Taken from the thread on Mecha, so as to avoid derailing the thread with what is already a silly complaint.

Quote from: Serious PaulShadowrun. It also wasn't cool when they added Furries. I still pretty much hate them for that. And I've told Steve and Adam, and well anyone who listen this.

Dude, there have been elements of that in existence in sci-fi and cyberpunk for eons.  CP2020 had them.  THS has them.  In fact, as I've always seen it, it seems a basic assumption, a trope, of science fiction that if genetic manipulation technology is available, someone will use it to hybridize people with animals.

This is, frankly, another fine example of what has become a constant prejudice against anything even resembling anthropomorphic representations, and an overapplication to the term furry.

Just because you got scarred by bad Doug Winger art some time ago, doesn't mean you need to go branding everything that looks vaguely like an animal as "furry" and badwrong.

Quote from: J ArcaneDude, there have been elements of that in existence in sci-fi and cyberpunk for eons.  CP2020 had them.  THS has them.  In fact, as I've always seen it, it seems a basic assumption, a trope, of science fiction that if genetic manipulation technology is available, someone will use it to hybridize people with animals.

"The Island of Dr. Moreau", H.G. Wells, 1896.

!i!

So what is the correct definition of furry?

Well if it were THS, at least you know he could blame Pulver's catgirl "obsession".

But yeah its a common trope, the fact that some very good SF has been written (Albedo, Forests of the Night) about the ideas kinda suggests that its not all about people over-sexualizing something.

Quote from: hgjsSo what is the correct definition of furry?

Anything doing with the anthropomorphization of animals.  Even non-existant ones.

So yes, Shadowrun has furries.  As does Cyberpunk 2020.  Hell, I bought a chromebook compilation specifically because it had the furry mods in it.  

JArcane's more salient point is that people are having prejudicial reactions to anything with furry content in it, regardless of the merit of its inclusion.  Shadowrun has freakin' gangbanger trolls for crissakes, but cat people is a bridge too far?

Who doesn't like cat-girls? But furries only have furries to blame for the bad press, its what happens when you allow cat-piss-man and lawn-crapper boy to do art.

Quote from: RedFoxAnything doing with the anthropomorphization of animals.  Even non-existant ones.

I think it's somewhat misleading to not note the strong implications of sexual fetishism that come into play during actual use of the term. When people, especially on the Internet, talk about "furry", they're talking kink 99% of the time.

In other words, calling a Daffy Duck cartoon from the 1930s "furry" is on par with calling a happy person "gay." It's just not done much because the colloquial   meaning is so well-entrenched.

In the sense of fostering clear communication, it's good not to omit a word's baggage. As one example, the ire in J Arcane's post doesn't make sense if the reader cross-references it with your definition.

I used to hang out on FurryMUCK but I was a human.

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!I used to hang out on FurryMUCK but I was a human.

A hairy human, by any chance?

The closest thing to "furry" characters in my recent games have probably been the Ratatosk, a tribe of nomadic traders who roam up and down the highways of Yggdrasil in Nobilis. They are basically very large squirrels whose resemblance to humanity is just about limited to their hands and intelligence.

Quote from: hgjsSo what is the correct definition of furry?

To me?  It refers to a specific subculture, and the art it produces.  

Jadeclaw is furry.  Doug Winger, sadly, is furry.

Usagi Yojimbo is not furry.  Bugs Bunny is not furry.  Alf is not furry.  

Frankly, the stuff I've seen, you can even pick out the differences just based on style, but that's a hard thing to put into words, so I think judging on intent and origin is a more useful measuring stick.

But due to it's flooding of the internet, anything that involves an animal person, has now come to be tarred with a label that doesn't apply to it.  Guilty by association and thus badwronggay.  

I actually just saw some troll on Evil Avatar use "furry" as a general derogatory.

Quote from: YamoI think it's somewhat misleading to not note the strong implications of sexual fetishism that come into play during actual use of the term. When people, especially on the Internet, talk about "furry", they're talking kink 99% of the time.

I think it's very misleading to equate it with sexualized fetishism, and I didn't feel like contributing to that meme.

Quote from: YamoIn the sense of fostering clear communication, it's good not to omit a word's baggage. As one example, the ire in J Arcane's post doesn't make sense if the reader cross-references it with your definition.

I think it's quite clear he's using a different definition than the one generally accepted by the fandom.

That's not my problem.

Quote from: RedFoxI think it's quite clear he's using a different definition than the one generally accepted by the fandom.

That's not my problem.

Hey, whatever. I think that's a little willfully obtuse in light of the state of the vernacular, but I'm feeling very gay tonight, so I'll cut you some slack just this one.

Quote from: YamoHey, whatever. I think that's a little willfully obtuse in light of the state of the vernacular, but I'm feeling very gay tonight, so I'll cut you some slack just this one.

Thanks, that's real white of you.

Quote from: J ArcaneThis is, frankly, another fine example of what has become a constant prejudice against anything even resembling anthropomorphic representations, and an overapplication to the term furry.

Soooo.... you have furry tendencies?