The GOOD and BAD of Social Media

Ryuu and Adobe dissect how social media affects the furry fandom.

Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to give us a download and let us know what you think! You can follow the podcast or either of the hosts at the links below.

Twitter: https://x.com/whatareweinfur
Ryuu: https://x.com/RyuuDerg
Adobe: https://www.youtube.com/@adobetheretriever

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

I'm recording so hard.

SPEAKER_03 0:01

I'm recording so hard right now as well. Alright, that's probably gonna be the intro.

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Hello everyone, welcome back to the What A W for Podcast I'm Ryu, and this is our podcast where we talk about anything related to the furry fandom. My buddy Adobe and I, we take turns introducing topics each week. Sometimes entirely about the fandom, sometimes not enough about it. Speaking of Adobe, hey my furry buddy. My best friend. Aye. It's that time of the week again. I like this time of the week. It's a fun time. I love this time of the week. It's so great.

SPEAKER_03 0:32

And we get to be all like passionate together. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

Oh, we're so passionate.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

Oh, hot.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

I'm I'm feeling real passionate today. I'm feeling real energetic today. I smoked a bowl. I'm I'm in a good mood. I'm ready for this topic. I had a large cold brew. You had a large cold brew?

SPEAKER_03 0:50

Yeah, I'm wired. I'm like sweet. Really wired.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Sweet. I think this is a sativa. That's why I have so much energy, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 0:57

Um I love that you have energy.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Thanks. Thanks.

SPEAKER_03 1:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I had a good day today. I woke up a little late though. I woke up around like 11, stayed in bed with my cats until like noon.

SPEAKER_03 1:08

Aww.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

And then um got out of bed. I went to go pick up a Melda's pottery that she went and uh painted with some friends. I better get pictures. Yes, I will send you photos. Um, she painted a little mushroom and like a little mushroom ornament and a little uh stingray.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Aww.

SPEAKER_01 1:25

Yeah, they're super cute.

SPEAKER_03 1:27

That's awesome. I want I definitely want to see pictures. I remember doing pottery back in college. That shit was really fun. I mean, I hate to get my hands got so dirty and I dry and I hated it, but for the time being, it was nice.

SPEAKER_01 1:37

Yeah. Um that's good. Ryu's fishing frenzy making a comeback.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

It's back. What I don't remember what episode the the tune was in, but future Adobe, please try to find the tune. You got this.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

I'm sure you can find it. If not, we can have a new we can have a new theme song for it. Who fucking cares?

SPEAKER_00 1:54

Consistency, baby. Who fucking cares? It's our podcast.

SPEAKER_03 1:58

Me, I care. I'm Angel.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

I know. I have been back fishing, and I am having a blast because the past two times I went fishing, we found some new spots, and I've caught two bass since we've started fishing again, and they've been pretty big. Um it's largemouth spawning spawning season right now. So all the babies, all the baby bass are coming. And they just stocked another pond with like a thousand rainbow trout. So gonna go try to catch some trout. But good for you.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

Look at you getting out there. I'm proud of you.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Getting back outside again, you know, looking up.

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Yes, I I I'm not I don't want to say it too early, but I think I'm getting back into this golfing when it gets warmer out. I've been getting that itch again, and my girlfriend is like talking about it a little bit, and she seems interested, so I'm kind of like, ooh, maybe. Also, hi Meg, if you're listening to this, hello. Um but yeah, I've been wanting to get back into that. So and the more you keep talking about the outdoors, and the more she does, and the more I want to go play disc golf again.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

You want to get back out, you want to get back out and do your thing. Your stomach grows.

SPEAKER_03 3:18

I just don't want to hurt myself again.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

You'll be okay. Can you wear like a brace or something to like prevent anything?

SPEAKER_03 3:25

Not really, because with disc golf, and for anyone who doesn't know, disc golf has one of the most complex forms in sports. Um, I'm not gonna say it's like the hardest, but it has so much movement and very specific motions. Um, so it's known as one of the most complex um forms. And I'm talking about the distance driving uh discs, not like putts or mid-range, whatever. But when you're trying to throw a disc as hard as you can, as well as accurately, you have a a form called the X step. And it's I'm not gonna try to explain it, but you're you at least with your arm, you're using every joint. You're using your shoulder, your elbow, your wrist, and including your fingers in some some aspects. And then you're also using your legs in like this like long I don't say skip motion, but it makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

It's like it's like shock put kind of you need that you need that momentum.

SPEAKER_03 4:08

Yeah, yeah, I think that's the easiest way to explain it or like compare it. Um, but there's no brace because if you brace, then you can't use what you need to do. That makes sense. And um, but I do want to try to get back into that. I'll just have to stretch. Hell yeah. I think.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

Take it easy at first, take it easy when you first get back into it, you know. Might be a little rusty, you never know.

SPEAKER_03 4:27

But you know what made me feel even better is if anyone who's listening rates the podcast, that'd be really cool. If you guys enjoy the podcast, you guys should read it. I just want to throw that out early and say, That would be sick. You know, ratings help, sharing helps, but hey, ratings, or give us like a little like or follow or subscribe. I don't know, whatever listening platform you're on.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

But like and if you want to connect with us, you can follow us on Twitter slash X at what are we infer to check out our social media. We also have our personal accounts listed below in the description.

SPEAKER_03 4:55

So I don't use them, don't worry about following me right now.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

I use them a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 4:59

Unless you play marathon. If you play if you're if anyone plays marathon, I need someone to play marathon with. I need a score.

SPEAKER_01 5:05

Or if you live in the DFW area and you want to ride bikes or go fishing.

SPEAKER_03 5:10

If you guys want to make out with us, hit us up.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:15

What the fuck are we in for today? Oh. So uh this hope the I'm hoping this will be more fun than ranty. So I'm not gonna call it Phantom Fatigue Bark II, but it is one of the subjects I want to talk about, but I wanted to expand on as its own episode. So kind of Phantom Fatigue Bark II. Question mark. It's kind of a game, but also kind of just a conversation. So what I want to do is, and for anyone who hasn't listened to the Phantom Fatigue episode, you should go listen to it, but you don't have to. But as a rundown, we talked about um just general burnout with the furry fandom and kind of our point of view on things as well as what we've seen the fandom, and it could just kind of turn into a rant and maybe a little bit of event session too. But what we didn't really dive into, and what I want to dive into today, is social media specifically. And how I want to set this up and how I want to go about it is I'm gonna write down things that we talk about, and we're gonna determine if social media is good for the fandom or bad for the fandom. Definitively, because we're the gods. Remember how we're gods here, Ryu? We're gods. So we're gonna talk about this, whatever we say is factual, and hail Jesus. Hail Jesus. But amen. How I want to go about this and to make it a little more fun is I want us to go back and forth um on social media. I mean, I have my opinions of social media, I'm sure you do too. So, what I want to do is whenever we bring up it can be good or bad, just whatever let's say you bring up something, no matter what, I have to respond as an answer playing devil's advocate. So if you say something bad like, uh, social media is toxic because it influences cringy furry dancers, just something funny, right? No matter what, I need to try to find a counter benefit or counter good thing very similar to what you brought up. Even if we don't agree, because I would probably agree with that, but then no matter what, I have to say why that's actually good. And we're gonna make a list, okay, have a little bit of fun with it, and we'll go through first. Or we'll go through uh a couple as like an example. Um, but yeah, no matter what, whatever one of us mentioned, that's good or bad. Should I get should I get my Google Doc out? Should I get my Google Doc? You can write it down. Uh you don't have to. I'll write everything down and then at the very end of this. I can write it down too. I got I got some paper. Okay. At the very end of this, we'll determine if social media is good or bad because again, it's very easy to say yes or no. But we're gonna dive into it. We're gonna talk about it, we're gonna find what's the most important and just see what category gets more. How we have to bounce off each other. Uh Adobe cut some of this part out because I'm overexplaining. Um, okay. So, as I mentioned, we're gonna talk about the good and the bad. Um, I will go first, and whatever topic I decide to bring up, you have to try to say why it's good or find something very similar of what's good or bad. So I'll go first. Um, social media is let's say bad for the fandom. Actually, you know what? I'll I'll say exactly my example was. I think it's bad for the fandom because it influences uh cringy TikTok dancers. That's that's like furry like again, this has to be furry related. That I'm gonna so I'm gonna put this in the bad category. Let me I gotta fix my chart.

SPEAKER_04 8:10

I gotta fix my chart.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

So Nomat now what you have to do is you have to try to find something that's very similar on or why that's good. So I'm gonna say influences cringey, cringe, furry dancers.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

Well, I think social media is good for the furry fandom because it influences cool fursuit makers and artists that you can commission. Did I do that right?

SPEAKER_05 8:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:35

So we're kind of gonna go down like a rabbit hole, like like like like like uh like we go off of each other's answers.

SPEAKER_03 8:41

Exactly, exactly. And whenever it's your turn, because you're up next, whenever it's your turn, you can choose to say something good or bad. It doesn't have to go because I said bad, you have to say good. Your turn.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

Social media is bad for the furry fandom because it puts minors at risk. Ooh, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_03 9:01

Thank you. Um, it allows pedophiles to have a place to congregate.

SPEAKER_04 9:07

That's not good.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

That's not good. And then it allows pedophiles to congregate and give them a safe place, and then people that hate pedophiles can go and find them and exactly.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

No, so what I'll say that's similar is it gives um it gives the older audience uh um a place to congregate. You know, people who want to try to make friends when they're um a little bit older, I guess. What what what what what's a good vocabulary for that? Um I don't really know. I don't either. I just don't like pedophiles. It gives the older generation a place to congregate. A safe space. A safe space. And I'm not saying pedophilia.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

Now it's your turn.

SPEAKER_03 9:51

I think social media is good because it allows someone to explore their creative identity.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

Okay. You think social media is good because it allows people to explore their creative personality, identity, whatever you said. Yep. Okay. I think that if people are I think social media is bad for people that are looking to be creative, and if people are one-sided on their uh if they're if they're saying that you need to be creative this certain way, then uh you don't need to listen to them. You need to just do it the way you want to do it. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 10:35

Uh not really, but what I gathered is it forces if social media um uninten well, I guess intentionally forces uh creatives to tunnel vision, like to feel like they have to perform a certain way. Yes. Like it forces comparison, like Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

And people people people might think that they're they're being judged or criticized.

SPEAKER_03 10:58

Okay. Now that's actually interesting too. So when I uh when I used to draw a lot, uh and you know I I mean you know that I come from like an art background, is I actually stopped I stopped drawing because I is literally because of what you just said. Um I I was all I was constantly comparing my art and I never felt like my art was good enough. And then I felt judged with just because I couldn't uh live up or perform in the way that I wanted to perform. What made me stop drawing completely, like this is what put my nail in the coffin, is I was doing commission for someone a while back. It was a headshot commission. I hope to god they don't listen to this, but overall, I don't really give a fuck. Um it was a headshot I did for I guess you could say a friend a while back. And I was making them a brand new Sona. I was but during this commission time, I was in the process of moving, so I couldn't put as much time into the headshot as I wanted to. And I did take full payment, and I had my find it find it fin. I had my finished product, I sent it over, but I really wasn't happy with it. So what I did is actually returned 50% of the payment. I was very disappointed with how it came out, and they said it was good, but I felt that it wasn't. And what they did is they put it through an AI generator and then sent it back to me and go, Oh my god, hey, look how much better this turned out. And then they made that their profile picture for a very long time. Awful. Yeah, and that's what that was the last commission I ever took.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

That's horrible. Dude, I th I think AI has ruined art for a lot of people.

SPEAKER_03 12:32

That's my next answer! Social media is bad because it ruined AI, uh AI ruined art.

SPEAKER_01 12:36

Social media is bad because AI ruined art. I have to agree with that one. I'll say it is it is ruining.

SPEAKER_03 12:42

I'll say it is ruining.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

It didn't, it hasn't destroyed art. Damn nearby. I don't think it will ever destroy art because there's always gonna be creative people out there. Um I'm looking at you people in the fan mail. I want to see some people in the fan mail uh sending us some messages. Let us know what you do if you're creative. We we like creative people.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

We do like creative people. If you guys for the fan mail want to share what you guys do, whether it it is art or you guys have commissions open, you guys do first, it's making a game. Doesn't matter what it is, anything in the fan that you want to share, let us know in the fan mail below, and we can we will shout that out in the next episode or a episode. I feel weird saying next. But yeah, just I'm gonna give we just want to give you guys a platform, an opportunity to share what you do, um, and then hopefully get some of your work looked at. And we'll we'll put a link in the description of what you guys would like um to be in whatever social media you want attached, we can attach it for you right in the description below.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

You always put in the fan mail so well.

SPEAKER_03 13:41

I do.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

I always I always choke up whenever I mention the fan mail.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

Yeah, you do choke up when I'm when I'm around you.

SPEAKER_01 13:48

What?

SPEAKER_03 13:49

Nothing. No, not currently.

SPEAKER_04 13:55

You're just my bromance. I know.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

We're bromantic. We're so bromantic. We're so we're so sexy.

SPEAKER_03 14:03

So sexy.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

So sexy.

SPEAKER_03 14:05

Alright, counter it. AI is ruining art. So now try to counter why that's good. Fuck. Okay, um I mean I actually have a counter of my own to be honest.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Let me think. AI is good for social media because if it's implemented into the social media itself, it can be really user-friendly.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Sure. That's I don't know. I just disagree because I fucking hate AI so so much. But alas, even though it's money, I think it's it is still, I guess, a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

With AI using art, I think that's that's a no-go.

SPEAKER_03 14:48

Yeah, I think AI, like, I guess to try to bounce off what you mentioned, um, because I'll also try and keep it furry related, is like AI can be a good tool for furry artists. Um it it it it it's a good tool, it's not a um finalization of an art piece. Um right, it does make that entry to uh, I guess, and as you kind of mentioned social media, but it does make that entry for certain tools, certain things you might need um as references or requests. It gives you something to bounce on. I mean, I've known people who who use AI to throw together a color palette to just be like, hey, this is my fursuit. Can you tweak the colors? You know, they're using it as a tool to then give them a visual of what they want to work on moving forward that is made by their own hand. So yeah, I it does kind I would say relate to what you just mentioned. That that's my perspective with AI in social media with like furries and artists.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

It's a tool. It's it's you can't if you're using it to cheat, then then you a cheater. We don't like cheaters. You we don't like cheaters.

SPEAKER_03 15:47

Nope. I thought I didn't hit record. We're good, but I j I had a I was about to kill you! My sphincter closed real quick because just for a split second I didn't see the uh stop recording button, meaning it is recording. I didn't see that.

SPEAKER_01 16:04

That's funny. That's so funny.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

Okay, so now it's my turn. No, it's your turn because you countered my turn. So now now it's your turn. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:15

It's actually interesting breaking this down. Because at the end of the day, my in my opinion, social media is bad for the furry fandom, but but it it's very interesting breaking it down and actually seeing all these bullet points of like, oh well, I guess that's this is what it's good for.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

So I think social media is good for the furry fandom because I hear those gears cranking.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

Don't catch on fire.

SPEAKER_05 16:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Yeah, I'm fine. Again, you can ounce. I don't know, I don't know what happened. I was screaming. I was screaming very loud.

SPEAKER_04 17:04

Adobe, uh, take where you scream and play backwards with reverb.

SPEAKER_02 17:18

Turn it down a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 17:19

Now make her sound like a child.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

I already sound like a child. Yeah, you're right. I already look like a child. I look 12. And I'm short. I just made a post about that. I just made a I just reposted my own post and I called myself short on the pod on the podcast Twitter. I mean, I am. Like, look at me. What was your answer? Social media is bad for the furry fandom because it didn't because I thought you were about to say good. It entices bullying.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Actually, yeah. That's a big one. I want to put that one bold because that was a that was actually a genuinely a big deal. Sorry, it took me a while to think, but I don't I was also partially interrupted because you're a fucking bully! I would say now I have to try to say why something like that's close to being good. Um, it's easy to provide constructive criticism. Sure.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

Bullying, aka constructive criticism. I'm not cyberbullying you, I'm just giving you constructive criticism. I'm just trying to help you.

SPEAKER_04 18:36

I need that on a shirt. Be like, yeah, I need to just say, I'm not bullying, I'm just providing constructive feedback.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Strict, constructive feedback.

SPEAKER_03 18:46

Okay, so now it's my turn. I'm gonna say social media is good because it uh social media helps provide income to creators. Ooh. It's a platform to find and uh you know uh uh uh to to to gather income, money, money.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Um crime isn't just online. Uh crime isn't just a physical thing, it can be an online thing. I think social media is bad for the furry fandom because it can you can get involved in crime and you can get art stolen and or money not given to you.

SPEAKER_03 19:19

Stol uh yeah, you're right. I actually I've heard of a I mean I see it on Twitter sometimes when I scroll. Um, literally just talking about income is furry artists will provide a piece of art and sometimes when it's through PayPal, the commissioner will literally just get try to get a refund back when they already got their final product. And I I've seen it, PayPal just be like, Yeah, sure, have your money back. And it takes right out of the artist's wallet. Yep. Art stolen slash what was it? Art stolen slash money not provided, money money falsely refunded or falsely Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

I think the furry fandom I I think social media is good for the furry fandom because you can get you can ask people for input, and 90% of the time you will get an answer back.

SPEAKER_03 20:08

Isn't that what I said? Provocative provides constructive criticism. I mean, I guess we're not talking about bullying, but it's the same thing. Okay. Um see that that that's what makes us hard, and that's why I was excited to kind of see how later in this episode it would look because it's gonna be it's gonna be harder to come up with good or bad things.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

No, I I understand. Um I think social media is good for the furry fandom because you can connect with people that have d the same hobbies as you or like the same interests.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

Okay, so I have to counter that. So in forms of connecting, what what's I don't want to say catfishing, but kind of. I don't know if catfishing is gonna be the direct term, but you can connect with the wrong type of person without knowing it's not them. Like I've had I've talked to people and they've lied to me about their age. Uh one of my exes. So like you can connect with people, but it might not be who they say they are. You know, it could be an old guy playing as someone younger, vice versa. It could be yeah, uh, you know, like a criminal, it could be someone who I we even talked about this, like a pedophile or something like that. Is catfish the right term? Yeah, I think so. So I think so. I'm gonna I'm gonna put access, I'm gonna just say portraying to be someone you're not. Catfishes, even though fishes isn't a word, but catfishes is a word.

SPEAKER_01 21:28

No, it's not. Fishes is a word.

SPEAKER_03 21:30

No, it's not. Look up the plural of fish. I know it's f but the word fishes is a word.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

No, it's not. Yes, it is. I've seen it in incredible sources.

SPEAKER_04 21:42

You're literally using scientific or formal context to describe different types of species.

SPEAKER_03 21:46

Fuck off, fuck you! Your turn. Stupid. Oh wait, no, it's my turn. Oh, this is getting harder. Fuck, this is getting a lot harder. Uh social media makes me regret my life choices.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

Social media has made me some more self-conscious!

SPEAKER_03 22:06

That's mine. I take it. I'm putting that in there. God damn it. More self-conscious, I guess. I'll just put it in the bad category. I love how this is getting a lot harder. This is getting so hard. As hard as I am, baby. Whoa. Hi, mom.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

Hey. Hey mom.

SPEAKER_03 22:28

Alright. Come up with a good reason. Fuck. Fuck.

SPEAKER_02 22:31

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

SPEAKER_01 22:33

Can I phone a friend?

SPEAKER_03 22:34

Nope. Is it Melada nearby?

SPEAKER_01 22:37

No.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Who are you gonna phone?

SPEAKER_01 22:39

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 22:42

I don't have friends. Yeah, you do. Have you?

SPEAKER_03 22:46

I'm the only friend you need. You have how many groomsmen in your wedding? You have friends.

SPEAKER_01 22:50

Together forever.

SPEAKER_03 22:52

Together forever. You're in my wedding, you're a groomsman. I know, but you also have friends, and those are your friends. The groom's- Don't you have a best man in your wedding?

SPEAKER_01 23:00

How's he got your dog? You're the groom's dog. I'm gonna call you that at the wedding.

SPEAKER_04 23:06

I'm gonna be so I'm gonna be so introverted, dude.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Oh god.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

Tune in in mid-April for the wedding episode. The wedding episode. I mean, we have to have we have to have a uh an episode where you just talk about the wedding the whole time.

SPEAKER_01 23:21

What if we did a podcast recording at my wedding? That's not gonna happen. I know.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

I mean I would, but it's you're gonna be too busy.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

I know.

SPEAKER_03 23:32

Anyway, I said more self-conscious, so what's a good More self-conscious.

SPEAKER_01 23:36

I think social media is good for the furry fandom because uh That's a hard one to counter against. Oh what the fuck?

SPEAKER_03 23:48

I I guess the thing is something along body image, but no, I mean it's all bad.

SPEAKER_01 23:55

I can't really counter that. I don't know how to counter that one.

SPEAKER_03 23:59

So okay, so let's let's uh let's adjust how this episode uh rolls moving forward. So should we if we can't counter it, should we leave it be? So then it provides one category more weight than the other rather than at the end of the episode each category being exactly equal? Yeah. Okay, so just so if we can't counter it, then what we'll do is we'll leave it so then one category does end up growing more because we can't counter it. Okay, okay, all right. I like that. I like that. You're so smart. God, such a big wrinkly brain.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

No, you god, you look like a blobfish because you're so wrinkly and smart. I look like a blobfish?

SPEAKER_03 24:37

Yeah, because you're so smart. Because the wrinkly and your brain's wrinkly. That really doesn't sound like a wrong thing. I mean that because you have like a wrinkly brain, that's a guy.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

You're fucking you're fucking wrinkly, you wrinkly, dry skinned bitch.

SPEAKER_04 24:50

I do got some dry skin. Make it makes fun of me because I have to lotion my hands every day.

SPEAKER_01 24:56

It puts the lotion on its skin.

SPEAKER_03 25:00

Alright, you're fucking turn, you weirdo.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

I think social media is good, bad for the furry fandom. Because there's a lot of drama.

SPEAKER_03 25:16

Oh, that's an easy that's a good one.

SPEAKER_01 25:18

It's an easy one too. There's so much drama.

SPEAKER_03 25:21

Okay, I have I actually have a counter though. So social media is good for the fandom because it helps you know who you should and shouldn't talk to. How do I word that? Because drama is still drama, and you you'll sometimes you can still you can accidentally form good or bad opinions about people because of the drama. So I guess the way I want to word it is like it helps you avoid the the bad people. Like the actors.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

If somebody, if somebody is starting drama on social media, I don't even really get involved because I that's just somebody that I'm not gonna involve myself with because I don't want to be around that kind of fucking shit.

SPEAKER_03 25:57

So I want to put helps avoid the baddies. That's my counterdies of the drama. Okay. Do you think I'm a baddie? You a bad bitch. I'm a bad bitch? Yeah, you bad bitch. You think I'm a bad bitch? Oh my god, you're such a bad bitch. Please don't laugh like that again.

SPEAKER_02 26:21

Anyways. Adobe, please clip that. Please don't. Adobe. Reverb it and play it backwards. Oh fuck.

SPEAKER_01 26:33

Adobe slow it down.

SPEAKER_03 26:35

Ooh, yeah. Adobe, slow it down and reverb it.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

Ooh.

SPEAKER_03 26:42

Alright, I'm done doing that. That's so much extra work. Um social media. I I I actually had one and I lost I lost uh my train of thought of what it was. Social media, this is uh this is a very common thing in general, but I also see it a lot in the fandom. Social media is bad because it heavily influences parasocial relationships. What did you say to me? Social media is bad because it heavily influences parasocial relationships within the fandom.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

What's a parasocial relationship?

SPEAKER_03 27:11

A parasocial relationship is when it's a it's a one-sided relationship with one with a person where the individual is either romantically engaged with or feels like they know X person super well because they're stalking their social medias, because they're following all their posts or their YouTube or their their creative content, and they feel this relationship that sometimes is very mentally unhealthy. Let's see what the definition exactly is. I'll read it off for anyone who knows. So create uh parasocial relationships are one-sided psychological bonds where an individual invests emotional energy, time uh emotional energy and time in a media persona, and this can be celebrities, influencers, fictional characters, and I mean hell, that would be furries. Okay. But that but that individual is unaware of their existence. So it's yeah, it's when one person has a lot of emotional engagement and connection with someone who doesn't even know that they exist.

SPEAKER_01 28:02

Counter that, bitch! Fuck, I don't think I can. That's just weird. That's creepy, bro. I can't counter that.

SPEAKER_03 28:09

Yeah, I mean, you can you you can try to find something similar to that.

SPEAKER_01 28:13

It doesn't have to be parasocial exactly, but I I think social media is good for the furry fandom because you can create good relationships with people. Good people and not creepy people.

SPEAKER_03 28:29

We already have that.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

Fuck. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 28:32

I don't know. I guess if we're along parasocial no, I don't know. I've never heard of that until now. I I don't I can't counter that, honestly. I have I have similar things that are good, but they're not direct counters to parasocial. Say it. It's not my turn. No, because then you're gonna take it from me. So, okay, so right now, just so anyone who's listening, because no, we don't have any visuals, the bad category is up by two. So there's more in the bad category right now because we now fail twice to counter it with the good. Sorry. Alright, go ahead, sorry, Goober.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

Social media is good for the fandom because you can You are on fire right now.

SPEAKER_04 29:22

Like, do I need to call like the fire like an EMT or firefighters?

SPEAKER_03 29:26

Like, are you okay? Is your brain alright?

SPEAKER_02 29:28

This is really hard.

SPEAKER_03 29:30

That's the point. You're so tall. Slender.

unknown 29:34

Oh god.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

I'm just a fucking salamander, bro. Yeah, you are.

SPEAKER_03 29:53

I like that. I like that.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

Does that count?

SPEAKER_03 29:55

I don't know. Do you want it to count?

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

Because we can't underwet dog.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

Alright, so I gotta counter that. I gotta say why we're bad. Um, social media is bad because it allows stupid people like us to create a podcast.

SPEAKER_03 30:13

Yeah, sure. I'll take that as a counter. Sure. I I mean that's kind of a joke category, but there is some truth to that. It's kind of funny. Okay, so I'm trying to think what my goods were because I did have a couple and I've just lost sight of them because of our amazing intellectual conversations.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 30:34

Social media is okay. Again, we're gonna have to get to a point where you gotta correct me whenever I talk. Because I I just I I can't read all these bullet points, so now it's on you to correct me. Okay. Social media is good because it allows you No, I did similar interests. We've already said that.

unknown 30:50

Fuck!

SPEAKER_03 30:51

Because I was gonna say it allows content creators to get together, but that's exactly what connected similar interests are.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:58

Social media is bad, good.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

I know it's hard, huh?

SPEAKER_03 31:04

Social media is good because some jazz music.

SPEAKER_01 31:07

We need some jazz music allows.

SPEAKER_03 31:12

I'm gonna get really specific. Social media is good for furry fandom because it allows people to prepare and know what to expect out of conventions.

SPEAKER_01 31:19

Oh. Social media is bad for the furry fandom because if people can't go to those conventions, they get FOMO and they see all the content.

SPEAKER_02 31:27

Oh, that's a good how did I not think of FOMO?

SPEAKER_01 31:30

Bitch. Bitch.

SPEAKER_03 31:32

That's really bad too.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

Fuck FOMO.

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Fuck FOMO. It's like we have an episode about that. You should you guys should go watch this after this one. Go check it out. Alright. Oh, it's not my turn. I don't want to give you my bad. Your turn.

SPEAKER_01 31:43

Um, this little media is good for the furry phantom because it allows people to promote businesses. And you're skating a fine line here, mister.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

I know. Um, I can give you one if it if you want. Makes it easier to vend in person. Huh? It makes it easier for businesses to vend in person. To to to set up in person and like shout out their in-person, like like when they go vend at conventional. True, true. Social media assists that. True.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

True. Yeah, it it allows it allows people that have a business to promote their business and gain traction and um passive income or people.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

Oh fuck you, I got a counter. Cancel culture, bitch!

SPEAKER_03 32:35

Businesses being canceled because of it.

SPEAKER_02 32:37

I'm gonna cancel you. I'm gonna cancel all over you. Cancel culture so fucking stupid.

SPEAKER_03 32:42

I I so I mean cancel culture because that that that's pretty broad. I'm gonna say this specifically with businesses, because I think then that just happened to MFF with the the dildos. Um I don't know. But social media is bad because it because of cancel culture literally destroying businesses just because people want to be dick holes.

SPEAKER_01 33:00

Yeah, unfortunately. That's how it is. Good one.

SPEAKER_03 33:05

I know. That's why I said it. Thank you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have said that whatever.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Yeah, whatever. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 33:10

Ooh, I got a good one. Social media is bad because it's easy to get into echo chambers. Ex Elaborate. Echo chambers are when people put themselves in positions where they hear only what they want to hear. They're in a confined, like a they it's like tunnel vision. Okay, okay, okay, it allows people who share really drastic, really negative, really specific point of views, and then they they congregate together and it becomes this like little mini cult. Yeah. That's a dramatic way to put it. Um just I'm gonna just put easy to get in easy to get into echo chambers. I love that word so much.

SPEAKER_01 33:46

I think social media is good for the furry fandom because some of those echo chambers can be more positive and enlightening. Why?

SPEAKER_03 33:58

Because there can be it in instead of radical or negative out outlooks on things, you can have makes them feel more welcome because they have highly differential point of views from the general public.

SPEAKER_01 34:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 34:14

Even though echo chambers are only a negative term, I'll give you that.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Whatever, whatever. I'm trying to be positive here.

SPEAKER_03 34:20

Good quote unquote. I'm gonna put in quotations. Good vibes. Good, good vibey echo chambers. We got we got time for a little bit more.

SPEAKER_01 34:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 34:30

This made me think a lot more. Oh god.

SPEAKER_01 34:33

I think social media is bad for the furrier fandom because somebody wanting to start off in social media might have a harder time than someone else starting off in social media, and their attraction, like their followers, may not grow like they expected it to it to, or they might have they might have um high expectations or lower expectations, depending on what you're trying to um post.

SPEAKER_03 35:00

So could I put that in a way of social media is heavily luck-based, or can be heavily luck-based?

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 35:06

Okay, that's good. Um, but I have a counter. So this is my where my analytical social media point of view comes into play. So bear with me. Because social media can be heavily luck-based, there is an algorithm that you can learn per each social media platform in a way that you can definitely grow on. Um, so what is good about the luck-based system is it helps you create consistency with your content and learn how to schedule and appropriate, or it helps you learn. Um I had my fucking train of thought. I'm not even kidding. It's because I said one wrong word, I lost it. So let me reword myself. Social media is good because it helps you create consist it helps you perform consistently and create a schedule that works with you to provide high quality content that you want to provide. Because luck is against you. Algorithms will support your content when you are consistent and learn how that algorithm works. That's my counter. Helps you create because it helps you be consistent and create scheduling for things that are important to you.

SPEAKER_01 36:07

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 36:09

I like that. Not bad. Because yeah, a lot of content will just blow up because yeah, it could be a really good video, but there is there is luck involved with social media. I don't care who wants to talk about it, there is luck involved with social media. But algorithms will support your content more the more consistent you are. It's more likely to push content out there. Now, if you post, let's say once a day and it's a short and it's really shitty content. So that luck-based uh system is not really gonna help you there because it still needs to be good or considerably okay content, and it needs to learn that hey, this person watched for x amount of hours, let's put or this person watched for x amount of seconds, so now we'll push it to another person, see how that performs. There's a lot of a lot of analytics to it, but that's interesting. It's really gonna be hard to follow, so I apologize, but that is my that is my counter. So fuck you.

SPEAKER_01 36:55

You're so you're such a smart cookie.

SPEAKER_03 36:57

I know. Um, okay, social media is good because they'll help support my fucking ego. No, I feel you. Um I feel you. Yeah, you feel all over me.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

I got a good one.

SPEAKER_03 37:10

What this is gonna be a hot take. Maybe this will just be a hot take episode now at this point. Social media is bad because it builds um it heavily influences the toxic side of like sexual like sexual content in the fandom. So and I I say this because I just said ego. So it like it'll boost people's egos, is that it makes them feel like they're on top of the world and they're the most sexiest thing in the world, and that they have to get all the attention. So it social media is bad because it promotes attention-based sexual content and like that develops in people's personalities, thirst traps, and like thirst traps aren't a bad thing, right? Those can be whatever, but it makes it because of social media specifically, and they see all these likes, all these follows because of a thirst trap that that they posted, it builds a bad ego, it builds a bad um god complex. Does that make sense? Right, yes, it does. I'll and I'll I'll keep it sexual and try to keep it super specific. So it promotes a sexual god complex, like sexual side of the fandom badly promotes I can't word myself, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_01 38:13

Sexually bad sexual god complex. It makes sense. Yeah, all right, buddy boy. I already have counter what I just said, but go for it. Social media is good for the very fandom because it gives people a place to express themselves sexually.

SPEAKER_03 38:31

Well, they're definitely expressing themselves, all right.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

Express yourself with the express yourself.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

Yeah, I think that is perfectly valid. Because yes, there is a very sexual side of the fandom, and I think anyone who wants to deny that is intentionally in denial. Um but yeah, I do think that you are able to find parts of your sexuality and yourself sexually because of how that fandom performs. And although there's the bad parts of it like that, you know, I I do think that what you mentioned is actually a very, very good counterpoint. Thank you. Social media is bad because it creates a sense of hierarchy in the fandom, hence poppy furs, or I have more followers than you, so I'm better.

SPEAKER_01 39:10

Ooh, icky. Is that is that a valid one? Yeah, that's that's that's pretty valid. There's icky.

SPEAKER_03 39:20

That's what I'm labeling.

SPEAKER_01 39:21

You can have a fuck ton of followers, but that doesn't mean you're gonna get a fuck ton of likes and a fuck ton of comments.

SPEAKER_03 39:26

I think I talked about this on the podcast before, and I don't know how many people have experienced this at a cons, but do you did you know, Ryu, that there are room parties at cons that where people will not let you in unless you have a certain follower amount on a certain social on whatever social media platform that they choose. That's like so stupid. There'll be Twitter, there'll be you know parties and they'll post it on the Twitter be like, hey, we're having a room party, but like you have to have a certain amount of influence in the fandom, otherwise you're not allowed in. Because they don't want quote unquote nobodies. That's so dumb. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 39:56

That's so oh wow, that's so um what's the fucking word? Inclusive. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 40:02

I'm not gonna say that this is like the most common thing in the world. I'm not gonna overdramaticize the idea, but that is a thing, and I've heard about that. I've heard I I've heard of stories on YouTube, like that's where I've got I knew that from, but I think I'm not gonna say I know anyone because there's no one I know that's a quote unquote poppy fur, but it is a thing. So go ahead. Go ahead. Poppy furs for you. Counter it, bitch.

SPEAKER_01 40:22

I think social media is good for the furry fandom because some poppy furs can provide really good content on very good things such as like charities and oh that is really good, yeah. Conservation or something along those lines, you know.

SPEAKER_03 40:44

I that is yeah, poppy fur. With giving back. So is this what poppy furs as the direct counter? Poppy furs help give back. Yes. We got time for let's say your turn and my turn, then we'll stop. We got so you go, I'll go, and then we'll be done. Wait, no, you should go last because I went first. So yeah, you know, just you, just you. All you just mean? Let's see it, baby boy.

SPEAKER_00 41:06

Oh, it's all on me off.

SPEAKER_03 41:09

Because I started first, so it doesn't need to go back to me unless you want to do another round. No, that's fine. All right, little sexy ass baby boy. Let's uh nope, nope, nope. Don't call me that. Don't call me that.

SPEAKER_02 41:23

Let's try again. Alright, baby boy, baby, move on.

SPEAKER_01 41:31

All right. I think social media is bad for the furry fandom because there's a lot of sexual assault.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

Ooh, oh, I gotta pee. I think it's good because it helps create thick skin.

SPEAKER_02 41:42

Actually, wait, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:43

No, because it's not sexual.

SPEAKER_02 41:45

It's not very sexual assault oriented.

SPEAKER_01 41:50

That would have been a counter for the a good counter for the cyberbullying.

SPEAKER_02 41:54

Yeah, that would have been, but it's too late for that. Yeah, I'm not going back to my turn. So why is sexual assault from social media good? Um, let's see. Is it it allows you to express not being a virgin? Um, it allows you to I'm canceled for this. Sexual assault and the fandom. I'm not making fun of one.

SPEAKER_03 42:19

I'm not making fun of anyone who's been sexually assaulted. I'm just trying to make a difficult situation lighter. I've been sexually assaulted, it's fine. Um I think we all have. You said that with a voice crack. No, I didn't. I don't know if it was crack. It just sounded um uncomfortable. You're you're fucking cracked. I don't know how to respond to this one. I'm trying to count. I don't know what that means either.

SPEAKER_02 42:41

Sexual assault is good from social media because it allows you to try new things.

SPEAKER_03 42:51

Um you make new friends. Uh better opportunity for sugar daddy. Um you get to learn about law enforcement.

SPEAKER_01 43:05

Um you get to learn about about legal paperwork.

SPEAKER_02 43:09

You get to talk to new adults like cops and judges.

SPEAKER_01 43:14

Investigators, uh nurses and doctors. So social media.

SPEAKER_03 43:19

Anyways. We have more bad than good. Um, by our list, I'm not gonna say that there is a definitive answer, but by our list, were you count the amount of good? I'm gonna count the amount of bad that we did. Just count how many bullet points we have.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

I didn't write all of them down.

SPEAKER_03 43:34

Okay, well, remember, all right, we have 19 bad. You're such a you're such a lovely person. 19 bad plus two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, thirty, four, fifteen, sixteen. We have sixteen good and nineteen bad. So by our list, which I'm not really gonna reread, there's no point, because I'm gonna reread this and people are just gonna be like, oh, by our list, social media overall has a bad influence. However, However, the weight of some of these bullet points are different. Some are more minor while some are more major. So yeah, I guess kind of like they're there's no definitive answer whether social media is good or bad. But this is our side, this is these are our arguments, these are our point of views on social media. If you guys have a specific if you guys have specific point of views on social media that we didn't share, let us know because I think this is a fun conversation topic. I mean, there's the good, there's the bad. I enjoyed this. Um but there is at the end of the day, there is no direct answer. This is very opinionated. Um and at the end of the day, please don't cancel me. Um You're not gonna get cancelled, though.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

I won't let that happen.

SPEAKER_03 44:36

I appreciate it. Ryu, thank you so much for engaging with a topic today. I feel like this I feel like this Phantom Fatigue part two-ish episode went a lot smoother. This one was good. I like this. Yeah, this was fun. This is fun. So thank you for participating. It was kind of a new idea and topic that was brought into play, but I appreciate it. Close us out, my man.

SPEAKER_00 44:53

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please fuck. If you enjoyed listening to the episode, please feel free to give us a download on uh if fuck.

SPEAKER_03 45:04

Hang on, five, apple, any listening platform that you guys listen on. And for any of the listening platforms you guys are on, give us a rating. Let us know what you guys think of the episode. Give us a little five-star review, why not? I gotta keep talking over Ryu, so he doesn't get a chance to talk. Uh if we do have social medias, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 45:19

If you guys want to check that link down below Ryu, you can find us at what are we? What are we in for a podcast? Twitter slash X. You guys can find me down below. You can find Adobe at Adobe underscore the retriever Adobe underscore retriever on Twitter, you can find me at Ryu Dirg on Twitter, and you can find Adobe's YouTube at Adobe the Retriever. And if you want to send us a fan mail, tell us if you're creative, if your commissions are open, if you know any of your friends that are creative, uh let us know.

SPEAKER_03 45:48

Y'all better have friends. Share this with your friends. If you don't got friends, what the fuck?

SPEAKER_01 45:51

Let us know what you do. If you if you don't have friends, then we'll be your friends.

SPEAKER_03 45:55

Ryu will be your friend.

SPEAKER_01 45:56

I'll be your friend.

SPEAKER_03 45:57

But anyway, thank you guys so much for listening in to uh this week. We appreciate it. You guys know we upload Tuesdays, 6 a.m. EST, maybe it's local. I don't actually know. 6 a.m. at some point, whether it's my time or your guys' time, or maybe a little bit of both. I don't know how it works, but thank you guys so much for listening. Uh, just so you guys know, I'm a dumb dog. And I'm a dumb turn. We'll see you guys in the next one. Bye bye.

unknown 46:20

Goodbye.

SPEAKER_01 46:23

Later, later, goodbye. I love you. Oh my god.