AWKWARD ZOMBIE

if they're telling the truth, of course

They're not and if they are it's not that different from other delusions.

Perhaps I should have said "if they're not blatantly lying for attention".

Also, to clarify a point: I find amputees with phantom limbs are just as fascinating. I just saw a thing about otherkin with phantom limbs recently and it stuck in my head.

So you have perfectly able non-disabled people claiming to have a phantom limb?

Lambeth wrote:So you have perfectly able non-disabled people claiming to have a phantom limb?

Anything to feel special, you know?

Yeah, I've seen otherkin raving about how someone bumped into their 'wing' and didn't even apologize. The nerve of those people. And other otherkin have gotten their 'tails' stuck in doorways. And some otherkin who claim to feel gills on their neck.

It's a bunch of hooplah, in my opinion. Otherkin 'phantom limbs' are not the same thing as phantom limbs for real amputees.

"Hey ladies check out my massive cock. It's actually located in the center of my right buttcheek and it's a phantom dick. Don't come to close to me or I may get a phantom boner."

Please don't hurt me Great Handsome Oppressor, I couldn't resist.

I know what phantom limbs for amputees are, it's just otherkin bullshit makes me want to punch things.

Wait those people are just douchebags
Are there even any otherkin with "phantom limbs" that aren't douchebags?

I may have been misinformed.

There's no biological basis for non-human phantom limbs to happen. The only reason it happens in amputees is because the central nervous system still has the wiring it needs to control/receive input from the missing limb, there's just nothing plugged in where there used to be.

For non-human ones to work you would actually need to have a brain wired to control wings. Which, unless you had wings in the first place, wouldn't happen. And no, there wouldn't be any genetic mutation to give you that brain-wiring because mutations are not that convenient.

Otherkin don't care about the scientific impossibility of their phantom wings/tails/gills. They don't want to hear anything except praise and blind acceptance.

Cori wrote:Otherkin don't care about the scientific impossibility of their phantom wings/tails/gills. They don't want to hear anything except praise and blind acceptance.

Exactly, because bullshit you made up yourself is the exact same thing as racial, gender or sexuality prejudice.

Goddamnit Internet...

I don't think this discussion belongs in this tread, or even really needs to happen.

There's nothing useful to say, and frankly this could very readily be hurtful to someone who is convinced they do experience these things. Not that I don't agree with all of you, but bodaciously the only thing this conversation can do is hurt people's feelings.
I'm especially disappointed to see words like "bullshit" and "douchebags."

Be respectful y'all.

Well, when I was a kid I used to pretend I was a fox.
a starfox

So, I think it's a bit disrespectful for these weird people to pretend to have phantom limbs when they're perfectly fine, and that if they are disrespecting people who have lost limbs and have phantom limbs, then their beliefs aren't worthy of respect.

SaintCrazy wrote:There's no biological basis for non-human phantom limbs to happen. The only reason it happens in amputees is because the central nervous system still has the wiring it needs to control/receive input from the missing limb, there's just nothing plugged in where there used to be.

For non-human ones to work you would actually need to have a brain wired to control wings. Which, unless you had wings in the first place, wouldn't happen. And no, there wouldn't be any genetic mutation to give you that brain-wiring because mutations are not that convenient.

Huh. Knowing how phantom limbs actually work makes it much more difficult to believe otherkin who say they have them.

YCobb wrote:I'm especially disappointed to see words like "bullshit" and "douchebags."

Ah, sorry. When I said "douchebags" I was referring specifically to the ones Cori mentioned, who got annoyed when people bumped into their wings.

Barabba wrote:Well, when I was a kid I used to pretend I was a fox.
a starfox

So, I think it's a bit disrespectful for these weird people to pretend to have phantom limbs when they're perfectly fine, and that it they are disrespecting people who have lost limbs and have phantom limbs, then their beliefs aren't worthy of respect.

That's still no justification for discussing this so singlemindedly here. This is a thread for debate - the discussion currently happening is unanimous and (from most posters) malicious.

Sorry to be late to the party, but I agree with YCobb. Not liking the actions of some people doesn't mean you're free to shit on them. It's vile and disgusting.