Furry Cliques

[fawksbeaumont]

A clique is an exclusive group of people who share interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity.  A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is often, but not necessarily, exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or essential to the nature of the clique. The term

Comments

[doco]

Hey, I didn't know you knew enough German to be able to follow the discussions on furbase.de :>

I think part of the problem is the inherent internetbasedness of things - when I look at people who have hundreds and hundreds on their following list, I cannot help but think "that's not a 'friends' list anymore..."

While it was easy to know nearly everyone when the furry fandom was still small and of a manageable size (I was around back then, sort of) with the exponential growth of the past few years it's just not feasible anymore, and so people naturally form circles of mutual interest in each other. Scientists say one can manage about 100-200 acquaintances, 30-40 friends and 5-10 close friends.

The biggest plus is that nowadays you can meet people in the furry fandom you would never meet somewhere in the street.

[fawksbeaumont]

I don't know enough German to read Furbase, so that should just add a little validity to my ranting. :P

But, I do completely agree with what you said even though it does go off on a different tangent. A lot of furs are slightly disillusioned about the difference between acquaintances and friends, even going to the point of asking inapporiate things from people that they barely know.

I'm not saying the fandom is this unholy thing that should be destroyed or anything, I meet plenty of interesting people since I've started attenting cons and furmeets. Some of them, I consider my closest friends, and plenty as friends. But, it would be nice if people sometimes take a step back before slandering everyone as being elitist and thinking, "Hey, maybe I'm making a bigger deal out of this then I should."

I'd just like to know when did things in the fandom become more about popularity and being loved by everyone then about meeting people from different walks of lives and having something in common with them.

[fawksbeaumont]

What really annoys me is when someone I barely know, specifically asks, "Hey, you know *insert name here*, I've always wanted to meet them, can you introduce me to them?" This just comes off as trying to use people.

Now, if I'm having a conversation with a friend or a group, and another friend comes up and joins the conversation, I have no problem introducing that person to the group so everyone knows who they are. But, in all regards, if that person is that socialable in the first place, they've more then likely introduced themselves.

[greyshay]

Its not a big secret you and I are friends, and not because we are friends do I agree with you.. but I do agree with you

[yippee]

I need to read this again slowly when I've got more time, but there's a great article about Five Geek Social Fallacies:
http://www.plausiblydeniable.com/opinion/gsf.html

and I'll add that just because someone is furry does not grant them admission to your inner social circle. That's fanboyism. The commonality is an inroad toward potentially becoming friends, but it's not a free pass.

*hugs* see you soon!

[casidhe]

Amazingly enough I agree with pretty much all you said. I try to get along with everyone that I know without trying to stir up any waves between people that may have issues with each other.

More often I'm usually the shy one in a conversation and I don't often introduce myself when meeting a new group of people.