#concealed considerations

i'm not here to define or diagnose therians as a group of delulu people who think they're animals for whatever reasons, but i did want to address the idea that being a therian is a tad... questionable, isn't it?

by no means is this to shut down or discourage those who identify as therian, if this is something you find personally valuable, by all means continue to do so

however, in an era where nobody feels like they really belong, is therian another symptom of that? is it a self made illusion built upon the grounds of wanting to justify our differences in order to then justify our existence?

it's possible. in fact it may be probable. however, i more so want to touch upon the distinctions that make someone a therian in the eyes of a general community

i don't know if everyone's seen the same thing, but there are art pieces that describe the therian experience that i find questionable. many depicting ideas that aren't even uniquely therian like preferring to be in nature or having animalistic traits

broad and vague as that is, it's true, in fact we as humans or beings inhabiting a human shell are not really in our natural world and we haven't been for a while. there's a reason nature calms us, and a reason we may prefer being around animals

we live in a society of flawed languages, imperfect communication, difficult with lives in a way we weren't designed to live and a lack of inner peace that requires we step outside of that life

in that respect, therian, at least from an outside perspective, seems like it's there to justify flaws we don't actually have for the purpose of finding our inner peace or community

the idea of phantom limbs also isn't an abstract concept, considering many transgender people also fall under this. however this begs the question... would that make therianism a realisation of self, or a desire?

that's not to say that's the same for trans people, make no mistake, only you can define who you are. however, the desire for alterations and a different body is a desire

so it begs the question if a phantom sensation of body is what is missing or what is desired

thinking about what animals do. one behaviour animals partake in commonly is called somatic shaking, this is something humans can do, however due to our modern day world, self perception and self awareness... we do not have the luxury of simply behaving ferally in public or nature

it would be cringe, embarrassing, worrisome, strange, and attract unwanted attention that suggests you conform or face consequences

in essence... perhaps there's a desire for functional freedom

freedom, and inner peace

and so what is my point with this?

well, in essence, i do think therians should take a long hard look in the mirror and also consider the falsehoods that are associated with therianism but are perfectly normal

but secondly, i believe that therianism could be a reflection of our modern day world and desire not to simply condition ourselves to behave according to a specific set of rules and societal norms that suggest what it means to be a human

because although therians may see themselves as animals, the truth is, that could be because many of us forget that humans are also animals and yet we're ashamed to act in our own unique ways with acceptance and open-mindedness

a return to nature and desire for a lack of binding rules and more freedoms like the value of a tail or enhanced sensory values may be a result moreso of our flawed system and society

in our modern world we're learning more and more about neurodivergence and the way the mind works as well as the circumstances that exist in our lives and much, much more

yet for many, the knowledge that's available isn't always known, especially in the case of neurodivergence

in fact there's a commonality where people, especially neurodivergent people are often the targets of what i will call criticism beyond control. instances in which a person who has a neurodivergent or invisible disorder and their "non-issues" are chastised, ridiculed, poked fun of and given deeper levels of trauma for not conforming to a society, not out of defiance, not out of rejection and certainly not out of laziness... but because they can't

"our lives are what we make it" "we can define our future" "we are responsible for our lives"

all common quotes that people thrust upon others either for inspiration or to sandbag another's issues. not to point fingers, yet often commonly pushed by older generations unto younger generations, who do not understand that both the world has changed or that the view of this has been obfuscated by those older generations into seeing everything as a choice to be made

yet what happens when those choices are ultimately made due to the effects of an outside force and an unfair system that doesn't respect people for being different

many people, for example, on the autism spectrum or who have ADHD find themselves in these positions where struggle is punished and not understood, and the lack of understanding itself is in itself, a form a torture

many people in this category rely on their parents and are unable to take care of themselves, and are called lazy for it

many find themselves trying to change their lives for the better and are ridiculed for their mistakes, distractability or the nameable teacher's failure to account for difference

many find themselves in a position where they are blamed for the traumas that afflict them. because after all, if you are responsible for everything that happens in your life, it is your fault for not being normal or successful

everything is treated as though it is intentional through the lens of neurotypicality

yet how much of life really can be attributed to an internal locus of control when you fall under not only a neurodivergent label, but also the circumstances that be

take the people who rely upon their parents, for example. those parents may be providers, yet they may not understand all their offspring's needs or wants or even be able to provide them

if the offspring is suffering at the hands of alcoholic abusive parents who disrupt their peace of mind is it fair to say they just need to work hard to escape their situation

some may say yes, after all, working hard would help them do so

yet how would you even develop the confidence to find a job if you lack the safety and security the carer is meant to provide within your own home, and why would a job hire a person lacking in confidence?

how could a neurodivergent person simply be expected to turn their life around or contribute to society if that very society puts them down and has instilled trauma upon them, while also telling them everything is under their control as though trauma were a choice or consequence and not a result of negligence

it even goes beyond neurodivergence, like how can a person with other underlying issues like being trans in a family that does not respect being trans spur them to action when they're now carrying the burden of their own blood betraying them and their peace of mind

it would be madness to tell a victim of murder, car accident. sexual assault or racial or sexual hate crime that their was the victim's fault, and yet many are content to say that is true for those with unseen struggles

an internal locus of control is, by itself, not a bad thing, yet it is not a choice, it is a skill and one that can't be expected to develop without other blockades and needs being met

a mentally well person is capable of anything, yet a mentally unwell person requires time, consideration, patience and even support, not disciplining or a bunch of labels applied to them from external sources trying to define someone by what they do or do not do in the immediate moment

the real irony in this type of behaviour is the locus of control that is removed by these ill-given labels

"you are not self-searching, you are just lazy" "you are not distracted, you're defiant" "you are not traumatized or depressed, you're making excuses"

and so these get internalised and through the act of demonising those in struggle, real defiance is born

i repeat, why would someone contribute to a society of awful people? why would someone contribute to society if all it views them as is a tool? why would someone work hard and push themselves beyond their limits for those who put them down and rank value based not on character, but on actions alone

purposelessness becomes a defeatist comfort

not having goals is the safest bet for those who originally dreamed big and were shot down time and time again

why start afresh in a world that clowns on you for enjoying what it put forth instead of immediately finding a magical motivation to simply conform

neurodivergence was never the problem, it was the problem of numerous people coming to their own conclusions about people they do not know and labeling them, urging them to instead take back control by labeling themselves, whether correctly or incorrectly based on what they hear online

The world has this common view that if you can function - you're fine. Regardless of whether you're barely functioning or on the brink of collapse.

Unless you make it clear to some you're in dire straits, what you say, no matter how real, may be seen as a first world problem.

It incentivizes you to act and exaggerate your situation just on the off chance that you'll be heard. It encourages immaturity, rewards whining and undermines mature conversation on accounts of efficacy and rationality.

Nowhere is this more prominent than for neurodivergent individuals. Whose problems get handwaved and brushed to the side as non-important or meager, no matter how real they are.

What's small to one could me a mountain to another. A mountain they could either use help to scale or be reassured that they have no need to ascend it. Yet we place everyone on the hiking trail. Regardless of how well or poorly equipped we are to deal with it.

Welcome to the real world? Suck it up? Tough?