially appropriate to the fandom as a whole. (case in point - the guy asking "are you a hate site or not?" when faced with the apparently impossible situation of a bunch of anthro fans who - shock - dislike a few members of the fandom. No offence if you're still here, by the way, I just found it interesting.)

Mitch · Coadjutor Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 290

That essay hit the nail right on the head. Hell, this needs linking on the front page.

Done! And I agree, it's a great little piece.

Genghis · Coadjutor Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 186

the front page seems broken now. All I'm seeing is a colossal grey block.

Wayd Wolf · Coadjutor Joined: 06 Oct 2003 Posts: 456

I am generally not in favor of Ostracism, the subject of GSF1. It's not going to help as you can't reform a criminal by exiling them to Australia. You'd have to wait and hope that their descendants someday build a spectacular opera house on a scenic waterfront which isn't going to happen twice. In other words, the great-grandson of problem furry Z isn't going to return to save the fandom's reputation or field a passable soccer team. He might brew a decent beer, but that's not going to keep the media from playing up someone in an anatomically correct fursuit dancing about in front of the cameras. You'll need a lot of the beer to avoid thinking about the damage though.

GSF2 is of course right on the money. Sad truth is, furries by and large don't tend to understand that total acceptance is not the meaning of friendship. Caring for your posterity, dignity, reputation, well being, these are sometimes harsh mistresses, but they are the bedrock of friendship. Sometimes you have to say, "dude, you're fucked in the head and headed nowhere. Care to hear some advice?"

GSF3 also is true of furs who pretty much tie it to GSF2. You must be my friend at all times no matter how I define it on a millisecond's notice and no matter what stupid thing I do. Well, you can still be a friend and in fact are more of a friend when you say, "dude, your life has hit a new low. You need to stop videotaping yourself cumming on stuffed animals."

GSF4 again is correct especially about furries. I'm still living proof it ain't true. I managed to be a friend to both Victry Hyzenthaly and Matt Milam despite the former wanting to hunt down and kill the latter every time he posted anything and the latter not understanding why. I'm a friend to my wife's ex-boyfriend and still remain married to her despite both seriously wanting to kill each other. Friendship is not transitive. The friend of my friend can still be my friend's enemy and the enemy of my friend can still be my friend. Iraq, France, Germany, the US, just as examples.

GSF5 is too common but I've never understood it. Sometimes, you just tag someone and say, "let's get plastered at the bar." To another you go out to the mall shopping. And you don't need to get all your friends together every time you have sex with one and make it an orgy. It'd be an interesting life and you'd end up looking like Keith Richards by the time you were thirty-five but it generally doesn't work.

Good article. I loved it.

Mitch · Coadjutor Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 290

the front page seems broken now. All I'm seeing is a colossal grey block.

My psychic powers tell me you are using Internet Exploder. Here's ten pence kid, get yourself a real browser ;)

Seriously, it should be OK now. Thanks for the heads up.