A lot of notes:
1: Yes, smaller cons are great. I've never had the opportunity to visit one yet (I've visited a total of 2 conventions, after all), but am also absolutely certain that they're great and that the more personal feeling of a smaller convention is well worth it for their attendees. I would likely benefit myself.
2: I'm more commenting about how the geography of bigger conventions in the US tells a story in and of itself. I never once stated that bigger conventions are inherently better, nor do I think that.
3: It wasn't my intention to even slightly imply that bigger conventions = better conventions. However, I do think that a bigger fandom = a better fandom. Perhaps a less personal one, but an overall better experience in my opinion. I also think that there will be more of those smaller, personal conventions in the future. Thus, as Eurofurence (for example) eventually and inevitably reaches over 10,000 attendees, the more personal and family-like feeling of the past fandom will not disappear, at least not entirely. In fact, if anything, more people will be ABLE to experience those smaller conventions, as there will simply be more of them in more places. (in other words: more people, more quality of conventions, and also more quantity too)
4: NordicFuzzCon is anything but a small furry convention. It has more attendees than MANY US conventions and JMoF as well. Maybe a medium-sized con, but not small.
5: It's true that the European furry community is quite large and important. To ignore the fandom's inherently American origins, however, is to not notice how overwhelming the American presence often is in both the fandom and on the internet at large. You did type that comment in English, after all.
6: I did have a very American perspective in this article. However, I'm mostly trying to talk to people within America, as I cannot speak for the perspectives of people in Europe. I'm much more knowledgeable with Latin America. I do agree that there's an inherent America-centrism within America that's incredibly problematic, and although I exhibit it myself to a degree, I was wanting to both talk about the fandom within America and (in the International Expansion section) break some stereotypes that a lot of Americans have of Latin America, specifically.
7: I think that the fandom will get better as time goes on, as the more people are in it, the more opportunities for unique cool art, music, and chances for connection will appear. This means that while MFF or Eurofurence, as examples, will get less personal and more overwhelming, at the same time the fandom will still not only have smaller conventions, but also more opportunities to create a better fandom.
Overall, the growth of the furry fandom and its many conventions is, in my opinion, inevitable. However, we can either lament about it and yearn for "better days" in the past (they were not better, by the way) or we can embrace it and simply put effort into making the fandom as accepting and cool as it always has been. Perhaps I will write about some of the negatives/cons (ha) of larger conventions and how we, as a fandom, can make it easier for people to not only enjoy the high energy and city-like feeling of larger conventions, but also the lower energy and town-like feeling of smaller conventions.
Hopefully this response didn't sound too mean or anything.
A lot of notes:
1: Yes, smaller cons are great. I've never had the opportunity to visit one yet (I've visited a total of 2 conventions, after all), but am also absolutely certain that they're great and that the more personal feeling of a smaller convention is well worth it for their attendees. I would likely benefit myself.
2: I'm more commenting about how the geography of bigger conventions in the US tells a story in and of itself. I never once stated that bigger conventions are inherently better, nor do I think that.
3: It wasn't my intention to even slightly imply that bigger conventions = better conventions. However, I do think that a bigger fandom = a better fandom. Perhaps a less personal one, but an overall better experience in my opinion. I also think that there will be more of those smaller, personal conventions in the future. Thus, as Eurofurence (for example) eventually and inevitably reaches over 10,000 attendees, the more personal and family-like feeling of the past fandom will not disappear, at least not entirely. In fact, if anything, more people will be ABLE to experience those smaller conventions, as there will simply be more of them in more places. (in other words: more people, more quality of conventions, and also more quantity too)
4: NordicFuzzCon is anything but a small furry convention. It has more attendees than MANY US conventions and JMoF as well. Maybe a medium-sized con, but not small.
5: It's true that the European furry community is quite large and important. To ignore the fandom's inherently American origins, however, is to not notice how overwhelming the American presence often is in both the fandom and on the internet at large. You did type that comment in English, after all.
6: I did have a very American perspective in this article. However, I'm mostly trying to talk to people within America, as I cannot speak for the perspectives of people in Europe. I'm much more knowledgeable with Latin America. I do agree that there's an inherent America-centrism within America that's incredibly problematic, and although I exhibit it myself to a degree, I was wanting to both talk about the fandom within America and (in the International Expansion section) break some stereotypes that a lot of Americans have of Latin America, specifically.
7: I think that the fandom will get better as time goes on, as the more people are in it, the more opportunities for unique cool art, music, and chances for connection will appear. This means that while MFF or Eurofurence, as examples, will get less personal and more overwhelming, at the same time the fandom will still not only have smaller conventions, but also more opportunities to create a better fandom.
Overall, the growth of the furry fandom and its many conventions is, in my opinion, inevitable. However, we can either lament about it and yearn for "better days" in the past (they were not better, by the way) or we can embrace it and simply put effort into making the fandom as accepting and cool as it always has been. Perhaps I will write about some of the negatives/cons (ha) of larger conventions and how we, as a fandom, can make it easier for people to not only enjoy the high energy and city-like feeling of larger conventions, but also the lower energy and town-like feeling of smaller conventions.
Hopefully this response didn't sound too mean or anything.