Why do people like fairies so much?

@SplitZip (1488)
Portugal
January 12, 2007 9:41am CST
You know, the little fantasy creatures with the wings. In old folk tales, they'd make appearances and liven up the story arcs, but today, all you see are these representations that: a. are too skanky to be taken seriously b. look annoyingly romanticised and frail c. have ELF ears! For crying out loud! I was watching an episode of Miami Ink one time, and one of the tattoo guys was complaining about all the freaking fairies he had to tattoo, ALL THE TIME! What's with the obsession with fairies? Why not mermaids, why not witches, why not goblins, why not unicorns,... wait, there's already a fair share of those too. Drop me a line about this, will you? More info than you needed to know about fairies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy
2 people like this
7 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
12 Jan 07
Now, wait for this!!! lol. I believe in faeries, but not in the way they are painted. They are always portrayed to be cute little creatures, prettily dressed, with transparent, gorgous wings and are soooooo soft and fluffy!!! That's what made them popular. They are all do-gooders with magickal powers. No, no, no! Faeries are the spirits of the trees and they are not so cute as we are led to believe. They abhor human intrusion and they can be quite nasty if their wings are ruffled... if indeed they have wings, about which I am not so sure. If you ever delve into the world of the faeries, do it with extreme caution and always offer them a gift, or you will not be welcome. Goblins, elves, hobbits, pixies and other so-called mythical creatures are different from faeries and have their own traits. Now, am I telling the truth, or am I humouring you? That is for you to work out and look up, but thanks for this discussion. It has been fun! :-) Have a great and magickal day! :-)
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
12 Jan 07
Naturally, I don't believe in any "mystical creatures" or in "magick", but I do prefer more tradional portrayals, as they are related to the folk tales I grew up with and because they are much more interesting than their current depictions! I would like to understand why the fixation on fairies seems to be so universal, people from all over the world, with different belief systems seem to adore them, a bit like they adore, say, Hello Kitty! Is it the same principle at work here? Why hasn't the more traditional (wingless) fairy caught on? Am I being old-fashioned? Am I alone in my annoyance? (I know that I'm not completely alone in this!) Thanks for your reply and for not going on a pro-fairy crusade of sorts! ;)
1 person likes this
• United States
19 Mar 07
What has it been, ten years ago or more that angels were so stunningly popular. At the time I thought a lot about why that was and I came up with a theory. People saw angels as being the happy aspect of God. They were connected to God but not responsible for any bad things that happen. To me that's a lack of faith that God really knows what is best. Anyway, fairies are similar but removed another step or two. They are beyond being moral or guardians. They are kind of angels for the disbelievers.
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
23 Mar 07
That's true... angels are still popular in some places. I have to admit I kind of like cherubs :) But, thinking about angels, I guess people like them because they are protecting figures? And they're always portrayed as being beautiful and "otherworldly"...
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
28 Mar 07
Disney probably have a lot to do with it, I'm sure! I'm thinking that the story of the immaculate conception isn't quite right, because if an angel came up to a woman and told her she was pregnant without her consent, it'd be a human rights violation at the very least! That's not exactly good news either, is it? ;)
• United States
24 Mar 07
Yes, angels are not thought of as having given us any bad news since old testament days. Guarding the entrance to Eden so Adam and Eve couldn't get back in, etc. In our times if a person helps you out, it might really be an angel. But why not if something bad happens? Or something you think is bad.. The image of fairies you describe I think is standardized by the Disney animated version of Tinkerbell. I don't remember her ears, but she had all the other qualities. Along with a feisty personality.
1 person likes this
@rainbow (6761)
27 Jan 07
I grew up reading Enid Blyton who was into fairies, elves etc so it's probably all the fairy stories I was told. Maybe it affects a lot of people my age, it's the magic and innocoence and the thought of these wonderful little beings maybe living in your garden. I like fairies, I'm not obsessed, I like witches, dragons, most fantasy creature interest me.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
31 Jan 07
Fairies are just imaginary creatures. Creatures created by our wild imagination and this is passed from generation to generation. Fairies are spirits who guards and protects. They are also called pixie, sprite and nymph. A friend of mine who has a sixth sense and actually saw them said that they are small creatures with rainbow-colored, glowing wings. Like a firefly. Nicely dressed and fair, a perfect beauty. I think that's why most people around the world like them. I like fairies, elves and leprechauns but I am not obsessed. My imagination is simply wild and I am very interested with fantasy creatures.
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
1 Feb 07
I think it's OK to enjoy fantasy, I'm just curious about the people who are obsessed with fairies, to the point where everything around them has a fairy! :)
@cliffcliff (1350)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I cant stand fairies and warlocks and dragons and stuff... dont know why! SplitZip... we would never get along you know!! we dislike the same movies, food, i dont do video games... you probably dont drink coffee do you? or milk? ha!
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
13 Jan 07
Haha! Yep, I don't drink coffee, usually! :D I do drink milk, but that's mostly because of the calcium intake. Otherwise I'd probably end up never touching the stuff!
1 person likes this
@Deane_2005 (1644)
• Philippines
2 Feb 07
fairies - My cousin loves being a fairy...
People like fairies so much because of what the good things we had read about them. Since childhood we get acquainted already with fairies which help cinderella, snow white and sleeping beauty pursue there dreams. We pervently wish as well that we could perform magic like those mythical creatures. In our subconscious we are wishing that life would be much better if we are fairies as we could not fear and feel the problems in our life. We pervently wish that we also have immortal lifelike those creatures.
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
3 Feb 07
Yes, the fairytale bit is true. But still, there's some difference between those fairies and the ones I'm talking about. Wings, age (a lot of fairies in tales are mature or elderly women), appearance...
• United States
19 Mar 07
I just have to butt in here. "pervently" is such an interesting and useful word. I have never heard it before but it must mean fervently wishing for something perverse, or the other way around. o:)
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
23 Mar 07
I assumed it was "fervently" :p
@mskzalameda (4023)
• Philippines
17 Mar 07
people love fairies for they are good looking creatures that have magical powers. their appearance make them more charming to the normal people like us
1 person likes this
@SplitZip (1488)
• Portugal
23 Mar 07
I suppose that's a way of summing it up, but I think I still don't completely understand this fixation/fascination...
• United States
26 Dec 07
I think people like fairies so much because they like to believe in something else other then what we know is true. Kids and some adult like to believe in the as comfort maybe. I am not really sure why,everyone has there own reasons to believe.