>>25682805the show about horses isn't the catalyst, furries already existed before then.
why do furries tend to be emotionally stunted, you ask? because of the internet.
that cult/crab bucket behavior is a recipe for success when a community is centered around an obscure interest. the behavior is also accelerated when the obscure interest sparks revulsion among the general populace and the clique reacts with a self-affirmation loop.
and then through the magic of time, we, the entire rest of society, start hearing HAES-caliber insanity from the echo chamber.
as for the fascination, that's simple. it's really well crafted, and was spearheaded by someone who specializes in filling a niche, namely making a 'girly' show that doesn't go for 'brain dead, because our target audience is women'.
it's popular in general, and that filters out to being popular among those types. simple.