So, Older Furries Can't Be Affectionate??

Papabear,

My question to you is: IS there a such thing as being TOO YIFFY?

I asked this on a facebook group, Furries. Reason I asked this was because of most of the local younger furs are telling me I'm too YIFFY. But in turn they are doing the same thing, showing affections towards each other in public, and it's cool for them. But when I do it, I'm called perverted.

--Coony

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Dear Coony,

Ain’t THAT a double standard they’re laying on you! LOL. So, it’s okay for them to be yiffy but not you because you’re older than they are? That’s a big ol’ “WTF?” in this bear’s book.

(Now, to be clear to my readers, Coony is simply talking about public displays of affection, such as hugging and kissing, not yiff in terms of fornication.)

Papabear's feeling here is that you are being discriminated against because of your age. They are essentially saying that it is only cool for cubs to kiss and hug and greymuzzles should stand back, because, I guess, we might remind them of their parents, and who wants to think of their parents being affectionate in public? 

The young furs in your group need to get over themselves. It really gets my goat--to use and old expression (UPMO, for those cubs who love abbreviations so much)--whenever young people think they are superior. So, I'm gonna start a new feature here, called my Weekly Bear GRRRR at the world. Here's this week's

WEEKLY BEAR GRRR!

"Youth is not a virtue, nor is old age a sin." --Papabear

Of course, Papabear is taking the risk of insulting a large part of my readership. So be it. I am not saying all youth are like this, not at all, but there is a problem with many young people thinking they are the bee's knees (shit don't stink). I'm not blaming them entirely for this attitude. Today's Americans are part of a neurotic society in which kids are not challenged because we don't want to hurt their self-esteem, they go to schools that are dumbed down so everyone can get a passing grade (I mean, they allow calculators in math class, for God's sake!), and they are part of a youth-worshipping culture that is geared entirely to teens and twenty-somethings when it comes to TV, music, movies, and so on. So, no wonder they think a lot of themselves. They are constantly told they are amazing, even in those cases when they don't deserve it.

On the other paw, we have a huge disconnect where a large part of the young population is still suffering from depression and low self-esteem when they cannot match up to the illusion of beauty and popularity displayed on the glowing screen. I see this a lot in my column. This is fortified by bad parenting (there's a LOT of that going on) in which parents are falling down on the job of raising their kids, many parents even being abusive to their children.

The result: by and large, from what Papabear has seen, we have very few well-adjusted young people in this country. I'm not blaming them by any means. They are at a gross disadvantage because they are being poorly raised and educated. I think, actually, that many kids recognize this, at least subconsciously, and that is why they act out or, perhaps, become furry: they are seeking an escape from what their instincts tell them is a psychotic society.

This is a long, desultory explanation to get around to my point. Coony, you are basically the target of a neurotic society. These young furs have been brainwashed into thinking that being older is an ugly thing and that older people shouldn't be affectionate. Perhaps their own parents are nasty people and so they cannot come to grips in their mind that not all older people are cold, cruel, or uncaring, so they mock your actions (mocking is an instinctive defense when people are ignorant of or confused by a behavior they cannot comprehend). Perhaps they just buy into the whole Hollywood image (you don't see old people kissing on screen much) and are amazed that you don't fit that mold.

In short, YOU are not the problem and you are NOT a pervert, Coony. This world NEEDS more affection, more love, more hugs (as my friend Pawfan would say), and more kisses. We need LESS hate, less prejudice (including ageism), less callousness and cruelty.

Papabear happens to know you personally, Coony, and you are a sweet sweet furry. Don't ever change. You should set yourself as an example to these cubs and pups!

Here are some hugs and kisses for you (young people, avert your eyes or they might melt in your eye sockets!)

HUGS, KISSES, LICKS, YIFFS!

Papabear