>>115350
>its made me think a lot about the nature of anonymity and how much i value it or if giving it up and wearing my interests on my chest would be more freeing and better in the long run.
Without anonymity, I certainly would not have revealed all that I did. This conversation would not be occurring. lol.
Perhaps I made it sound like I had all manner of strange behaviors going through that phase, and I did do some weird, socially unacceptable things, but I had a degree of social sensitivity that increased as time went on, even if I denied it and told myself that "being a cat, I had no care for the judgements of humans". In effect, I was just a really introverted and maybe somewhat arrogant kid, outwardly.
Dropping all your masks and simply being your truest self in front of everyone is possible, especially nowadays, but depending on the nature of the people around you, be prepared to lose them, or be mocked by them. It's something I've thought about quite a bit recently. I'll start some project relating to anthros or some other thing which I'd rather everyone around me not know about which I intend to "do in 5 minutes in secret", only for it to spiral into consuming hours of my time. Then, when asked what I do all day, what can I say without the mask shattering? All I can manage is something like "I was busy with... stuff". The same goes for beliefs and opinions which've drifted from the norm.
>After all are the people who laugh at the true you really people you want to be around anyway?
Maybe. The problem is sometimes one comes to depend on or even cherish people who would distance themselves at the sight of one's truest self. Paradise is a place where all those inhibitions can be flung to the wind without consequence, but that's not the real world. I've noticed I've met some people who I think I can finally get along with perfectly being my true self, only to run into something which I'm nearly certain would prove insurmountably polarizing. If everyone revealed their true selves in perfect candidness, what chaos would ensue upon everyone realizing that their closest friends were not what they seemed deep down. Maybe it'd be a good thing in the end: a dismantling of all the facades which've built up over time and which are held in place only by people acting for their own security.
Perhaps when I've escaped the city and am truly self-sufficient, I'll do a grand reveal and stop caring so much, once it stops feeling like I have the world to lose.
>hope you see this before whatever happens to the foo just in case it isnt preserved but seriously man wishing you the best out there, reading and reminiscing here was super moving for me.
Yep, might be an archive-worthy thread. Thank you :)
>>115368
>engaging with b8
Still helped me clarify a few things in my mind, so have your (You).
In the end, this thread made me realize sexuality had surprisingly little to do with my interest in anthros even after getting "fuggen EPId mayne". Sexual stimuli are everywhere and it was only natural, and a matter of time, for me and many others in this thread to eventually pick up on them. The idea that we were all "groomed" into liking anthros by porn (or unintentionally suggestive imagery) alone doesn't really hold up and is not ultimately the question. Rev posed the real question earlier (>>115013): why anthropomorphic animals specifically?