theotherkinproject

[theotherkinproject]

YOURE AN OTHERKIN INSPIRATION ILY

Oh, cool!Oh, if you’re wondering, I’ve partnered with someone in real life and may eventually turn this into a full physical trial using university funding for an actual dedicated research paper at some point, so keep an eye on for that. We’d be wanting to look into the actual neurochemistry of astral limbs and stuff, so it’ll be real neat if, when the time comes, we had some volunteers!Obviously, though, that’s a while away. Maybe a few years yet.It’s nice to know that some people genuinely enjoy this project, even though it’s original run was pretty poorly operated. This ask took a while to answer ‘cuz it may have been buried.

[theotherkinproject]

Hello!

In 2014, I started a project known as “The Otherkin Project”, this project aimed to try and understand Otherkin on a more scientific level, however after a few months the project fell apart due to poor timing, bad communication, and the fact that I was extremely young and bad at what I was doing. However, I have recently become interested in re-booting this project and attempting to do a better job than I have before.

What is The Otherkin Project?

The Otherkin Project is an independent research project that I am undertaking to help understand, categorize, and even help dispel myths about the community as a whole. When I first started out, I had done very little research because I wanted to get as much information from the individual as possible. After it fell apart, while the project had achieved very little I personally had learned a good amount. During this stage, I believe that initial run has put me in a position to better perform this task. Through the use of multiple surveys, I try to gather data directly from the source. It will then be properly processed, and presented ANONYMOUSLY. During the original run, I handled data poorly. Conclusions were wide and had very little hard numbers. This will change for the new run.

Who are you?

I’m Katie Morison, a Scottish gal who made the dire mistake of telling literally no information about myself the first time. That was wrong of me, and did NOTHING to generate trust.

Why are you doing this?

My original reasoning was that at night, I remembered thinking that I used to mock Otherkin in private, but when I really thought about it there was just enough evidence to conclude that it was a normalized occurrence. Realizing this, I wanted to learn more and began immediately on The Otherkin Project.

After TOP ended it’s first run, I was left in a position where I was pretty neutral to the community. I had gotten over my previous mockery and have since actually defended people who treat the occurrence as childish. I’ve made friends who identify as Fictionkin, and I’ve once again been hit by the curiosity bug after I re-read over some of my old (but poor) research.

How can I help?

Simple! You follow the blog, feel free to ask questions (or send in suggestions for topics to look into), and when I post a survey take some time to fill it in. That’s it! The surveys I made before weren’t too long, only about 20 questions at worst, but some of the information I got was immensely interesting. I hope to be hearing from you soon. Katie Morison, TOP.

[theotherkinproject]

Just read over Survey 2's results briefly

This will be a fun write up. I'm not posting any more data gathering stuff until all 4 surveys are finished, at which point I will collaborate all the data from these 4 and see what patterns have arisen. Sidenote; I've discovered how to make the SurveyMonkey poll results public. Please click here to anonymously vote on whether or not I should publicize it. Again, they are completely anonymous, and there is no home locations. If the link above isn't working, use this one; http://strawpoll.me/3255545

[theotherkinproject]

There are now 103 responses on The Astral Limb Survey

I'll have it handled some time in January, but until then hold tight and Merry Christmas!

[theotherkinproject]

Survey 2 is almost at 100 responses

I'll get the response sorted properly after Christmas (yeah). I'm so proud of you for the responses, keep it up!

[theotherkinproject]

Survey List so far

Please take the time to complete any that you have not yet completed. SURVEY 1 - General Data (COMPLETE) SURVEY 2 - Astral Limb Survey (COMPLETE) SURVEY 3 - Finer Point Information SURVEY 4 - Spirituality and Causes

[theotherkinproject]

Response.

Let us see… and please use discretion with this information because it may give away information that Jarandhel would prefer not being widely disclosed, such as his geographic location.  We will attempt to be as useful as possible in this matter while respecting an old friend’s privacy and work.

Much of Jarandhel’s information is stored on (or at least linked to) on An Other Wiki (http://anotherwiki.org) for analysis and archival.  He has done much work pulling together many resources from around the Net, up to and including the archives of many of the mailing lists the community once used for communication (such as Elven Realities (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/elven-realities/conversations/messages), Kin Frontiers (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/KinFrontiers/conversations/messages), the Kin Gathering Forum (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Kingatheringforum/conversations/messages), and Otherkin Reiki (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/otherkinreiki/conversations/messages)).  There are many more mailing lists that the Others once used, but time and communities moving on have caused many of them to go inactive, though the archives still exist (at least until Yahoo gets around to totally destroying Groups).  Jarandhel was an attendee of one of the larger Otherkin gathers on the East Coast, called Walking the Thresholds (http://www.rialian.com/elvsgath.htm) for many years; this is where we first met him.  We believe he also attended Crossing the Thresholds (https://crossingthethresholds.wordpress.com/) for a time, but it has been so long we remember little.

Jarandhel is also an active poster to a Livejournal community for and about news relevant to the Otherkin community, which many of us find useful.  By “news,” we refer to everything from news articles in the mainstream (and other) news media, news of and from the Otherkin and Vampire communities (including research efforts and results thereof, of which we highly suggest studying the research of Merticus, who is similarly prolific and erudite).  Recent posts and the archive are public, and can be explored here: http://otherkin-news.livejournal.com/

Much of Merticus’ work can be found here: http://merticus.com/vampirenews/

We do not have contact with Merticus so we do not know if he makes his raw data available, but if you contact him, he may do so to assist your work.

You can also, of course, continue a dialogue with Jarandhel as you deem fit. __________ I planned to actually, yes. However currently I am horrifically packed down with Preliminary test stuff and also other personal stuff, so running this blog is proving difficult. Assistance like this is very good. Those resources are also very VERY valuable. Some of you may want to check them out. AS for Merticus, I'll try to see what I can do; the more researchers the merrier.

[theotherkinproject]

Breaking Silence

Hi, I've been silent for a bit. Just to tell you that I am still to be considered "Active". I am currently waiting for the first survey to finish drawing data. It's by far the furthest ahead and once it reaches 100 responses, I'll start posting my findings here. So far looking over it I can tell you that it seems to be a lot more than most people give it credit for, I'll tell you that much.

[theotherkinproject]

otherkinavenger has a LOT of good information you might be interested in. Their entire blog is dedicated to gathering information on otherkin and non-human folk. They are very learned on the subject despite not having been in the community for many years.

I'll try to get in touch, thanks!

[theotherkinproject]

Astral limbs are not phantom limbs and should never be referred to as such. Do not make that mistake. It is rude and incorrect.

I am trying to be as careful as possible in my wording here, I assure you. If I have used Phantom Limb in the place of Astral limbs, I apologize. Can you point me as to where so I can fix this?

[theotherkinproject]

Survey List so far

Please take the time to complete any that you have not yet completed. SURVEY 1 - General Data (COMPLETE) SURVEY 2 - Astral Limb Survey (COMPLETE) SURVEY 3 - Finer Point Information SURVEY 4 - Spirituality and Causes

[theotherkinproject]

If you're looking for more places to advertise the project, Werelist has a pretty large community. They're generally a mature bunch and they encourage critical thinking about kin identities, so I think you'd get some good responses from them.

While I am, indeed, trying to get a larger sampling size I am referring to responses to the question in survey 1 marked "Where did you hear about this project?", which has had 3-4 responses marked with Facebook.

[theotherkinproject]

Yo... I'm an otherkin.. So, we are going to be involved in this, correct? What exactly do you want to be done here? How are you going to test these questions?

First things first that first survey is simply designed to get a basic understanding of what wants done. Survey Monkey is irritating in that I currently can only slot 10 questions into each survey, so mass survey bunches will be required for decent use. My end goal is a better understanding of not only the Tumblr Otherkin community, but the global Otherkin community as a whole. From what I could find and from what I get in my daily life, very few people know or properly consider anything past "they don't identify as human.". I want to get enough data to cause some form of change, be it minor or major. Most of my work will be in compiling data into useable research material for other organizations, however since I am well aware that is not necessarily a possibility, I will be doing a lot of research and such on my own.

As for yourself, you are the main component of this research. I hope more people such as yourself step forward to assist me in my effort.

[theotherkinproject]

Who are you, the person behind this project? I find things like this very shady, especially with no identifying information anywhere. Not even a contact number or email, which most people doing research projects have up first thing. Working on the first survey isn't an excuse-- you should have had your blog fully up and running with information about you, your project, an FAQ, and contact information before you made your first post.

I'm trying to keep my actual name and such anonymous for a good reason (mostly that if you do something on the internet involving a group of people which is even seen as slightly iffy it often results in a lynch mob forming - I am keeping it secret for the reason.). This is also the first research project I have decided to undertake seriously, and as such I am ill experienced in the start up procedure. The requested data will be posted shortly, I promise.

[theotherkinproject]

The Minimal data coming in is already interesting

This blog will slowly slip into a much more functional state over the coming days. The next pieces of data to be handled will be a bio and explanation page on the blog, as I have received 2 messages on this now. It is clearly important.

Please continue to move the survey around to the community.

Thanks!

[theotherkinproject]

Launch Q&A

tutorem: It may do you well to have your askbox open, and to have about pages explaining yourself and the project.

Answer: Done! I was busy getting the first survey done to start collecting data ASAP. As for the explanations and such, they will come in time.

______________________________________________________

another1otherkin: Let’s just say I trust no one until support is giving. Whose funding you for this research if anyone? Why are you doing this research? Is there a legit reason? Are there any sources that I can be given to lead me to the fact that this is legit research being done into the community?

Answer: Good question! This research is being done in my free time, and as such I am not receiving funding. The research is being done solely because I personally feel I know so little about the subject to draw any conclusions, and being unable to find much data simply through looking around for it, came to the source to try and get a more pure and first-hand set of results. As for your last question, I am slightly unsure as to what you mean. If you mean if I can prove that I am not a troll blog, then I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for it. I am not working in conjunction with any organizations or businesses of any kind - this is a free-time job.

[theotherkinproject]

This is the first survey to be produced as of now. Many more shall be pumped out in future in response to new data.