I notice that a lot of images that should be tagged "telepathy" are tagged "magic" instead. What's the deal with that? The vast majority of fictional telepaths I've ever come across in my reading and television-watching would probably at the very least curl an eyebrow at seeing what they do described as "magic." Especially the Psi Cops from Babylon 5. They can be a little nasty at times.

Most of the "pendulums" aren't pendulums either. Magic and telepathy are both unseen mystical forces. So they seem similar enough to be the same tag.

Maybe his point is that he gets off on telepathy specifically, and wanted it tagged. I see no problem in that, even if I couldn't care less about magic stuff.

If he wants to go and tag them, I think there wouldn't be harm.

There has to be some clearly identifiable difference to warrant a different tag, and I honestly don't see one. Magic and "psychic powers" both fit the bill of "some mystical force of unspecified origin".

The last thing we need is more subjective tags. They're generally a last resort. If a telepathy tag were to be used, we'd need a pretty solid definition that will allow us to pretty much tell whether something is telepathy or not at a glance while being sufficiently different from the magic tag. How would one define such a thing in relation to its appearance in art?

That said, I'd argue that telepathy is a sort of magic. But maybe that's just me.

Edit: Damnit, Mindwipe beat me to the punch!

I can see the point here. And I guess if you're into telepathy you're into magic, so... yeah, it doesn't add much.

Magic goes in fantasy, telepathy goes in sci-fi. Putting telepathy under magic is like putting all hypnotic_accessory images under tech_control because they both fit the bill of "a device used as a means of control."



Actually, I've met and/or emailed a great many sci-fi fans who don't like fantasy, and a great many fantasy fans who don't like sci-fi.

It's like the difference between Wizards in WH Fantasy, and Psykers in 40K.

i.e. there isn't one.

^That's basically how I see it. The only discernible difference is what the fiction calls it. "Magic" for fantasy settings and "telepathy" (and a variety of other terms) for sci-fi settings. The problem is, this being an image board, we need to be able to see a difference to tag one. With hypnotic accessories and tech control, there is a difference between the objects used: hypnotic accessories tend to look like normal accessories (necklaces, bracelets, rings), whereas tech control usually involves microchips, antennae, holographic visors, etc. Telepathy is rarely ever VISIBLE in pics, and when it is, it looks like magic.

I agree with TheZiggler and Mindwipe, there may be some theoretical difference, but visually it's just identical to magic.

h3. Sci-fi:

You know what's going on. It makes sense. It looks almost like science, but more awesome, and you can have all sorts of fun toys like robots, nano-machines, devices with beams, weird serums, and if someone has to access someone else's mind, it's probably through a plug in their neck or something. It's almost fantasy, but it tries to make sense as much as possible. Heck, sometimes it even does, with a bit of a stretch. It's shit that could be happening right now somewhere, or some time in the future.

h3. Telepathy.

<<24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mamw0rbkSE1qbsw6yo1_400.gif|This is how>> I see it.

Lol! XD

Okay, maybe it's just me, but I thought tags were supposed to help people find things they like (or in the case of booru-type websites, blacklist things they don't).

And that's true, but the problem raised here is that it's hard to tag it. Most of the situations would require quite explicit text to not just fall under another category. And sadly, we can't just base ourselves on opinions, it must have some strict rule we can follow to avoid pointless discussions later.

For example, is post #9570 telepathy? I can't see any way to know if it is or isn't.

It's funny you mention that, because I always saw that as magic. A fact which only furthers your point.


Yes, but as I mentioned, we'd need to be able to define and identify telepathy in a way that is not the same as magic, lest the tag is useless as it would merely be a synonym to the magic tag.

I can't think of a definition like that. Mindwipe can't think of one. I'm not sure if Stem_Cell has tried or not, (:P) though I'd gamble he tried to no avail as well. We can't seem to come up with a definition and identity for telepathy that is not synonymous to magic. Just being "sci-fi related" doesn't cut it. We'd need some clear signs that it is one thing (telepathy) and not the other (magic). If we can't have that, then the tag is useless. As such, if you, or another, manage to come up with a definition of telepathy that is sufficient to identify something as telepathy rather than magic in an image, then you could probably convince us to use it in a heartbeat.

How about "direct communication between two or more minds"?