Tomorrowlands' draconity information (and make no
mistake, that's its main focus) is nothing if not unusual -- unusual
enough to draw odd stares and the occasional religious flame. So what's the
catch? Why is all of this here, and public?
You've Got To Believe In Something ...
...
and, if nothing else, Tomorrowlands is about -- at a deep level -- what I
believe.
If it stopped there ... I don't know if I'd make such a
big deal out of it. But it's what a lot of other people believe
too.
When I got online in 1995, within months I had stumbled into a
Usenet newsgroup titled "alt.fan.dragons". I read some messages from
people which made it clear that they believed they were somehow dragons
in human bodies. I was dumbfounded. Not because it seemed crazy -- but
because I was no longer alone!
I
have struggled with my draconity for over a decade. Most of that
struggle was alone -- before the "Internet" as we know it today existed.
I was on some BBSes before 1995, yes, but only with the worldwide reach
of the Internet was I able to start networking with others of like mind.
One
of my first goals in setting up my initial website (back in 1996) was to
ensure that other self-identified dragons wouldn't have to go through the
solitary torture that I endured. I spoke plainly and openly about my
beliefs and struggles; I think that's been a major factor in the
popularity of my site, and has provided me with uncountable rewards over
the years, as literally dozens of people have written to tell me how I've
singlehandedly renewed their faith in their sanity.
But
Tomorrowlands is not a "dragon site." Yes, this site is for all
of those people. But it's not just for them. It's for everyone, because
what I have to say is more important than just reassuring my spiritual
brethren.
Tomorrowlands is not about evangelism. I'm not out to
"turn people into" dragons; I have no vested interest in making the
dragon community larger. (Note my lack of banner ads. It's not like I
make money based on traffic.) I don't care whether people reading this
site think they are dragons are not; frankly, I'd rather have a site that
has something for everyone than an authoritative, focused treatise.
Tomorrowlands is not about fiction. You are of course
free to believe that dragons don't exist. However, they make an
inescapable difference in my life. Fiction is transient; fiction may
teach us things, but ultimately, it is about Other People, and we take
only the lessons that we wish to apply to our own lives. Draconity
is my life. It is Me. And so Tomorrowlands is more a journal
than a story.
(This is not to say I don't enjoy a good story as much as the
next guy. I do have a fiction section on my site; The Tomorrowlands Universe is my place for
speculation and fancy. It's also got its own disclaimer on the issue, which may be
helpful reading in this context.)
Ultimately, Tomorrowlands is about learning. It's
about putting a human face (so to speak) on all of us "hopelessly crazy"
therianthropes. I don't ask for belief ... I just ask for greater
understanding, for a little more empathy with the fact that I've made
choices which others in my position would not make.
In
the words of some great sage, "Why can't we all just get along?"
Because, my friend, we don't all truly understand one another. And I'd
like to thank you for reading my pages -- because you're making an effort
to change that.
-- Baxil
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