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Oct. 11th, 2003
LOL!
Today I perused a few LJ's of kids who consider themselves "having been in the community forever", when they weren't even involved in AHWW before '98!
Some aren't even aware of AHWW, and think Werenet is the origin of therianthropy on-line. Ha!
Of course, this is nothing new... this has been going on for years.
What's funny and ultimately sad is that these kids don't do anything positive with or explore ther animal connection.
Instead they bitch and whine about the politics within the communtiy, how "long" they've been involved in it, how therianthropy's "gone to shit", etc.
It doesn't "turn to shit" unless you let it.
It's not a "community" thing, it's an individual thing.
Just because a lot of the older folk aren't at the forefront of the "community" anymore doesn't mean we've abandoned what we are.
It means we don't need a "community" to validate us.
It also means we've tired of the silly, hurtful, needless politics and squabbles with that on-line scene.
At 23 I delved into the on-line drama... it was all so new, and interesting, and different.
I'm 31 now, and look back at my behavior then with a chuckle and tsk. Embarassing in retrospect, yet I see all of these people in that age bracket behaving the same way, if not worse. Much worse.
At 31, I know better.
At 31, I know to cut myself off from such toxic people and toxic situations and keep quiet about some things, because why on earth create drama? Why purposefully hurt others?
When I was younger and even now, I was/am in awe of those older animal folk who are sane. I remember trying to earn the respect of them and to learn from them.
Nowadays, and for the last six or so years, this respect or awe for the elders has died out. It's sad, and makes me feel bad for the younger generations of animal folk who believe a "wise old elder" is someone who discovered their therianthropy on-line and is only 23.
Of course not all older animal folk are stable and cool, either. Just gotta trust your instincts.
Today I perused a few LJ's of kids who consider themselves "having been in the community forever", when they weren't even involved in AHWW before '98!
Some aren't even aware of AHWW, and think Werenet is the origin of therianthropy on-line. Ha!
Of course, this is nothing new... this has been going on for years.
What's funny and ultimately sad is that these kids don't do anything positive with or explore ther animal connection.
Instead they bitch and whine about the politics within the communtiy, how "long" they've been involved in it, how therianthropy's "gone to shit", etc.
It doesn't "turn to shit" unless you let it.
It's not a "community" thing, it's an individual thing.
Just because a lot of the older folk aren't at the forefront of the "community" anymore doesn't mean we've abandoned what we are.
It means we don't need a "community" to validate us.
It also means we've tired of the silly, hurtful, needless politics and squabbles with that on-line scene.
At 23 I delved into the on-line drama... it was all so new, and interesting, and different.
I'm 31 now, and look back at my behavior then with a chuckle and tsk. Embarassing in retrospect, yet I see all of these people in that age bracket behaving the same way, if not worse. Much worse.
At 31, I know better.
At 31, I know to cut myself off from such toxic people and toxic situations and keep quiet about some things, because why on earth create drama? Why purposefully hurt others?
When I was younger and even now, I was/am in awe of those older animal folk who are sane. I remember trying to earn the respect of them and to learn from them.
Nowadays, and for the last six or so years, this respect or awe for the elders has died out. It's sad, and makes me feel bad for the younger generations of animal folk who believe a "wise old elder" is someone who discovered their therianthropy on-line and is only 23.
Of course not all older animal folk are stable and cool, either. Just gotta trust your instincts.
