Teen Witches: Fluffy or Not Fluffy?

[godhi]

Teen Witch by Silver Ravenwolf and Witchin’ - A Handbook for Teen Witches by Fiona Horne have helped to create a new generation of teenage witches.
But will these teenagers become the next generation of Heathens and Pagans or a bumper crop of fluffy bunnies and wiccan wannabees?  

[TatteredAngel]

If they're reading flufftastic books, they'll be little fluffed critters themselves. I don't think there's a clear line what the proliferation of teen witch stuff will do- probably a combination. Some of them may examine what they're reading and what's out there more closely, and some will probably grow up to be the sort fraying the nerves of serious pagan types. And some will grow out of it and decide it's not their cup of tea anyway. It's a mixed bag.  

[Starlock]

Why isn't there an option for "A little bit of both?" As TatteredAngel put, just because you start off with a book that many consider to be fluffy doesn't mean you'll stick with only that book or not grow out of it (either away from magical practice entirely or into a more serious religious practice). Of course there's also the issue that there's no real standardized definition for fluffy and what is one person's original and innovative practice (regardless of the seriousness of the practitioner) is bashed by someone else as fluffy. I haven't read either of the cited books so I can't remark on their content (and to the OP... have you read them by chance?).  

[ketchakik]

godhi

Teen Witch by Silver Ravenwolf and Witchin’ - A Handbook for Teen Witches by Fiona Horne have helped to create a new generation of teenage witches.
But will these teenagers become the next generation of Heathens and Pagans or a bumper crop of fluffy bunnies and wiccan wannabees?

don't most pagans who don't start off with a strong family or coven background.....go through a fluffy bunny stage?
teen witch was one of the first books i started with and i centanlly hope i'm past the fluffy stage.

that being said.....silver ravenwolf's books are the epotomy of fluffy bunnies....  

[Boadicia]

It would have to be judged on an individual basis. I'm sure that at least one teenager, if he or she bothers to do the research, will be able to tell what's usable and what isn't. Just starting this way is not a death sentence, so to speak.  

[jaden kendam]

Boadicia

. Just starting this way is not a death sentence, so to speak.

It could be if they cross my path and start spouting such bullshit and telling me that they are going to curse me and such.  

[spaceprincess18]

I think, when in the hands of people who can think for themselves, the books can be a door opener. You start with the fluff, then move on to the less fluff, realise the differences, study more, find the roots and work with the knowledge. I started out with Teen Witch, and I've moved from that, found other sources and learned the differences.

Besides, the stupid people are eventually weeded out.  

[PurpleDragonsGems]

spaceprincess18

I think, when in the hands of people who can think for themselves, the books can be a door opener. You start with the fluff, then move on to the less fluff, realise the differences, study more, find the roots and work with the knowledge. I started out with Teen Witch, and I've moved from that, found other sources and learned the differences.

Besides, the stupid people are eventually weeded out.

Accually, thats how it happened for me. Teen Witch was the first book on witchcraft I ever read. From then on, I just wanted more.  

[TeaDidikai]

In my experience, most of these "Teen Witches", start off with these interests in general at the onset of puberty and most of these will fall away in their mid to late twenties.

Within the most basic of developmental psych, this is the period of "Establishing the Self". Infants cannot tell the difference between themselves and anything else, they eventually establish a mental difference between themselves and people other than their parents, then comes the establishment of themselves from their parents- but they are still working on understanding the ins and outs of the Me v. The World.

As the will of the child becomes stronger, they test the Me. v. The World by making choices that are more and more different from their parents. This is a foundation of learning about the world as well as developing their own personal persona.

In other words- most of the Tinybopper Witch s**t really is teenage rebellion.  

[Pelta]

Oooh I liked your reply, Tea. 3nodding

But at the same time, there are those who begin with the teenage rebellion then become genuinely interested in paganism. Some can become quite adept.

Case in point: A good friend of mine was a self-proclaimed HPS and Teen Wytch in highschool. By college now she's mostly grown out of the fluff and is actually quite good at what she does. She overcame her teenage difficulties but is still interesting in what may have been a manifestation of them.

So it is possible that the Teen Witch grows into an Adult Witch at some point.

However, as far as I know, my friend has never read this particular book.  

[quantum_leaper]

missmagpie

Oooh I liked your reply, Tea. 3nodding

But at the same time, there are those who begin with the teenage rebellion then become genuinely interested in paganism. Some can become quite adept.

Case in point: A good friend of mine was a self-proclaimed HPS and Teen Wytch in highschool. By college now she's mostly grown out of the fluff and is actually quite good at what she does. She overcame her teenage difficulties but is still interesting in what may have been a manifestation of them.

So it is possible that the Teen Witch grows into an Adult Witch at some point.

However, as far as I know, my friend has never read this particular book.

*Looks over at shelf*

Yep i have a copy of that. I bought i mainly for the novelty value and because i wanted to know was the bitching really justified.

I only have one of the later version in which the figures for the burning times are put at 2 million.

If i was still a teenager one thing which would jump out at me immediately is the "Teen Speak" sections she throws in to explain things. It really is quite patronising.

As someone put it to me, They actually do serve a useful purpose for testing peoples bulls**t detectors. If you get past it, then great!. If not then its probably for the better.  

[Boadicia]

jaden kendam

Boadicia

. Just starting this way is not a death sentence, so to speak.

It could be if they cross my path and start spouting such bullshit and telling me that they are going to curse me and such.

sweatdrop Well, anyone who throws curses around like that automatically gets strange looks from me, not to mention a mental note to walk slowly in the other direction.  

[TeaDidikai]

missmagpie

Oooh I liked your reply, Tea. 3nodding

But at the same time, there are those who begin with the teenage rebellion then become genuinely interested in paganism. Some can become quite adept.

Hence why I pointed out most, and not all. 3nodding  

[Frail Appetite]

I'm a teenager myself and I can't deny that most bunnies are teens.
And all but one teen pagan has been a fluffy. Not just in real life, either. Alot of the ones I've met online are fluffy too..
I've never talked to anyone here one on one...nor the other pagan guild I'm in. But on Neopets...XDDDD
GEEZ!
Well, it IS Neopets. Idiots tend to cluster there.  

[maenad nuri]

After going through my desk to get rid of papers and useless things....

I was a teenage fluffbunny. Even more than I remembered.
We get better.