When humans still lived with nature.

I like the theory, but I think it's rather an adaptation of the brain wiring theory in that case, as you described. Because just relating to the animal due to our human nature of us being unique does not explain our specific experiences of therianthropy. It doesn't explain shifts or non-human behaviors for that matter.

@Kyra

Too be fair, yes I can't explain shifting. I don't think I personally shift, mental aside.

I feel like it's simply the brain wiring making the shifts happen. Due to the deeply animal influenced identity. Same with behaving like the animal.

(2021-07-15 17:27)Cordyceps Canine Wrote:  So: I believe that's the origin of therianthropy today. Therians are the people that have the ability to see the world from an animals point of view, to the point of relating to them. Who wouldn't if you understand animal behavior very well and find a species that you can relate to on a personal level?

I could see there being some form of relationship between those things, but I also wonder, how much of folks often not being able to see the world from an animal's point of view is, uh, brain wiring, vs. it being socially conditioned? My experience has been that it's not very common for people to even try, nor do they see it as being a worthy thing to attempt. Because animals are, in terms of how they're viewed by society (at least, the one I'm used to, the US), generally lesser than humans. Trying to see things from an animal's perspective sometimes feels like chaining yourself to a tree to prevent logging -- from the perspective of "rational society", it's extreme, runs against what's "in society's benefit", and ultimately "doomed to failure".

I guess to put it another way, I would imagine that whatever sorts of things influences one's therianthropy also tends to push them towards being more comfortable to relate to animals in spite of social pressures not to. But I don't think there's necessarily a causal relationship there; they're just comorbid.

@kaiyoht

I would say if you have the brain wiring the rest is bound to happen eventually. Even if you have parents and/or folks around you that don't want you to be that close with animals.

In the end being told no no no over and over again tends to push kids away even further from people. If they already felt bad around them.

Most people can't put their mind into that of an animal. Definitely agree that most don't even try. But I've been asked countless times by pet owners to "help them" which translates to: "Please fix my annoying pets habits. Thank you bye."

Whenever I told them the stuff from their (usually) dogs point of view, and that basically already made the answer on what to do obvious to me, they looked at me like I've got 3 heads. They just can't understand it.

The love for the pet was always there in these cases. They always LOVE their stressed out pets. But don't understand them.

(2021-08-11 14:44)Cordyceps Canine Wrote:  I would say if you have the brain wiring the rest is bound to happen eventually. Even if you have parents and/or folks around you that don't want you to be that close with animals.

Oh, for sure, yes.

(2021-08-11 14:44)Cordyceps Canine Wrote:  Most people can't put their mind into that of an animal. Definitely agree that most don't even try. But I've been asked countless times by pet owners to "help them" which translates to: "Please fix my annoying pets habits. Thank you bye."

Whenever I told them the stuff from their (usually) dogs point of view, and that basically already made the answer on what to do obvious to me, they looked at me like I've got 3 heads. They just can't understand it.

The love for the pet was always there in these cases. They always LOVE their stressed out pets. But don't understand them.

Mmhmm, mmhmm. It makes plenty of sense that it comes naturally for you. And I think it's very hard for folks to be able to see things from an animal's point of view, but I'm less inclined to think that so many people are completely incapable of it. I see it as more or less a skill, really. Some people have skills that click for them more easily, some it's much more work. And from a practical standpoint, for a lot of folks, I doubt this is a skill they will ever learn -- and maybe that might as well be the same thing. But I don't think there's some inherent limitation that completely prevents it. It's just not something that many folks would bother going through the effort to learn when, in their minds, they still love their pet, they still care about animals. Most folks don't even realize that it's something they could try to learn. But I have known people who, for lack of a better term, I think they get it. And they weren't therians. I think it's just, for whatever reason, they ended up acquiring that skill.

@kaiyoht

It definitely can be acquired, there are people who sort of understand it after 10 times of showing and explaining.

Other people build the skill up from the start till they're awesome at what they do. Both random people as well as the trainers for animals.
And often they get stuck on one species that becomes an odd favorite. They aren't therians. But it's ridiculously similiar sometimes.

That's why I think it's a matter of brain wiring itself. But nurture definitely has to play a role too. It probably is possible to talk a child-therian out of it if you force them into behavior therapy and slap a label on them for long enough.

That's a very fun theory I love it ^^ It's a really neat interpretation of therianthropy

oooh,this makes sense.
it also makes even more sense if you put into the fact that alot of people who are careless with our enviroment/nature itself, are mostly anti therian too.

*wondering if Jackson Galaxy is a cat therian*

(2023-05-15 20:39)ZephIsAFluffyFox Wrote:  *wondering if Jackson Galaxy is a cat therian*

That made me laugh. That exact thought went through my head when I watched his show! Same with horses and Rick Gore.