'Kin? Human?

Hello,

I know it's been a long time since I've posted. It's kind of nice to have different places online to post, though. Basically this post is about a couple of things, neither of which should take long to summarize:

1) People in the otherkin community who get under your skin because of their humanness

2) Inhabiting a liminal space where the term "otherkin" doesn't quite fit, but neither does much else.

As for 1), I'm posting about this here instead of where it happened in order to protect the person who I'm angry at from my anger. This one was talking about how they had noticed that a lot of 'kin had disclosed mental conditions going on and hypothesized that these 'kin may say this because they want to evade responsibility for their actions. I didn't write this, probably am not going to write this; but I'm like, that's not the reason I disclose that I have a mental illness. I disclose that because it impacts all aspects of my life, and when I'm trying to get to the core of why I am how I am, the illness angle needs to be honestly disclosed, at least to myself. I'm "out" about it online because it would be too much effort to try and keep it closeted, and I wouldn't be able to talk honestly about what I'm going through without disclosing it, anyway.

But I've probably been on that forum too much. I've noticed that there are a larger number of people there who fall into categories which in Ethnic Studies classes would be called (relatively) "privileged." That is, there are people who speak from the position of one who doesn't have to deal with a problem, about those who do have to deal with that problem, in an insensitive fashion. Like males talking badly about abortion. Or seemingly mentally-healthy individuals talking badly about the mentally ill. Or seemingly healthy individuals talking badly about people who need health insurance to survive. It's a good thing that those are the only examples I can pull off the top of my head, but ...not all forums are the same, yes? I'm thinking about coming back here to kick it up with Edge, Sera, Eli, and the new folk. <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

Frankly, as well; I've come to the point of thinking that a lot of the flaws which I see in people, I see in a lot of otherkin. That is, I don't really see myself as misanthropic, but there is a strong element of humanity in a lot of 'kin which really irritates me -- at least so when those same 'kin disown humanity. This bridges into 2), which basically means that...well, let's see. I've gotten to the point in my journey of releasing this kind of bent that says that I have to in some way be nonhuman in order to make sense of myself. I've been talking about my own plurality elsewhere and have gotten to the point of thinking that, even though I don't have a strongly "human" identity, I usually don't have a strong identity as anything else, either.

I mean, I do still identify as a spirit, and that's where I'm resting at the moment. I know what "human" feels like because two of the spirits I deal with do have human histories. And I suppose I have a human history as well. That doesn't mean I like that history, but it's there. I do have capabilities because of being in a human form, which is the reasoning I use to explain my own spiritual role in this life -- I play a part that a disembodied spirit can't. I can physically change things from idea to reality, even though this is still a process that is scary to me. But that, I feel, is a really big life calling for me, and likely the reason I am still human.

I've kind of stepped away from the shapeshifter identity a bit since I was last here. At this point, I'm taking things more seriously as just ...symptoms of being psychically sensitive. That is, it's likely that I'm not a shapeshifter, but an untrained medium. I've gotten to the point where my spirits have been able to show me that the intrapsychic does have some bearing on reality -- that is, that the spirits I communicate with may be simultaneously both real and projections of my own energy, at the same time. It may take some time to explain this, so I won't do so right now...but ...it makes things make more sense (even as I have to remember that just because something was thought, doesn't mean it is true). It's a fine line to walk; I basically have to tell the difference between my brain sending me brain-fry signals because of my illness and creativity, and actually feeling things to be true in some other way beyond what the physical is telling me.

Well, if anyone wants to talk, I'll try and remember to come back to this site over the next week, at least. I should probably end with some comment-provoking thought, right? <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt=";)" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

Hmm. How about:

Do you have a sense of why it is that you're physically human in this life?

Has anyone else noticed that a lot of otherkin are human in annoying ways? <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_razz.gif" alt=":P" title="Razz" /><!-- s -->

1) Ever since I was a wee little tyke, I've always felt like I chose to come 'here'. I've had a lot of trouble figuring out WHY, but I find if I follow my instincts they seldom lead me astray.

2) All sentients, whether they're beast, plant, or spirit, have certain shared characteristics. Two of those characteristics are;

a) Variety
b) Fallibility

I find most instances of annoyance stem from those two; Someone is different in such a way that when their inherent imperfection surfaces it rubs us entirely the wrong way. To attribute this solely to humans I think would do a disservice to the shared experience between all sentients and dissolve any common ground we have for understanding each other.

Personally, I believe that my 'otherness' is psychological in nature, so the 'why am I human now' line of thinking is a moot point. I don't believe in souls, past lives, etc. So it doesn't apply to me.

As for 'humanness'...we're all human at the moment, so we are all subject to the same flaws that fall under the umbrella of humanity. What particularly bugs me about otherkin is that a lot of us/them see themselves as separate from, and often above, humanity so it's super hypocritical and obnoxious when they're clearly just as 'human annoying' as non-kin.

I've ultimately done an overhaul on my spirituality over the past few years, and while I still identify as kin, or at least parts of me do, it's primarily psychological in nature.

I'm physically human because one day, me mum and dad decided to mess about, and out I came 9 months later. I don't think there is a plan. I don't think there is a divine purpose or order about the universe. Even if there was, I don't think I'm really all that important for them to care. Nothing wrong with not being important; it means you can get away with more things because nobody will notice you. Anonymity is a beautiful thing.

I know plenty of Otherkin that are human in annoying ways, because humans are annoying in annoying ways, and guess what? We're all human. You're human, I'm human, everyone in this forum is human. You can think and feel and suck and feed and give and take your energies in whatever way you want. You can have more personalities than a late night talk show, but you're still in a bipedal, living, breathing, Homo sapiens shell. You're subject to human physiology at its best and worst, compleat with all manner of disease, hormones, emotions, and neurological activity this species is capable of.

In a nutshell, and as politely as I can be, get over yourself. There's probably several members of wherever and whomever thinking you're just as annoying as you think of them. If you're typing in English at this moment, if you're reading this with two eyes connected via optic nerves to the lobes of a chunk of grey matter we lovingly call a "brain," then you're still human somehow.

And privilege is such a bogus term. It's been so used and abused online it's ridiculous.

On the first point, I don’t think it’s humanness that is the problem. Let’s face it. The beings in myths and stories that many of us associate ourselves with are very frequently complete a-holes. Animals as well, despite what some people would have you believe. Although judging other species by human standards is probably misguided. The point is, being a jerk isn’t the sole realm of humans by a long shot.
There’s also what the others said about all of us being humans. I just wanted to point out the “other species are not better than humans” thing.
I’ve noticed that when otherkin “disown” humanity, many of them tend to focus on all the darker aspects of humans as a group, ignore the good, ignore individuality, and generally not listen to reason. This is frustrating. They also have a tendency to see themselves as “superior” which is more than a little arrogant and tends to get on nerves.
(I want to make it clear that I don't see myself as above them. Or maybe I do, but I'm well aware it's because I'm an arrogant megalomaniac.)
I do understand how frustrating it is to have someone claim that disclosing mental illness is to evade responsibility. Or really any ignorant claim people make about mental illness. Most of the human population has some form of mental problem. It stands to reason so would otherkin. What responsibility does this person think they are trying to evade?
There is also the truth that people have trouble understanding what they do not experience. It is, however, annoying when they talk as if they do understand when they really don’t.

As for your identity, there is no rush to figure it out. If you feel you are an untrained medium, test it out.

Edge Wrote:There is also the truth that people have trouble understanding what they do not experience. It is, however, annoying when they talk as if they do understand when they really don’t.

I think this applies to both kin and non-kin.
I've always considered language to be a difficult thing when communicating things I've just experienced or thought about, when I've never experienced someone else describing something similar. Something short might be said to a few people, but all these people may have entirely different perceptions on what I meant to say. This is especially in relation to describing my identity, as I can't think of a word for it. Descriptions have led me before to draw comparisons with creatures described as demons, I stopped this because I cannot find any agreement on a definition of the word, even a vague one. It's just taking notes, thinking about them, editing them to make more sense, hopefully for myself to attempt to understand, let alone telling anyone, to help me with this.

At the same time, I don't think that my thought processes differ greatly in a way that would lead me to not identifying as human. My opinions and thoughts and emotions might be things I find difficult to describe, but for now, my identity as otherkin is a psychological idea to identify with as I can prove nothing else. A lot of kin seem to willingly accept the idea of kintypes being stereotypes that they must conform to, and adapt themselves to fit that. I'd rather if more admitted that they simply didn't know fully about themselves, and should give themselves time to think.