It's not a crime to be proud of what you are......it's just irrational. You are proud of things you accomplish. You didn't accomplish being what you are - you had no choice being what you are. It takes no effort to be what you are. It takes no skill to be what you are. You can sit on a couch 24 hours a day in a locked room watching television and you still are what you are.
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Vancariad wrote:
But part of me being me is striving to be weird. It's what make me unique, it is my difference. It is my whole being, striving to be as different as I can from most other people.
um y
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hey cool!!another person who wants to be wierd!!
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WolfVanZandt wrote:
It's not a crime to be proud of what you are......it's just irrational. You are proud of things you accomplish. You didn't accomplish being what you are - you had no choice being what you are. It takes no effort to be what you are. It takes no skill to be what you are. You can sit on a couch 24 hours a day in a locked room watching television and you still are what you are.
True, but the point is I am proud of being a werewolf because it sets me apart from other epople. It makes me weird. That is why I am proud of it, even though it takes no effort, it is still something I am proud of.
And yungmoney, I dunno why I like to be weird, I just do.
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Well, if you were an exceptional Werewolf, a Werewolf that especially benefits the world around you by being a Werewolf, and you were proud of that, it would, at least, make sense. As it is, you're proud of nothing that you've done - nothing that warrants any merit.
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Again, am I not allowed to be proud of my differences? I have not done anything extraordinary, no, but I love to be me. That is not being selfish, I just enjoy being different. That is why I am proud. Why is that wrong?
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no, you have fun. But honestly, it DOES take a lot to even put up with yourself, knowing you...
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Vancariad wrote:
Again, am I not allowed to be proud of my differences? I have not done anything extraordinary, no, but I love to be me. That is not being selfish, I just enjoy being different. That is why I am proud. Why is that wrong?
Nothing wrong with that.
You just should not so much concentrate on being proud of being different (in the end we all are) but be proud just of what you are. Be proud of yourself, that's your good right, and chances are nobody else will.
But to strive to be different just for the sake of being different is just as pointless as if you were saying I try to fit in just for the sake of fitting in.
Edit:
One thing has me wondering, though.
So a serious question if you don't mind - If you strive to be as different from others as possible, then why do you seek out a forum were you are as similar as every other as possible?
Last edited by Daninsky (2009-02-26 08:39:00)
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Well, it is as one would say they are proud to be an American(sorry, I am Ameriacn, so yeah...), some would say I'm proud to be Native Ameican, or proud to be a Werewolf, see?
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Vancariad, you're allowed to be proud of anything you want regardless of how misguided you may be. But the fact remains that when people talk about being proud, the nature of proudness is elation associated with something of merit. Merit is the quality of deserving praise. You do not deserve praise simply because of what you are.
You may enjoy being a Therian. You may be thankful for being a Therian. You may even think being a Therian is the coolest thing since fizz rocks, but being proud of something that you had nothing to do with your being - that's a distortion of what "proudness" is.
Your parents might be proud of creating a Therian (though that would be altogether too cool). You may be proud of using your Therianism for the benefit of people around you. Your friends might even be proud of developing a relationship with a Therian. But by being a Therian, you didn't do it - you didn't do anything to be proud of.
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WolfVanZandt wrote:
Your parents might be proud of creating a Therian (though that would be altogether too cool). Your friends might even be proud of developing a relationship with a Therian. But by being a Therian, you didn't do it - you didn't do anything to be proud of.
Not that either of that would be any reason be proud of.
I mean how can the parents be proud of creating a therian, when we at the same time claim that a therien isn't made but born. Something nobody has any control over, short of abortion that is.
So they have a right to be proud of something they had no control over, but Vancariad ain't?
And his friends gain a right to be proud of something that has no inherent merit either?
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That's purposely misreading what WVZ wrote, hahahaha. When people say that a Therian isn't made, they mean, that I can't go out, buy some crystals, perform some arcane ritual, drink water out of a pawprint in the mud, and make myself into a Therian. You know that's what it means, I know that's what it means.
Parents are allowed to be proud of their children, because, yes, they made them. They physically performed the actions and allowed the requisite substances to come into contact, and then they raised and fed and cared for the result to ensure its survival. That is something to be proud of, they have accomplished something.
And, if someone has developed a friendship with a Therian, it could very well mean that they've overcome some inner reluctance, some prejudices perhaps, and have reached a point where they are more comfortable with everything that lifestyle includes Which is also an accomplishment, and something to be proud of.
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Daninsky wrote:
Vancariad wrote:
Again, am I not allowed to be proud of my differences? I have not done anything extraordinary, no, but I love to be me. That is not being selfish, I just enjoy being different. That is why I am proud. Why is that wrong?
Nothing wrong with that.
You just should not so much concentrate on being proud of being different (in the end we all are) but be proud just of what you are. Be proud of yourself, that's your good right, and chances are nobody else will.
But to strive to be different just for the sake of being different is just as pointless as if you were saying I try to fit in just for the sake of fitting in.
Edit:
One thing has me wondering, though.
So a serious question if you don't mind - If you strive to be as different from others as possible, then why do you seek out a forum were you are as similar as every other as possible?
Ok, so I am just proud of what I am, and what I am is a werewolf. Here we are in a full circle, I am just proud of being me, being different, be a werewolf.
And to answer your question, I am proud of being different, but sometimes I want to talk to people about stuff to do with what I am. To discuss what we are and why. Also, on the less serious side, look how bloody fun this place is if you go to the fun forums!
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Exactly, Niktoma. And there's not really anything to add to that.
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Niktoma wrote:
Parents are allowed to be proud of their children, because, yes, they made them. They physically performed the actions and allowed the requisite substances to come into contact, and then they raised and fed and cared for the result to ensure its survival. That is something to be proud of, they have accomplished something.
But that's being proud of your child, not him or her being a therian. Because then it would be like saying "I'm proud that my son is the only one who has red hair".
We can, and should, take pride in our childrens accomplishments. We are proud of the people they grow into (unless we happen to be the father or mother of the next Idi Amin or Albert deSalvo), but can not take pride in a genetic disposition we had no control over.
Niktoma wrote:
And, if someone has developed a friendship with a Therian, it could very well mean that they've overcome some inner reluctance, some prejudices perhaps, and have reached a point where they are more comfortable with everything that lifestyle includes Which is also an accomplishment, and something to be proud of.
I don't like that idea, it makes this friendship sound like a minor herculian task.
It's like saying "You know, besides my being racist to the bone I'm willing to be friends with a negro."
Or to say "I may vote republican but I can overcome my deepset fears and can be friends with a homosexual, because I know I won't get infected."
Friendship is something freely given, you can be proud to have build a lasting friendship because same as every relation a friendship needs work and care to last.
But being proud of a friendship for what the person is you claim to be friends with is questionable, true friendship transcendences public prejudices.
I give you that: You can be proud when your friendship proves itself against open hatred. When you stand to your friend in the face of therianphobe (does that word exist?) threats and say "I will not make my friendships dependent on some stupid public opinion"
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What's wrong with that? I've had many friends who have literally changed, put aside their wrongheaded views, overcome the social stigma of associating with me, and become better people because of it. It's far too easy to go with the flow of public opinion than it is to stand in its way, or even go against the current. That takes courage and dedication. Friendships between people who have alot in common are easy. Friendships that make one or both individuals question what they've always believed to be true are much harder to work out. True friendship might trancend public prejudice, but it's a long and bumpy road.
Similarly, having a child that is willing to do that, for their friends or themself, is something worthy of being proud of. As parents, you have brought up an individual capable of that sort of mental and emotional strength. I'd be proud.
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But that's exactly what I'm saying, you should be proud of your accomplishments but you should not be proud based on saying "I'm friends with a (insert minority here)", that is neither the point to friendship nor is it a accomplishment if that is all you base this friendship on.
Edit-
To better illustrate why this way of putting it doesn't sit well with me:
If we turned that argument around, they might suddenly decide that they don't want to be friends anymore when it turns out that, no, she ain't no therian she was just going through a phase that made her believe in that kind of thinking, or because it suddenly isn't controversial enough anymore for them to be friends with a therian.
However, my main point was that we can not say Vancariad can not be proud to be a therian because you are born a therian same as you are born black, white, green...whatever, same as you don't choose a sexual orientation, but born with it or not, and then go but her parents or friends can be proud based on the very same fact although they had no control over it either. They have had as much a hand in her becoming a therian as she had.
Further edit: gender corrected
Last edited by Daninsky (2009-02-28 12:09:10)
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i'm a girl. for one thing, for another, I agree with Daninksky. I also I have figured out WHY I'm proud of being a werewolf/therian/whatever. I'm proud of educating my friends and family about therias/werewolves whatever. They don't know anything about them, and only understand what such things as "Twilight" have told them.
Anyways, I beleive that is why I'm proud, not just because I'm a werewolf.
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How about, being proud of accepting and coping with therianism?
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i never knw you were a girl...
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sawy...
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Niktoma wrote:
That's purposely misreading what WVZ wrote, hahahaha. When people say that a Therian isn't made, they mean, that I can't go out, buy some crystals, perform some arcane ritual, drink water out of a pawprint in the mud, and make myself into a Therian. You know that's what it means, I know that's what it means.
Parents are allowed to be proud of their children, because, yes, they made them. They physically performed the actions and allowed the requisite substances to come into contact, and then they raised and fed and cared for the result to ensure its survival. That is something to be proud of, they have accomplished something.
And, if someone has developed a friendship with a Therian, it could very well mean that they've overcome some inner reluctance, some prejudices perhaps, and have reached a point where they are more comfortable with everything that lifestyle includes Which is also an accomplishment, and something to be proud of.
Good point, I guess 'proud' isn't the right word, though, is it? There are two types of sources of pride, however. One IS of merit, the other CAN be by default, however. Why can't people be proud of what they are, in the first place?
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I believe he may be mixing proud with happy emotions. Sorry if anyone's posted this.. I just wanted to cut out some of the details.
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AH, thats what I was looking for, thank you LycanJayBoy. Happy Emotions, well, anyway.
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Ok, so therefore I am happy that I am a werewolf and proud that I can educate my friends and family about them.
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