Werewolves and other shifters

[Set]

Yeah I know this has nothing to do with the movie, but I thought I'd bring it up anyhow. I want to know how you think a werewolf would interact with another shifter that isn't of the same species. Like oh, a werecrocodile for instance. I know it does depend on the individual wolf but I mean werewolves as a whole. Would you say they'd be happy there are other shifters than just wolves? Or do you think they'd avoid eachother at all costs? Eh, I was only curious.

[Terastas]

Alternative werekin? That'd be interesting.

I imagine on the whole, werewolves would be more likely to befriend a werekin of another variety than to descriminate against them. The reasoning would be that, even though their species would be different, they are still both shifters, both few in number, and both trying to survive amongst an overpopulated human society. They might have their differences, but they would still have more reason to want to be friends than not to.

At least, that's the ideal situation. It really depends more or less on what kind of shapeshifter we're talking about. Something like a werecat or werefox, for example, might mingle with werewolves pretty well since they would have the same balance of human senses mixed with those of a predetorial mammal that a werewolf would have; they would have plenty in common. In your example of a werecrocidile, however...

Well, now we're talking about something that's cold-blooded. I'm trying to imagine what a werecrocidile would be like in my mind, and I honestly can't picture something like that getting along with anything. Something like that the werewolves would want to distance themselves from even more than the human xenophobes that are out to get them both.

[Baphnedia]

Alternative werekin 'personalities' are all over the place, primarily in the Therian and Otherkin communities. They're (we're) sort of the fringe of the fringe in the way of the fandom, and haven't had our fifteen minutes of fame yet.

Generally, most Therian/Otherkin claim to have shifting ability (to explain their apparent ability to be human all the time). Now, if you're strictly speaking in terms of Lycanthropy and the like, that's something else there.

Casual Surfers Beware - there are many strange and beautiful things out there on the internet. Some more strange (and quite possibly annoying) than others.

[Vuldari]

As much as I would like to think that various Shapeshifters would get along more often than not, I don't see that happening. In fact, I still don't think that most WereWolves woluld get along with each other either. ...at least not all of them.

In all animals, and Humans in perticular, there are multiple social tendencies that can apply. First of all, Yes, there is the desire to seek out kinship. However, one must also consider the human habit of discrimination for no perticular reason.
Really...if people can hate each other because their skin is a different color, or their eyes are a little more squinty, then imagine what would happen if they were completely different species.

"...oh, but they are both shapeshifters..."

In some cases that might help...
...or it might give them an excuse to hate each other.

[WordWolf]

They might find common ground.

Then again,
finding people who smell so different,
with reflexes, mindset and likes so different,
they might kill each other.

Compare one were who is social and likes cooler weather
with a loner who likes warmth.
One keeps moving in for a "proper" social space and turns the
air-conditioning up,
the other steps back for a "proper" social space and turns the
heat up.

Now you get the idea.

[NightStorm]

basicly. Reptile weres might flock together or avian weres...puts me to mind,,.are there gonna be any avian weres?

[Figarou]

I like Terastas comment the best. But for the rest of you, havn't you guys heard the phrase..."know them before you judge them." A simple human habit thats quite common. If you get a new next door neighbor, do you automatically hate them? There is a word for this and I don't want to use it.


I know wolves, like many other animals, has a "fear" against humans. Why? Maybe that wolf hasn't seen a human before. Or its built in to thier instincts. They don't "hate" humans. Unless you do something to that wolf to make him hate you. Once he gets to know that you are a nice person, maybe he won't run away.

Humans also have "fear" as part of thier instincts. Some may get horrified at the site of a tiny spider. Why? Has the fear factor been set to high with this person? Maybe those that automatically "hate" has that factor set to high.


$0.02

[NightStorm]

I know wolves, like many other animals, has a "fear" against humans. Why? Maybe that wolf hasn't seen a human before. Or its built in to thier instincts. They don't "hate" humans. Unless you do something to that wolf to make him hate you. Once he gets to know that you are a nice person, maybe he won't run away.

It's instictive to be afraid and to hate after all that what we have been doing to wolves centuries .

[Figarou]

I know wolves, like many other animals, has a "fear" against humans. Why? Maybe that wolf hasn't seen a human before. Or its built in to thier instincts. They don't "hate" humans. Unless you do something to that wolf to make him hate you. Once he gets to know that you are a nice person, maybe he won't run away.

It's instictive to be afraid and to hate after all that what we have been doing to wolves centuries .

Ever wonder how werewolf stories came to be? Its because of our fear of wolves. Humans have storytelling while wolves do not.

While its natural for wolves to hunt for thier food, humans harvest and keep livestock. Wolves see easy targets and kill off the human's livestock. In order to for this to stop, the humans kill the wolves. This has been going on for centuries like you said. Today, some humans kill wolves for sport. To me, that is so wrong. There are those of us that want this to stop. But its not easy. Unless you put yourself in front of the wolf before the hunter fires off a shot.

The extinction of the Tasmanian Wolf is attributable solely to activities of human beings. In the nineteenth century, when Tasmania encouraged agriculture, the Tasmanian Wolf was considered a threat to livestock.

Now what if it was a different animal that was killing off the human's livestock centuries ago. Would we have werewolf stories today? Maybe not. But I know this, it took centuries for humans to realize what they was doing is wrong.

[NightStorm]

we also kill plenty of other things besides wolves...bears, cougers, crocs. Though we know it's wrong....do we stop?

[Figarou]

we also kill plenty of other things besides wolves...bears, cougers, crocs. Though we know it's wrong....do we stop?

Of course not.

You go into the kitchen and turn on the light. There is a cockroach on the counter. What do you do? You kill it!! Now what if you go in the kitchen an see a wolf when you turn on the light. What will you do? If this was the nineteenth century, you'd grab your shot gun and shoot the thing. Today, you might open the door and help it find its way out.

[NightStorm]

Of course not.

You go into the kitchen and turn on the light. There is a cockroach on the counter. What do you do? You kill it!! accually, I catch it, and toss it outside.Now what if you go in the kitchen an see a wolf when you turn on the light. What will you do? If this was the nineteenth century, you'd grab your shot gun and shoot the thing. Today, you might open the door and help it find its way out.
Hell that! I'll grab my skect book a get a couple gestures, before letting it free.

But yeah I see you point. Humans hate, animals don't.....though you do think. There have be reports of elephants holding gruges

[Figarou]

Of course not.

You go into the kitchen and turn on the light. There is a cockroach on the counter. What do you do? You kill it!! accually, I catch it, and toss it outside.Now what if you go in the kitchen an see a wolf when you turn on the light. What will you do? If this was the nineteenth century, you'd grab your shot gun and shoot the thing. Today, you might open the door and help it find its way out.
Hell that! I'll grab my skect book a get a couple gestures, before letting it free.

But yeah I see you point. Humans hate, animals don't.....though you do think. There have be reports of elephants holding gruges

Ah, elephants. Yes, I heard of them going mad. But they have a reason. If an elephant was treated kindly all its life, it won't go mad. Mistreat one and you'll suffer the consequences.

[NightStorm]

hence why I said they had gruges. Some old train beats it as calf, leaves and come back when the calf is now a bull/cow and well....revenge anyone

[Figarou]

hence why I said they had gruges. Some old train beats it as calf, leaves and come back when the calf is now a bull/cow and well....revenge anyone

yup, so true.

[NightStorm]

well I see we've take a hold of this topic quite firmly. feel free to AIM if you want to chat....now about Avian were and more of less weres other than canine

[Terastas]

Yes, there is room for stereotyping; that's certainly an issue. However, since all weres are victims of descrimination from pureblood humans, they might be more sympathetic towards each other's plights. They would both be minorities, both victims of descrimination, and in most cases, would both have more in common with each other than they would with their human counterparts.

Again, it really depends more or less on what kind of alternative werekin we're talking about. As I said before, werewolves would have a lot more in common with werecats than werecrocidiles. If they only had minor differences between each other, they would either learn to live together or respect their boundaries, but if werewolves try to live among humans while the alternative werekin hunts them, the werewolves would most likely want the altnerative kin in question eliminated before a witch hunt arose that encompassed them both.

[Silver]

[Vuldari]

...But for the rest of you, havn't you guys heard the phrase..."know them before you judge them." A simple human habit thats quite common. If you get a new next door neighbor, do you automatically hate them? There is a word for this and I don't want to use it...

What I was trying to say is that the reaction would be too varied to have any whole group get together.

Werewolf #1 might welcome WereCroc #2, but WereCroc #2 hates WW #1&2 because of the stories he heard as a child,(before he discovered he was a WC). WW #2 and WC #1 used to be best freinds untill they discovered each others secrets and now are afraid of each other. Plus, WW#1 doesn't get along with WW#2 Because 2 acts like a careless Jackass when she transforms. Both WC's get along great though...

Getting along can be really complex, even if most are willing.

[SGrayWolf]

I believe the possibilities are nearly (or may be) infinite. The uniqueness of each individual (and the way they perceive, act, respond, etc) is enough to boggle the mind but if you add in the factor of TFing into different were-creatures, it adds an entire new realm into the equation.

Each 'individual' individual (what a mouthful ) may/will be affected (mentally and otherwise) differently from the transformation, which in turn, will change how they (as an invididual) will react to different stimuli, other individuals and other factors. (which could go on and on)

I feel that there are just too many variables out there to really nail down one "generalization" or such as THE response that would occur.

I believe that it would end up being as unique as the individual(s) themselves.

Although, if there were specific "raised" beliefs in, let's say, the werewolf population that were "for/against" another specific were-species then I could see "stereotypical" beliefs/feelings against that specific species happening...

[Scott Gardener]

Different therianthropic shifters have human forms in common, and that I would imagine in any realm carry with it the ramification of human politics.

Humans tend to divide themselves up into groups, and we have this annoying habit of declaring our own group as being superior to any other group. Ironically, the groups we hate the most tend to be the ones most like us.

Case in point, consider the warring tribes in places within the Middle East. Each is firmly convinced that it's the one that is interpreting Islamic law the most accurately, and that the others are not doing it right. They have been at each other's throats over it for centuries. But, most Americans over here where I live can't even tell them apart. And, in keeping with my original observation, many of my redneck friends up here just want to bomb the place without bothering to educate themselves about the fact that the Middle East is occupied by fellow human beings, many of whom are sympathetic to the ideals for which we allegedly stand in spite of our actions.

Moving away from a political hot spot, well, just look at every other hot spot. A quick glance nearby at Israel and Palestine--two people who really can't get along. South Africa makes me as an American feel self-conscious, because it's "blacks" and "whites" going at each other. There's Northern Ireland, where Catholics and Protestants have been at it. Of course, if you're traditional Old-School Japanese, then everybody else's incessant hatred towards each other is because they're all Gai Jin--that is, they're not Japanese, who are better than that.

The good news is, we can and frequently do rise above this tendancy. A lot of Japanese love American culture, and as an Anime fan I can say it goes both ways. After extensive effort, Apartheid in South Africa is officially ended, and in Ireland, peace negotiations seem to be going well. (Palestinians, take a hint--try not blowing yourselves up in front of Israelis for awhile. Work with the U.N. for once. You've already tried wild acts of terrorism a few times, and it really doesn't seem to be getting you anywhere.)

Having said all that, there's the individual. Some people are bigots, whereas others are very open-minded and curious about other cultures and perspectives.

And finally, there's the "we're in this together" perspective that has to come up, especially if shapeshifters aren't very common. If I were a werewolf and I only knew a few dozen others, then if I were to meet a werecat for the first time, I'd really want to know more about him or her. Suddenly, there's someone else who has the same stuff going on that we do, only not quite. Imagine going to another planet, where some 400 different weird-looking but perfectly aimiable alien races are gathered, and then suddenly finding a new race of human there. The natural tendancy of most of us would be to want to know more, and we'd certainly notice that individual, not so much for the few differences but the many similarities.

[Terastas]

I think Scott's got it down. Humans seem to be naturally descriminant, but minorities can come together on common terms when confronted by an overpowering majority. Different werekin would have their differences, sometimes to the point of being descriminant, but the packs themselves would want to keep the disputing individuals from getting physical. Basically, there'd be a lot of racial insults (werewolves would be called mutts and werecats furballs, for example), but it would rarely ammount to anything more than that.

[Figarou]

...But for the rest of you, havn't you guys heard the phrase..."know them before you judge them." A simple human habit thats quite common. If you get a new next door neighbor, do you automatically hate them? There is a word for this and I don't want to use it...

What I was trying to say is that the reaction would be too varied to have any whole group get together.

Werewolf #1 might welcome WereCroc #2, but WereCroc #2 hates WW #1&2 because of the stories he heard as a child,(before he discovered he was a WC). WW #2 and WC #1 used to be best freinds untill they discovered each others secrets and now are afraid of each other. Plus, WW#1 doesn't get along with WW#2 Because 2 acts like a careless Jackass when she transforms. Both WC's get along great though...

Getting along can be really complex, even if most are willing.

OK, I C where you are getting at.