Online harrassment/bullying and the therian community.

Hey everyone,

I'm not sure how many folks know of the recent news regarding what happened to a legendary gaming developer named Near/Byuu. Essentially, they were doxxed, harrassed and bullied to the point of committing suicide by a notorious hate forum full of the internet's most vile people.

If anyone would like to read the last words of Near, they can be found here. I typically am against CW/TW type stuff but proceed to that link with caution. Those words resonated with me deeply and it hurts to know that someone else knew a similar pain. It hurts to know that it swallowed someone whole.

The reason for this announcement is because I have observed a similar culture forming in the therian and otherkin community as the one which lead Near to take their own life. Unironically, the largest bullies in our community are also a part of Kiwifarms, they do engage in doxxing and harrassment and they support and enable the harmful, sometimes fatal, mistreatment of others.

Our community is composed of so very many individuals who are sensetive, who've lived through abuse, hatred, neglect, abandonment and we really don't need to let a type of culture ferment which enables and encourages mistreating others "for the lolz" or for any other reason. We must stand tall, in unison, and draw a very clear line in the sand.

Hate has no home, here and neither do those that perpetuate or enable it.

It can be frightening, standing up to hate or intolerance. Malicious people will always try to coerce or intimidate you onto their side, their bandwagon. "Join us or you'll be the next victim" is the mentality often fostered. Don't ever think that's your only option, don't ever feel like you're all alone in wanting to be a good person and treat others well. Stand on the side of love, compassion, understanding and acceptance. We're the stronger side and we're going to win.

For Near, for you and all your friends, for our entire community. For everyone who's ever been treated like crap for being different.

Stand tall, stand proud, stand together and stop the hate, stop the harrassment and stop anyone else from becoming a victim.

Be kind to others, you might just be a hero for it.

Lyc

Thanks Lyc, for speaking out about this. It is an issue that resonates very closely to my heart.

I think TG's system of accepting members is already really great, but if someone slips through the cracks and you find yourself being discriminated because of your therianthropy, please don't feel too afraid to reach out to staff. they're here to help.

If you're being discriminated elsewhere... TG is always here for you. We love you, and we are here to support you no matter what. I'm open to any PMs if you want to chat about stuff, and many others here are too.

You're not alone in whatever you're struggling through. We're here.

I couldn't agree more, Lycan.

My computer blocked the link, so could you perhaps post what they said, or maybe just tell me the site the link leads to so I can read the words myself on another device? It's honestly heartbreaking that people could be vile enough to cause someone to commit suicide, and for what? Being different? It's disgusting, quite frankly.

Of course, I'm standing on your side Lycan. We stand as one.

Spoiler (Click to View)

(2021-06-30 16:51)LycanTheory Wrote:  "Join us or you'll be the next victim" is the mentality often fostered.

I know this well. But recently feel, this is just an excuse of cowards.
Once, I got suffered an anonymous attack. Got PTSD, depression, insomnia, anorexia, and so on. But now, it's not a threat for me anymore. Because I learned the mechanism of why they do that. And got the purpose to live. I can't get defeated by such meaningless and worthless trolls anymore.

The reason why they're doing is exactly [ Schadenfreude ]. Human race's DNA built-in social apoptosis system. This phenomenon is caused by [ Oxytocin ], the hormone of love, union, and hatred and sacrifice. These sequential phenomena are the result of the human race's evolution, species peculiarity.

Obviously, human is the biggest killer on the earth who killed the same species members intentionally, especially in out of the food chain. Each community makes the common enemy to unite the members. In the case of the smaller community, they pick the specific scapegoat. In the case of the bigger community like factions or nations, they estimate the other factions as their enemies. And brainwash the members of communities to fight against the enemy. It's like the community itself has its own personality and uses individual people like just disposable cells.
And Oxytocin is the genetic built-in brainwashing mechanism. It is the receiver of 'community's will', and takes control of individual people to make the action, sometimes violently. Then those who have enough time but nothing else to do will receive the command, and be controlled by the 'community's will' and enforce something.
And, sometimes even countries make mistakes, as history tells. Nowadays, those communities on social media work like virtual countries. And not all of the leaders of those communities are enough experienced. Naturally, some man-made accidents will happen.

These all are the result of the human race's evolution. Countless attempts of getting a temporarily false relative advantage by defeating someone greater. Result of abandoning the chance to being stronger. Sacrificing individual's human rights for the community's good. Even though sometimes that community itself turns into evil. Humans are still making fun by watching killing someone. Internet is a modern colosseum.

However.
Surrender before this phenomenon, or stay strong and fight back against the phenomenon itself, this decision is still in our own paws, individual's will.

So, I personally feel. The key point is, not to fight on their field. Do not fight in the modern colosseum. Instead, break the colosseum itself.

Modern human rule whispers that 'If you want to get rid of suffering as a victim, be a new offender to victimize your offender'. Perhaps, it's within an allowance of the rule.
Like, we can accuse someone because of the suicide trigger, and draw mass people's attention to avenge the offender. However. If that 'new victim' commits suicide and another someone accuses us because of another suicide trigger? And the endless cycle of hatred begins. This is what I'm calling 'evil humanity'. The negative side effect of Oxytocin.
However.
Oxytocin has a good effect too. It is the hormone of love and unity. It boosts the feeling of love and sympathy. But if it gets corrupted, the blessing turns into a curse. The origin is the same. Love and hatred, these are two sides of one coin.


So. The subject is, if we can take control of the neurological transmitter. Otherwise, we'll be controlled and become a mindless slave of 'community's will'.
Many people are already brainwashed and under the control of that 'community's will'. Perhaps it's natural as a human. Sacrifice is already built-in in human's social systems for long history.
However.
I saw the possibility in us, therians and otherkins. Genetically, we might have the potential to refuse the command of 'community's will' and keep our own ability to think standalone. Because of the difference from 'normal humans'.
We all can be just an individual animal, who stands with their own will and own paws, no matter how normal people and the community do or think. I personally think, this is our strength. We can't be 'normal', at least so easily. But we don't have to do the same of 'normal'. Even if everyone is attacking or abusing someone for no reason, but we can refuse to join the bullies. We all have the potential to refuse the evil humanity.

Of course, I never force everyone to fight against those internet bullies. I just want to say that don't forget there are many choices. Hide, escape, secure some contacts and abandon the account, move to other platforms, other communities, or even other countries, and make other friends. There are many choices before we pick the ultimate end. We can break the colosseum's wall and escape endlessly. No matter how people behave or how the community says, but we can survive. Because we're just individual animals. We can make our own packs, regardless of the human community.


And. Personally, as a creator, I mourn the lost.
I'm sorry but I don't know them well. And I know this is not the only case. If I took one wrong step, I might have doomed too. Just, maybe, I was lucky, and I was not 'normal'. The difference is small, but sometimes it changes decisively.

What I still can do is only creation. Creation is the only way to defeat the void. Even if we avenge the offenders, but I don't think the creator will be happy enough. Because, creator's ultimate enemy is one's ability limit, and the 'nothingness'. Those internet trolls are just obstructs.
I'm really sad that creator got suffered by those unworthy people. But I personally don't play their 'game'. I don't fight in their colosseum. I work on what I should do. And working on something constructive is what all of us still can do.

I really hope everyone will never lose their true self. Please don't dive into the endless cycle of hatred. Please don't corrupt yourself to never be a mindless slave of 'community's will'.
That will be the most valuable memento for the lost. At least I personally think so.

Rest in peace, sincerely.
I mourn the lost, and bless the living. To make the future brighter, to never surrender before the evil humanity.

(2021-07-01 13:43)Windracer Wrote:  My computer blocked the link, so could you perhaps post what they said, or maybe just tell me the site the link leads to so I can read the words myself on another device?

It leads to Twitter. Mine was blocked too and so sadly I haven't read it however much I had wanted to.

(2021-07-01 19:57)Bubbles Wrote:  

(2021-07-01 13:43)Windracer Wrote:  My computer blocked the link, so could you perhaps post what they said, or maybe just tell me the site the link leads to so I can read the words myself on another device?

It leads to Twitter. Mine was blocked too and so sadly I haven't read it however much I had wanted to.

for those who can't access Twitter (Click to View)

Near Wrote:This is me. My real name is Dave. Sorry, I've never been able to smile.

The honest truth is, I've been bullied, ridiculed, and humiliated my entire life. From my earliest grade school memories to now. It's always hurt me deeply enough that I can't describe it in words. I could only just tolerate it with heavy depression when it was 4chan.

But Kiwi Farms has made the harassment orders of magnitude worse. It's escalated from attacking me for being autistic, to attacking and doxing my friends, and trying to suicide bait another, just to get a reaction from me. I lost one of my best friends to this. I feel responsible

I can't handle this anymore. I have tried everything. I have taken every medication available. I have tried multiple therapists. I have tried closing myself off from the world. It doesn't help at all. Every night I am filled with panic attacks and dread and worry.

I have tried changing in every way possible as they wanted me to in order to get this to stop, but it just never does. Every few months, it's something new. A new dox, a new thread, a new tangent. It's too much to bear any longer.

I've always tried my best to be kind and helpful to everyone. And I didn't do anything wrong other than be weird online. Maybe a bit too passionate at times. Their horrific claims are entirely baseless. Still, if I've hurt or upset anyone, I'm really sorry for that.

The internet is not a game. It's real life. I'm a real person. This stuff really hurts. I poured my entire life into this. I have no real-life friends, I have no other reason for being. Only this. And now I have nothing.

It's too late for me, but I pray that someone, at some point, will do something about that website. There's too many people suffering, and no one seems to care because we are relative nobodies online, and they know that. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.

Please don't remember me for this. Remember me for what I've done. For my work and dedication. Thank you all so much for your kindness and support over the years. I'm very sorry, but know that I love you all very much. Here's hoping there's something better awaiting.

Please don't hate me for this. As much as I know it will cause some of you to suffer, please understand I was suffering far more. I'm sure some will try to play this off as my fault. But it's not. They didn't have to do this and they could have stopped any time, but chose not to.

I would have kept going if Joshua Moon had shown me just the tiniest bit of compassion. But he chose not to. That's not on me, that's on him. That's on every last person who pushed me to this point and didn't let up. I never deserved any of this.

Oh no ... not another.
I wish the best for their family, any friends of sorts on this hard time.
I dont understand why people can be so cruel , it is not needed nor helpful to anyone or anything.
I feel sorry for those people who spread hate also since they do not understand how to be respectful nor helpful nor kind to others, maybe to their own fault or none at all. I hope they can improve themselves or learn one day that actions have consequences and start being more responsible.
As for near, may they rest in peace , no longer are they being hurt but at the same time, how awful and disrespectful* for others to have caused their commit in the most nasty way possible.
I didnt know this person sadly, but i respect them as much as anyone else here does. Very dissapointing this still* happens.

Hey,

I guess such stories are all the more meaningful (compared to all the tragedy going on elsewhere in the world), because every one of us can relate to some of it. We've all been in a situation somewhat like it...

It is the natural human inclination to bully others. It is also natural to be wish to support those who bully others. They are survival instincts that were important in the human evolutionary past. While therians, are somewhat less likely to manifest human nature compared to most of humanity, we are still human and we are not imune to becoming the kind of people that sought to destroy Near, for no particular reason.

So it's important not to slip into bandwagonning with those who seek to hate or harm others. Let's try to remember that people are complex and that you can't really judge someone until you've really gotten to know them yourself.

Remember to be kind to each other. Know that we each carry the responsibility, to make positive contributions to the lives of those around us. Life is pretty dark without the kindness of friends and strangers.

Also: It's easy to show compassion for someone only once they are gone. Let us make sure we show compassion for those who still live as well.

LP,
Dusty

As someone who contemplated suicide growing up (which caused my mom to hide all the sharp utensils), I can't imagine the pain he must've gone thru. I also hope his family can have peace and that justice is shown against those people who stressed poor Near to suicide.

I hate bullies, I wish that they didn't exist, I don't know why people feel the need to bully instead of finding something constructive to their lives.

Just makes me mad and depressed, I truly hope that justice is done so that his soul and family's lives can be at peace.

Thank you for speaking out about this. That sort of behavior is unbecoming of anyone, and I am so sorry there are those who have to suffer through it.

All we can do is be a supportive, good community.

Stay safe, friends.