He actually said "What’s most important to him is expressing himself even if it potentially makes the community look bad." (emphasis added)
Often something you wish to do has the potential to harm a group you are associated with. It then becomes a balancing act; on the one hand, you might not want them to come to harm (though how much is up for debate) - while on the other, if you go through life caring only about how your actions may impact others, you're unlikely to do anything meaningful… or true to your values.
Ultimately, through inaction, you may even harm those you care for - including yourself. So, you take measured risks, doing what you can to achieve your primary goals while attempting to accommodate concerns in ways which least conflict with said goals.
Furry fandom also has at this point either tens or hundreds of thousands of people in it, depending on your definition. Are you to blame if you draw some furry porn and someone who saw it later hesitates over another fur's art portfolio in a job interview? Would it be bad for us to post a story which helps to identify a group causing damage to hotel rooms, but which causes another hotel to refuse to sign a contract with a furry convention?
In the end, it may be futile to worry, because nobody can know the full outcome of their actions. I've repeatedly met people who joined soon after hearing about it on CSI, of all places. I'm sure Boomer's story has inspired a few to look further.
He actually said "What’s most important to him is expressing himself even if it potentially makes the community look bad." (emphasis added)
Often something you wish to do has the potential to harm a group you are associated with. It then becomes a balancing act; on the one hand, you might not want them to come to harm (though how much is up for debate) - while on the other, if you go through life caring only about how your actions may impact others, you're unlikely to do anything meaningful… or true to your values.
Ultimately, through inaction, you may even harm those you care for - including yourself. So, you take measured risks, doing what you can to achieve your primary goals while attempting to accommodate concerns in ways which least conflict with said goals.
Furry fandom also has at this point either tens or hundreds of thousands of people in it, depending on your definition. Are you to blame if you draw some furry porn and someone who saw it later hesitates over another fur's art portfolio in a job interview? Would it be bad for us to post a story which helps to identify a group causing damage to hotel rooms, but which causes another hotel to refuse to sign a contract with a furry convention?
In the end, it may be futile to worry, because nobody can know the full outcome of their actions. I've repeatedly met people who joined soon after hearing about it on CSI, of all places. I'm sure Boomer's story has inspired a few to look further.