I like data, thanks for that
Will the role in future society be bigger or not? That's probably one of the most difficult questions I've asked I think.
To answer that properly we have to take 2 scenarios (the best-case and the worst-case scenario) to see the most realistisc scenario.
In the best case scenario the furry-fandom will keep growing and cons will keep growing spectecularly like it is doing today, then probably, and with a certainity there will be media-coverage of it. It's then that we must hope that there will be no cringe on camera but people will keep looking for it at and want to know what the furryfandom is. If the social stigma then drops then I'm sure more people associate themselves with the furryfandom.
Will the role expand? It can expand a bit to a subculture of the internet that has gotten a social status IRL of being a subculture.
In the worst case scenario the numbers of the cons stay level but people slowly start to leave the furryfandom, probably then the furry fandom will do a re-orientation like feminism did many years and it will end in a huge pool of cringe, social warriors and even more cringe. This might give the fandom a more clear direction but this means that it will scare off/shoo people away that do not fit this narrow narative. The role and popularity will decrease and more and more people will try to do everthing to avoid the furry fandom. The Fandom itself? It will then be ended up like a fandom/half mental disease on Tumblr.
Now, what if we combine the worst and best-case scenario?
That's the interesting part and crazy enough: it is already happening.
Cons will keep expanding and more people will likely to idenitify itself as a furry, the 1990-1995 year kids are now in their mid/end twenties and probably became a part of the furry fandom when it was noticably smaller; Likely a few from these will keep being a furry, the 1996-1999 year kids are now 17-21 years old and are different than the previous group because these became a member of a growing movement and will likely keep being member in larger numbers.
You, Vortex, brought the interesting point saying that it is mainly something for teens and I've got to say: the gross of the new members here are ranging from 13-16 years old and thus more or less supporting your stance.
Now, Next to the growing numbers you also have the group of furries that are lacking the identification they once had. This group became a furry because it was new, exciting, wanted something else, it was edgy and or they could be the "weird" kids. Now this group has lost its' identity and now they're trying to be radical. For example: the intergender/coli-flower gender/intersexed people etc. that are saying that because they want to feel different than the rest. This last group from the furry fandom is already splitting off and is mostly an internet thing since they're more or less a social outcast by demand.
What has the furry fandom holding in its' future? There will be more "older" furries walking around, there will be a slight increase but I expect to halt the growth in a few years unless the social stigma gets dropped and there will be a major splinter-group, and that last thing is already happening (give it a try at Tumblr and you'll see what I mean.) resulting in 2 groups of furries but the splinter group will probably get re-merged to the major group or die off since it is a social suicide.
Hopefully is this a good answer for you.
NEW QUESTION: What do you think of Tumblr-Furries?
Topic: Ask and Answer (Read 176775 times)