Communities · 1:25am May 29th, 2013
Communities are strange things. They can be something that allows you to belong, or something that makes you want to contribute. Either way, communities can be exclusive and inclusive at the same time — of course, it's comfortable for those included, but any others are kept separate from such groups. Some communities can be made from fear; any person excluded may be targeted, so people flock to join said communities. Others, however, like the community of the bronies, are formed by a simple preference, and the will to belong, to fit in somewhere among the masses.
It is that very community that continues to elude me. Of course, it's a glorious community, wherein people of many talents can demonstrate their potential to the listening masses, but still a strange one at that. You see, it's not so much the subject of the community that confuses me, even if My Little Pony is a rather odd choice, but more the people belonging and contributing to it. Is it the actual subject that attracts us to become part of it, or is it the wonderful, friendly community that draws us in? Well, I guess I have something to admit. For me, it wasn't the pastel-coloured ponies that made me a brony. No, the first pony-related thing my blind eyes ever did spy was none other than that lovely fic, Cupcakes. Sure, it was shocking to see such a... detailed account of torture, but that obviously wasn't the thing appealing to me.
There were alternate endings under the fic itself. Now, to me, this suggested all sorts of things — creepy levels of obsession being one of them. I mean, fuck. Seeing a highly disturbing fic about seemingly sadistic ponies was one thing, but then seeing a whole host of other authors volunteering their own sick viewpoints and twisted, alternate endings didn't exactly create the image of a good, happy community. Then, I looked at it again. It showed a whole group of people willing and able to devote time to something they liked, which they did with style, grace and, rather obviously, devotion, regardless of the topic.
I saw how a community really worked, and I loved the idea of it. That's why I became a brony, not because of the subject in question, which I hadn't seen prior to fanfiction, but because of the community surrounding it. Sure, My Little Pony has great animation and characters, but I'm a brony for the brony community, not so much the show itself. If there was no community, well, I wouldn't be writing this blog right now. It genuinely looked like a nice group to belong to, even if the amount of torture and sadism was... most prominent. Anyway, what do you guys think? What is the show or the community that made you join?
After reading all that boring bollocks, allow me to reveal the existence of stopcocks. I was writing one night, and 'stopcocks' came up as a spelling suggestion. I mean, stopcocks. That name just had me laughing for no reason. Stopcocks! Apparently, it's some form of water valve or some shit — I was too busy reading to care, but that doesn't matter when the name is so awesome. When your life is in turmoil, and there's nowhere else to turn, just think:
Stopcocks.
So how's Population: One coming along?
1110964 It's doing fine. Not sure if chapter updates are showing up for people...
...I will remember this forever. Probably.
1110974 Well, it's a start!
Unlike stopcocks.
Pfft.
My story is rather unique, I'd like to think anyway. It'd take awhile to tell the full story, but overall it was the show.
Once upon a time... I caught wind of the show, then decided to give it a try. A two season marathon later, I've come to decide that I genuinely like the show. So much so that I badly needed someone to talk to about it, because I felt lonely.
In the internet age, I know that almost every topic has some kind of following, but back then I didn't know that FiM had a big internet fanbase.
I thought that I was alone, being in a poor little country hardly seen on the map, I didn't expect that there were others of my kind. But thankfully, there were, and I was overjoyed. VERY.
The community didn't draw me in, it was the show that did, but I would've burned out and lost interest if I didn't discover my fellow countrybronies.
I watched an episode in the early days of season 1. (Episode 5 "Griffon the Brushoff" to be exact). And well I didn't like it... then. I was more closed minded at the time, so I didn't give it a "fair trial" so to speak. But ever since that fateful November afternoon, I began to notice all the pony related EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE! Then I became curious as to, why? What's with the memes? What's with the various styles (and content) of art? Why are most of the fans of this show males my age? Etc. So I have a Season 1 Episode 1 through Season 2 Episode 26 marathon last May. Ee'yup. I saw Celestia's light, and it didn't burn. I loved the art of the show to begin with, then I began to love the musical numbers here and there (Winter Wrap Up! *starts singing as I type this*
). But I didn't become a brony until I... moved in with my brony roommates. Since being in this open minded environment it aloud me to freely explore the fandom. Then a few read through s of "Cupcakes" "Rainbow Factory" "Silent Ponyville" (I bucking love Silent Hill, so reading S.P. was like Christmas for me 
) listening to a ton of fan music, and all that jazz, yeah, I'm defiantly a brony. I've met many amazing individuals in this fandom, made many new friends and I enjoy contributing with my art work. 
1111008 Well, fair enough, if you don't feel like sharing.
1111226 So, it's still the community that keeps you here, even if the show got you hooked. Personally, I still haven't watched five episodes in the third series, just because I didn't feel like watching them. Sure, it is watchable, but I just don't feel obligated to watch it. Even if Dash is mai waifu, my image of her has been properly formed by the community, in the form of art, fanfiction, music, my own account of her and other things. It's funny; I don't think I've ever told someone in my country that I'm a brony, most likely because I fear it'll just make things awkward and unnecessary.
But, yeah.
1111271 Exactly! It's a fandom of many talents, wherein you can discover more about yourself and the people around you in complete freedom. It's awesome, because no-one cares if you're an introvert, extrovert or whatever — as long as you belong to the community, all is good. It truly has helped me in life to join this. I strengthened my love for writing and reading, which will hopefully help me in later life. It truly is awesome to belong to such a loving, tolerant community.
Plus, your art is awesome! I'm glad this community brings out the talent in all of us.
1111703
Well, that was your question, and I simply answered.
No one can deny just how important the community is.
Despite being reserved, shy, and introverted, I was able to meet a lot of great people, made a lot of new friends (and several enemies) and rekindled my passion for reading and writing. They've helped me better myself, especially my writing, and I am forever grateful for that.
I'm still too shy to show off my fics in the internet though.
My job isn't in any way related to Literature, but I'm planning to once again go to school and study about it. I feel that it's what I'm meant to do.
1111848 I know — it was more of a question than a statement.
Well, you shouldn't be shy to show off your stuff. It may be hard to release your first one, but it gets easier after reading all the nice things people have to say about it. Just do what you want to do — this community is one of the best for just that. And, hey, if you don't like the attention, you can always just delete the story. Up to you, man.
1111952
I sometimes lack confidence in myself. I'm pretty much a Fluttershy.
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it.
1111985 No problem!
We all need that boost in confidence sometimes. Just do what you want!
1111650
Well, if you want to know... and if you'll pardon my horrible storytelling skills...
Let's see, it all started in March of 2012, me and a friend were playing some Xbox just having a bad night. So, in an attempt to calm down I went on a small rant and somehow got to the point of saying something along the line of: 'We need a game that's almost impossible to tryhard in, something like My Little Pony: Revenge of the Unicorn' (at the time I was not aware of G4, I kinda live under a rock most of the time). So, due to frustrated boredom, I decided to Google said 'game' and came up with this (a humorously horrible story).
So after reading that somewhat questionable story, I actually let the story slip out of my mind. It wasn't until my nephew pointed out the show on Netflix that I realized it was an actual show (seriously... under a rock) and that was in the following May, and what followed was the classic 2 season marathon. So after a couple weeks I decided to tell my friends which is where I learned of the term 'brony'. It wasn't until I was browsing youtube videos and came across a cupcakes animation that I truly found out about the community... I was curious about cupcakes so I came across a reading by micthemic which is where I found out about fimfiction and well, here I am.
1112089 ... You were right, that's quite a strange story. Especially with that fic.