When Arachnophobes are whiny about it

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 06:14:31

I've been blogging more often lately on the subject of spiders, and if there's one thing I've learned from it, it's that the more severely someone is afraid of an animal, the bigger their sense of entitlement about having a "disease" everyone should tip-toe around. In one particular post on tumblr, I wound up ranting about how silly it is when people specifically ask that pictures of spiders not be tagged with things like "cute" or "adorable," because yes, this actually happens. You can tag something you find adorable with the word adorable, and someone will bitch at you because they searched for the word "adorable" and your unexpected spider picture apparently ruined their day, or something.

I tried to be humorous and even supportive in the post, only asking that people at least TRY to tolerate images on the internet of a completely harmless organism. You can't run from every photograph on your monitor.

I cannot believe the rage I've been met with for that post. One guy, who mistook me for female, has called me a "fucking cunt" multiple times. A dozen people ranted about how I have no sensitivity or respect for human beings and am "hurting" them if I continue to tag spiders as "adorable" like I always have on my own fucking blog. If that makes me a cunt I'm damn proud to be one in the name of my beloved spiders.

I never posted about spiders just to trigger anyone's phobia or antagonize them. I didn't have any contempt or disrespect in mind towards the sufferers of a mental disorder. Because of the way they've behaved, however, I sure as hell do now.

The same can be said of wasps, rats, snakes and anything else people are freaked out by. It's their problem, and they shouldn't expect people who like those things to coddle them.

TheConductor · 2012-01-02 07:29:46

I wouldn't say spiders are cute or adorable, they are cool though. But yeah, it's your blog and those pansies should stop...being such pansies.

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 07:39:48

Tumblr IS more open and public than a regular blog - it's built around reblogging and searching by tags, so you will see posts every day you didn't go out of your way to seek out - but I think the same assumptions of freedom should apply as for more private blogs, that an account only exists for its owner to blog whatever they want in any manner they want. There are still lots of ways to block or filter certain tags and posters.

MadassAlex · 2012-01-02 08:01:18

I think what those people do is pretty silly.

All the same, considering spiders to be cute or adorable is a niche perspective in itself. While those people shouldn't be so sensitive, it should come as no surprise that your opinions are challenged.

RedEyedAbyss · 2012-01-02 10:47:02

"All the same, considering spiders to be cute or adorable is a niche perspective in itself. While those people shouldn't be so sensitive, it should come as no surprise that your opinions are challenged."

Regardless, these comments are a tad bit...disrespectful.

"One guy, who mistook me for female, has called me a "fucking cunt" multiple times. A dozen people ranted about how I have no sensitivity or respect for human beings and am "hurting" them if I continue to tag spiders as "adorable" like I always have on my own fucking blog."

captainbrass · 2012-01-02 12:34:44

> People with unusual psychological disorder which they take very seriously.

> Whose reaction to anything challenging their world-view is a massive abusive rant.

The Internet strikes again.

Nyktos · 2012-01-02 13:41:17

I don't think being scared of spiders is an "unusual psychological disorder".

Waltzy · 2012-01-02 14:44:14

Wow, that's really stupid of them. Especially since there are some spiders that really are quite cute and cuddly looking, as beady as their little eyes may be.

This coming from an arachnophobe.

ClockworkUniverse · 2012-01-02 14:45:41

I don't get why someone would take the time to do that. If I saw something that frightened me in a list of cute pictures, I'd just scroll past it. Takes less than half a second.

FrodoGoofballCoTV · 2012-01-02 15:03:51

I don't get why someone would take the time to do that. If I saw something that frightened me in a list of cute pictures, I'd just scroll past it. Takes less than half a second.

It only takes a fraction of a second to be scared out of your wits. But that's hardly an excuse for offensive comments.

I don't think being scared of spiders is an "unusual psychological disorder".
It's quite common, I think. Possibly ancestral humans shared their world with one of the few dangerous species, thus the fear may not be entirely irrational, evolution - wise.

As for the spider vs. adorable arguement, my latest evidence:

Spider instead of cat "Can I has cookie?" (Note: Arachnophobes will nonetheless still be frightened by this.)

Black Widow as a fanmade Pokemon.

Chibi drider. (Spider Cute Monster Girl with emphasis on cute.)

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 15:26:29

There aren't really any known spiders quite dangerous enough for us to have developed a knee-jerk response, though, unless there was some mega-venom spider that went extinct and undiscovered. Even the three supposedly deadliest alive haven't killed a human in decades, and only people with heart disease, allergies or other pre-existing complications were ever at risk.

There seems to be innate human instinct to fear snakes, but several snakes can kill you almost for certain without treatment (which is of course recent medical science) and strike a couple feet when provoked. Spiders, however provoked, are ill-equipped for "attack" and easily smushed when you're close enough anyhow. They also would have been a very convenient food staple for our ancestors, like all tiny invertebrates c :

Crimson · 2012-01-02 15:32:29

@The recolored Joltik.

That's one of the laziest fakemons I've ever seen.

FrodoGoofballCoTV · 2012-01-02 15:37:48

Another theory I've heard is because they have such alien - looking faces.

Or maybe it's the way they move or the fact that some species have huge fangs compared to their tiny bodies.

Personally I think it's the fact they can hide easily and drop or crawl on you before you even notice them. The idea that there is something that can bite you before you even know it's there is pretty disturbing, even if the bite doesn't do all that much damage.

But it is an irrational fear, so maybe there isn't a point in trying to explain it. After all, this guy is afraid of a puppy.

Octo · 2012-01-02 16:10:26

There aren't really any known spiders quite dangerous enough for us to
have developed a knee-jerk response, though, unless there was some
mega-venom spider that went extinct and undiscovered. Even the three
supposedly deadliest alive haven't killed a human in decades, and only
people with heart disease, allergies or other pre-existing complications
were ever at risk.

So you say phobias are irrational? Quelle surprise!

Really I can understand your first post, but that is just downright condescending.

captainbrass · 2012-01-02 16:20:09

All phobias are unusual in the sense that only a minority of people suffer from them. It's fair to say that arachnophobia is one of the more common phobias, though, so perhaps I shouldn't have called it "unusual".

Incidentally, I'm afraid of spiders myself, but not to the extent that I'd try and stop people posting "cute" pictures of them on the Internet.

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 18:14:42

I would call it unusual because all evidence points to it only becoming so common in very recent human history, due to decreasing exposure to nature and a poorer understanding of it. People who had to hunt and gather couldn't afford to be scared of anything too small to eviscerate them.

^^What's condescending? I thought I acknowledged that it's irrational from the start, but that it's no excuse to behave rudely or expect other people to cater to it.

Nyktos · 2012-01-02 18:30:43

Anyway, I used to be really terrified of spiders, and I am largely not anymore, but I can sympathize with these people for that reason, since there was a time I'd have freaked out from seeing some of those pictures (and certain instincts still provoke the same reaction).

I can sympathize with Scythe's position too though, since I do quite like snakes and I just can't understand people who are terrified of even tiny non-poisonous ones.

Hatter · 2012-01-02 19:41:20

Wait, how is "cunt" a female-only insult?

I thought it was a generic insult, like "asshole" or "dick" or "bitch."

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 19:56:34

Well, he also referred to me as "she" and "her" while doing it.

Actually all of those insults have gender implications. They can be used interchangeably, but "Bitch" and "cunt" are most commonly assumed as female (especially since the latter means vagina) while "dick" and, inexplicably, "asshole" are assumed male. I've personally never ever witnessed anyone call a woman an "asshole," despite the fact that woman have assholes too, and I've only heard "bitch" directed towards men in a sexual context.

DonZabu · 2012-01-02 21:31:28

>As I’ve ranted about extensively, no animal should be segregated over an unnatural human flaw.

Oh heavens to Betsy, the poor spiders are being segregated! On the Internet!

Hatter · 2012-01-02 22:25:35

I guess my friends and I are just avant-garde, then. We refer to the whiny, petulant guy as "the bitch" or, when not in his presence, "that insipid cuntsleeve."

We really hate that guy.

Scythemantis · 2012-01-02 23:00:50

^^Segregated isn't that serious a word, what else am I supposed to call it?

People want to look at pandas and kittens and cockfaced buttsharks (also known as "bottle nosed dolphins") but are all bitchy that they have to see some spiders, too.

MadassAlex · 2012-01-02 23:20:59

Letting your frustration get in the way of an accurate description of an animal while expressing frustration at the misunderstanding of your favourites is probably not a good idea. It doesn't advertise the open-mindedness you'd like to see in others.

Scythemantis · 2012-01-03 01:00:31

What'd I describe inaccurately?

Buttsharks? A dolphin completely looks like a buttshark. There's nothing wrong with that. Buttsharks are beautiful too.

DonZabu · 2012-01-03 01:43:13

Also: I'm not normally an arachnophobe, but boy howdy, staring down those bright, high-res pictures gives me ample reason to become one.

^^^ If these people were demanding that the spider images be deleted, that'd be one thing, but otherwise, it doesn't seem that unreasonable.

Stormtroper · 2012-01-03 02:07:43

Spider pictures

[Spider image]

Scythemantis · 2012-01-03 02:52:56

^^They asked that a blog called "adorable spiders," which specializes in posting spider photos that the blogger considers adorable, not use the word "adorable" as a search tag. That is silly.

captainbrass · 2012-01-03 04:11:04

Because if they do a search for "adorable" and after umpteen million pages of adorable kittens, adorable puppies and, for all I know, adorable Zooey Deschanel, one on spiders comes up? That's ridiculous, even if your phobia is so severe that the word "spider" sets it off. It's akin to writing into a newspaper and asking them never to mention spiders again because it upsets you.

Are you sure this isn't just trolling?

Scythemantis · 2012-01-03 15:36:13

Actually you've reminded me of numerous instances of people with "emetophobia" (fear of vomit) demanding the word vomit be censored in magazines or blogs.

http://www.emetophobiarecovery.org/inspiration/why-we-dnt-censor-the-wrd-vomit.html

A website devoted to the phobia seems to hold similar sentiments to my thoughts on spiders.

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When Arachnophobes are whiny about it

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