Canine News of Note

Assorted news from the world of men and canines.

Iditarod Ends, Critics Seek Inquiry Into Dog Deaths
Mean Dogs Stand Guard At Idaho Prison
Some local news: Md. County Considers Giving Dogs a Second Chance

Originally from a contact on LiveJournal:
The Truth Behind Pedigree Dogs, with accompanying article Crufts Dog Show Banned From the BBC

FOIA request seeks evidence of proper review of wolf delisting decision

More on Palin's war on wolves:
Gov. Palin Accused of Approving Poison Gas for Wolf Hunts
Alaska Robbed of Wildlife Diversity
State Initiates Massive New Helicopter Wolf Slaughter

More where this came from, to be posted periodically. I believe that, if you claim any psycho-spiritual link to any animal, it is important to be aware of the things going on in the world with this animal or animals, and the very human element that ties in--good or bad.

Media Monstrosities

The following is an excerpt from my LiveJournal, which I'm opting to repost here instead of repeating myself. Further content will be added below.

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I am watching this right now.

I am, needless to say, very disappointed with who they selected to represent therianthropy. But I really shouldn't be surprised now, should I? This is the media, after all, and I'm willing to wager the saner ones out there wouldn't appear on camera. I wouldn't, whether I may be sane or not--and that is very likely under debate, too haha. Because, of course, I'd totally dig the idea of wanting to appear on a show titled "Ten Ways To Meet A Monster". Right.

I especially loved the part about this person describing the "howls" she goes on, and how whenever she sees a wolf's natural prey animal during these gatherings, she has urges to chase it. If this was the case with an actual wolf in the wild, it probably wouldn't survive for very long, having uselessly burned up calories and put itself at risk during repeated chases, all triggered by the appearance of its prey species--whether the animal is well-fed or not. L. David Mech has some pretty good statistics on this.

This, to me, only betrays obvious ignorance of wolf behavior--which also begs the question, if this person really was a wolf, wouldn't she have behaviors more reflective of actual wolf behavior?

Oh yes, and while wearing a fake tail can certainly have its uses, I always found it rather got in the way with my "phantom" tail. However, it will "play ball" or orient/overlap better with a real, organic tail rather than a fake one made of polyester. But that's only after certain mojo is performed--otherwise, try strapping a false tail on a dog or wolf, and see how fast it comes off.

Oh well. At this point, I really shouldn't be surprised anymore.

EDIT: Clip from the show can be found here--the part about therianthropes appears at about 2:02 in the clip.

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As it turns out, there are other such shining examples of the media exploring the Therianthrope and Otherkin phenomenon. Said media-vultures enjoy feasting on the various nutcases that come crawling out, seeking attention and then later playing victim when they are presented in a way that clearly further paints them as freaks (let alone the rest of us, as collateral damage). This, as it turns out, was clearly the case here with the person(s) involved in the interview. And yet, it would be hard for the bystander not to want to paint a broad brush, given most media potrayals, and selections like this one from the 'community'.

As it also turns out, the primary person that was interviewed for this show later declared herself a "born-again human", which only seems to further betray obvious ignorance (and, as another reader/commenter so aptly put it: ""Born again human" sounds like a pretentious way of saying "I took on the therian label without giving it much thought and don't want it any more". :-/"). We can, at the very least, be grateful that she finally realized her mistake, decided to be honest with herself and stick with the furry scene, though not without driving one more nail in the proverbial coffin of credibility for therianthropes and otherkin.

I believe, in this current culture and society, no credibility can possibly be attained through media attention. One person who commented hit the nail right on the head: "I've never understood the need to go public with this to people who don't understand. The knowledge of it comes to those who live it and those who seek understanding. As far as I'm concerned, media involvement is entirely unsupported, no matter how accurate it might be." Either the media is determined to depict us as socially maladjusted freaks, or the socially maladjusted freaks find their way to the media. The end-result is more blanket-criticism and broad-brushing, or the attentions of those unstable individuals who feel they might find acceptance within the therian/otherkin ranks. Neither is desirable, and leaves those of us with at least some amount of commonsense carefully in the shadows, trying hard to avoid negative attention and the ever-growing and vocal population of flakes (which the media does seem to love) from within. I do not think that the Otherkin and Therianthrope communities are ready for the media. On both community and individual level. There is still a lot of growth that is needed.

Most of the human race has moved far from the daimonic beliefs and worlds where the human and the nonhuman mixed more freely. It seems like this line of thinking is making a slow comeback. Indeed, the Otherkin and Therianthrope phenomena is making itself known gradually through the Occult and Pagan circles, and slowly knowledge and understanding is being cultivated. This sort of thing should not be pushed before its time, nor should we be dwelling over the 'fringe' descriptor it is commonly given. For the most part we are free to believe as we please, and in the long run developing a victim complex will only be detrimental to our personal growth as psycho-spiritual individuals.

Some Questions To Ponder

Credit goes to fellow totemist and therianthrope Paleo for coming up with these. The questions are not meant to be answered as a meme so much as to serve as food for thought--something that most people within the totemic and therianthropic circles do precious little of. Reposted with permission.

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1. What was your first exposure to the animal in question? What were the first emotional or symbolic associations you formed to the animal in question?
2. What nonfiction books have you read about this animal? Have you watched any documentaries about this animal? Did any of these provide more depth of information than the others? Did any of them conflict on the facts they gave? If so, how could you go about finding which ones are more accurate?
3. Have you encountered any fictional books, movies, or television shows starring this animal? If so, how realistically was the animal portrayed? If the animal was anthropomorphized (talking animals, animals with human societies), in what way did the process of anthropomorphism bring the animal closer to human ideals? Were the animals shown as friendly and heroic or mean and villainous? How do you think these depictions color the way our culture views the animal’s natural behavior? How do you think these depictions may have colored your own view of the animal’s natural behavior?
4. When your research into an animal brings forth a fact that conflicts with your current view of it, how do you react? For instance, if you associate wolves primarily with strong, friendly family bonds, how did you react to learning that brutal harassment and killing occur within wolf packs? (If this fact is new to you, research the history of the Druid Peak pack of Yellowstone and the killing of a wolf called Number 40F.) Did this knowledge change your opinion of the animal? If so, how?
5. When you think of the animal, do you only focus on traits you find admirable? Are you able to objectively admit to and face the things about the animal that may be disturbing, repulsive, or uncomfortable to reflect on? Do you think you can find a way to assimilate your knowledge of the animal into a more holistic view, resisting the urge to romanticize or vilify?
6. Do you see this animal as being somehow “better” than other animals? If so, why? Does this view come from an emotional reaction or from objective observation? Even if this animal is your personal favorite, are you able to appreciate the uniqueness and importance of other animals?
7. What is the relationship of humans to this animal? Are you able to put aside any anger and negative feelings (even if it may be justified) to come up with constructive ideas on how humans can better coexist with this animal? Are there any actions that you can initiate yourself that may help this animal and its habitat?
8. Is there anything else you can do to learn about this animal, objectively and for its own sake?
9. After learning as much factual information about the animal as possible, can you think of any ways to express your more emotional, personal, and spiritual connection to it? How can you integrate the scientific knowledge you’ve gained and your emotional connections in a way that is honest, healthy, and rewarding?

PSA: Journaling Lag

I haven't updated this thing in a bit, I only just now logged in and approved a comment sitting in my moderation box. Whoops! My apologies to those reading and wondering what's been going on. It is, for the most part, this little thing called "life". I do try to keep regular updates on my private LiveJournal--though those are interspersed with off-topic or random content.

In any case, this blog will receive more activity in the near future. I've compiled more notes, and I have some writing projects and other things percolating. Stay tuned for more content on the psycho-spiritual dog-blog!

Vocal Majorities, Stereotyping, and Personal Thoughts

There's weird, and then there's Otherkin

It seems rather obvious that this amateur journalist took little time to properly research his sources, especially seeing as the last quote he had made was from a very recent entry in the LJ Otherkin Community. NS_Kumiho, who first alerted me to this article by posting it in his personal journal, also noted the apparent ease by which a person could become an 'Examiner'.

But you know what? I'm not here just to discuss sloppy journalism, or to discuss why people choose to latch onto stereotypes and judge unnecessarily. We can jab our fingers and gnash our teeth at the apparent injustices of it all, but in the end I've grown to the point where I will laugh at these sorts of things--and the people who spark them. There is a part of me that really cannot blame people for thinking a certain way about the otherkin community based on that vocal majority.

Stereotypes exist for a reason. There are a great many reasons out there, too. I identify as otherkin, in fact I would fall into both the therianthrope and otherkin categories. Going back to the example quoted in the article, on Lupines and Relationships, well...I had to have a good chuckle on this one. And people wonder why most otherkin allegedly construct their entire spiritual basis around identity. It's so easy to blame relationship failures and poor social skills on, say, being a wolf. As someone who identifies as a wolf, I can't say I've had the problems that the person above claims to have. One also must consider, for example, the lack of knowledge this person seems to have on anatomy and animal psychology. Wolves are deeply social beings, and of all the animals to form a symbiotic relationship with humans, it would be the dog--the direct descendant of the wolf (and, many scientists believe, a subspecies of c. lupus). There is also the obvious sense enough to seek out a significant-other who shares similar beliefs and values as oneself, which makes the journey easier. But that's the mark of proper social skills.

This again circles back nicely to my reasons as to why I don't believe most people who say they are otherkin...really are. Or, to revise that, really are who they claim they are--because in the end, I see being otherkin as another transhuman condition--something anyone is capable of being, regardless of who or whatever else they are. But let's get back directly to what I'm driving at here: if you claim to be something, but have precious little understanding of what exactly you are talking about, I am going to see this more as an excuse for a life not fully lived, an identity not fully realized, or some other sociological or psychological malformation. It's so much easier to package up something (that you feel is) ugly with something (that you feel is) so much prettier...until you realize that, for example, wolves have much the same problems that humans have--and perhaps that is why humans feel they can relate to them so much.

I only have this to say in the end, and yes it may have been said before, but it is appropriate and bears repeating: yes, you are indeed a beautiful and unique snowflake, just like everyone else.

Dogs and Philosophers Always Allowed

I have been described as a cynic by more than one person, and even some of my words and actions have admittedly been what most would describe as cynical.
Dictionary.com (because I don't have a paper dictionary on hand at the moment) gives the following definitions for cynical:

1. like or characteristic of a cynic; distrusting or disparaging the motives of others.
2. showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's actions, esp. by actions that exploit the scruples of others.
3. bitterly or sneeringly distrustful, contemptuous, or pessimistic.

I will openly admit that I am at times very much like the above. I am not easily trusting of others, or their motivations. Part of this is due to some bad relationships (not all of which were romantic, I should specify), and generally overall life experience. My trust is hard to earn, even harder to win back once damaged. When my trust is won however, I am a very loyal person, sometimes to a fault. I won't deny being taken advantage of in the past, to the point where I would not blame someone where they to witness some of these incidents and label me a fool. They wouldn't be altogether wrong--a fool I very rightly am in some cases, make no mistake. I am wise, but only due to my immense foolishness, and not all the time do I ever manifest both traits simultaneously. Interesting to note about the fool as well--his antics can bring out the faults in others, like the court jester jabbing at the faults of the royalty with immunity, or the antics of Coyote.

Interesting to note as well, when one researches into the history of the word cynical or cynic, we come up with this, also from :

A cynic may be pardoned for thinking that this is a dog's life. The Greek word kunikos, from which cynic comes, was originally an adjective meaning "doglike," from kuōn, "dog." The word was probably applied to the Cynic philosophers because of the nickname kuōn given to Diogenes of Sinope, the prototypical Cynic.

Thus comes an interesting and enlightening connection! But it gets better. Stanley Coren, in his book How Dogs Think, writes of the sect's founder Diogenes:

Plato's contemporary Diogenes, another significant Greek philosopher, although more eccentric than most, became known for wandering the world with a lamp claiming to be "looking for an honest man." While he had his doubts about humans, Diogenes thought dogs were extremely moral and intelligent and even adopted the nickname "Cyon," which means "Dog." He would go on to found one of the great ancient schools of philosophy, and he and his followers would later become known by his nickname as "Cynics" or "Dog Thinkers." Diogenes' own intelligence and wit were such that Alexander the Great, after meeting him in Corinth, went away saying, "If I were not Alexander, I would wish to be Diogenes."
When Diogenes died, the people of Athens raised a great marble pillar in his memory. On top of the pillar was the image of a dog. Beneath the dog there was a long inscription that started with the following bit of conversation:
"Say, Dog, I pray, what guard you in that tomb?"
"A dog."
"His name?"
"Diogenes."

I am deeply inspired by the stories and thinking of Diogenes, a true-to-life, historical cynanthrope who lived his beliefs deeply and completely--not just talked about them (more on this later). I always seek to emulate this in my spiritual path. The search for truth and honesty, the striving for discipline and the knowledge of self. Cynicism has, I feel, taken a bad rap. I am not habitually negative, but I am not habitually positive either. I am, however, habitually passionate. I am passionate about life, about my philosophy and spirituality and occult practice. I am passionate about my relationships with others, and I am deeply passionate about my inner knowing, of which my personal cynanthropy plays a very big part.

Two books: One Horrible, The Other Excellent

I'll start off with the horrible one first, to get it out of the way: Dog Spirit: Hounds, Howling, and Hocus-Pocus, by Patricia Telesco

This book was...well. I don't even know where to begin, and to detail all of the errors of this book would be to go through it all over again--which is something I want to do right now about as much as I'd like to drive a rusty nail through my skull (in fact, the only reason why I bought it, in the end, was because it was 50% off at a downtown book fair). Then again, given that this book is written by none other than Patricia Telesco, it should come to little surprise. Although the author made a valiant attempt at trying to recount various bits of canine facts, lore and other information, she managed to make several grievous mistakes. For example, apparently the author doesn't know that a hyena is not canine (and appears to hold quite a negative view of them, by suggesting the reader destroy effigies of them, etc.), that a chow-dog is not an Irish dog breed, and that crystal healing and color therapy are reasonable approaches for treating various canine ailments.

Seriously.

I'm reviewing this book so people know what to avoid. Want a good book on mystical canine-lore? I can recommend two. David Gordon White's Myths of the Dog-Man is an exceptional work, as well as Patricia Dale-Green's Lore of the Dog. As for Telesco's "Dog Spirit", I'd steer clear away from this one.

This second book, an excellent read, is Kinship with the Wolf: The Amazing Story of the Woman Who Lives with Wolves, by Tanja Askani.

Askani's book was an amazing and moving piece, filled with some great photography and fascinating insight into the world she shares with wolves at the Luneberger Heide Wild Game Park in Germany. One of the primary reasons why I picked up this book was because it was given an excellent review by Marc Bekoff, one of my all-time favorite authors, ethologist, and co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists For The Ethical Treatment of Animals. Another fantastic reason why I picked up this book is because this book is written from a more Eurocentric perspective--Askani goes into great detail about the current status of wolves in the European Union, as well as regional viewpoints and the status of wolves in Germany. This would be a great book for someone who seeks to look outside the continental US viewpoint on wolves and their status (not to say that the status of wolves in the continental US is not important! But more Eurocentric perspectives on wolves in English are seemingly hard to come by!)

For a therianthrope or otherkin who feels they harbor a deep connection with canines, especially of the C.lupus species, this book is a must-read, as Askani delves into the spiritual as well as psychological connections between wolves and humans, connecting these points with modern occurrences and personal experience and insight.

I think, when I plan my next trip to Germany, I'm going to include Luneberger Heide Wild Game Park in my itinerary. I would love to see some of the wolves she writes about in person.

This is all I have for now. I have numerous photos and other things I need to transfer from digital camera and notebook. Given everything else that's going on in my life at the moment, finding time to do everything is becoming quite a feat. I will keep this place kicking regardless though.