Spanky Wrote:Freetha Wrote:Perhaps the simplest approach is for every one to agree on a simple, and not too wordy, defenition of "otherkin" that which is yet specific enough not to be mistaken for something else.
Exactly. That's why I came up with one, and then asked for opinions. <!-- s
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I don't know, it just seems a little off to me.
For one, many otherkin do feel "incongruent" with human society, but quite a few do not. Besides, incongruent is one of these few words I have to look up in a dictionary before I'm sure I know what they mean, and while my english is quite good inspite being my second language in this lifetime this would be a clear indication that other non-native-english-speakers could have problems with the word.
Mentioning souls and reincarnation does seem pointless in defining otherkin if the implication of unicorn souls annoys you at all. If anything, the mention of these things in the defenition will make people quicker to associate the word "otherkin" with such beliefs. What you bring up in the same scentence is associated.
Not everyone has incongruent experiences either and to imply otherwize would open up the door to a new defenition or rather assumption. The one that would take that incongruence and adding it up to otherkin. Instead of "fluffy believers in unicorn souls" you'd end up with ideas such as "people who want to be different" or "people who were unpopular in school so they made up an awesome alternate ego and roleplay together with their other unpopular friends" or something along those lines.
My personal preference in defining otherkin is simple.
Human beings who believe themselves to be, in one way or another, for one reason or another, something other than entirely human.
I've found that every time people start trying to define it further, you end up with misunderstandings or sometimes worse. I know how much people want to be specific in their defenitions, but this is a wide concept that I do not believe can be effectively narrowed down any more than to the bare bones basic of the common belief or you would sacrifice the accuracy of the defenition.