Anti-Bronies and Other Ramblings · 5:22am Apr 23rd, 2014
So I'm back, and I'm gonna ramble a bit. Been a while since I posted a blog that didn't have a purpose.
First thing, my rewrite of the first chapter of What Makes us Special has been released. I posted a blog specifically about that, but it didn't get many views, so if you haven't already, go take a look at that.
In other writing news, that rewrite? I did it from scratch, using the original as a guide rather than a frame. It took me only two days to do that, which is pretty impressive for how fast I normally write something of that length. Which brings me to the fact that I have been writing like crazy the past couple months. I'm at a level I haven't been at since I was releasing a chapter of Don't Give Up every day. I don't really know why, but ever since I finished Cheated Dreams something just clicked, and I've been writing pretty much none stop since then. I just need to find what I want to write, and it'll get written. Currently I'm able to easily do a couple thousand words a night, and I only have about two hours of actual writing time every night.
In non writing news, I really want to go to a brony con. Unfortunately, being 16 I can't exactly do that on my own, and I don't live anywhere near one. I have CCEE up here, but it's a general geek convention, and while I do enjoy it, it's packed, and this year didn't offer anything interesting. It literally sold out like a month before the con. I didn't buy tickets, mainly because they were really god damn expensive and because there wasn't anything I was particularly interested in this year. Then, after I decided not to go, they go and announce at the last minute that fucking Matt Smith is going to be there. I really regret not buying tickets.
You wanna know what happened the only other year I decided not to go? John De Lancie made a surprise appearance and quite a few MLP voice actors were there. Every god damn time I don't buy tickets something awesome happens, and when I do buy tickets god damn nothing happens. Maybe cons just hate me....
It's been all over tumblr recently. Did you guys read about that child molester guy that was supposedly harassing a little girl at the alleged con in San Francisco? I know there have been a few people calling it fake, but I've seen a few things supporting its legitimacy. But how true it was is not what I want to touch on here. A lot of Anti-bronies have taken it and ran with it, claiming that we've made the show unsafe for its intended audience. To that I say... wat? No really. Saying that because there might have been a possible child abductor at one of our cons doesn't mean anything about us. That's like saying because one human being in my city is a child molester means that the entire city is unsafe for children, and everyone in it is bad for some reason. Really think about the logic behind that, people.
But I know none of us are ever going to get through to those people, I just wanted to rant a bit about that.
It's interesting. Anti-bronies are almost as much as a fandom as bronies are. They've been distilled over the years from simple haters/trolls to an organized group of crusaders against our love for pastel colored ponies, using our own creations against us as ammunition. It's... honestly fascinating for me, since I do enjoy people watching and sociology in general. They've used our porn against us, our cons against us, or own merchandise against us, for god's sake. Hell, I've even seen anti-brony pins and stuff around the internet. They have their own merch! It's impressive how far people will go when they're misguided. And I do think some of them are just honestly misguided, probably a little confused, and ignorant as hell. There are a few who know exactly what they're doing, and there are those who really believe int heir cause, but I think the majority have heard a few of these "bad" stories around the internet and make broad generalizations and assumptions about the fandom.
Moving on from that, I want to touch briefly on religion. It's not exactly a popular subject in our fandom - thank Celestia for that - but I was thinking about it just recently. I'm an Atheist, as most of you who read my blogs regularly know, but I'm not against people having their own religions. But it makes me curious when people ask me where I get my morals from. There's this idea that because we Atheists don't have a god to fear, we have no morals. Last time someone asked me that, I turned to them and said,
"If you get your morals from the fear of God, let's say that one day, somehow, there is an experiment that proves, 100% beyond a reasonable doubt, that God does not exist. Does that mean you'll have no problems killing someone? If you know there isn't a god to fear, then you have no reason to keep your morals". Now, if they're an intelligent person, and you can convince them to accept the idea that their God has been completely debunked, this question just may stump them. Especially if they don't understand where my morals come from without a fear of God. Honestly, the people who say they only get their morals because they're scared of their God, I'm scared of them. The only reason they're not going around killing people is because they believe in something that has never had any real, solid, scientific prove. It... it really is a scary thought for me.
But enough of religious talk. I can go on for hours - I do enjoy a good debate - but I don't really want to right now.
I was thinking, the other day, and I realized something. the entirety of Western Civilization, pretty much, is descended from the people that the eastern continents didn't want living there. They sent the people with no jobs, no money, nowhere else to go over here. They literally kidnapped drunk, unconscious people from bars and but them on boats to colonize over here. Think about that for a moment. Most of us, aside from Native Americans, are direct decedents of the people that the other countries of the world didn't want. It explains so much about America to me, looking at it like that.
But I think that's all for tonight. I have to work on the second chapter of What Makes us Special, so once again go check out the rewrites, and I'll see you in the next update.
Until then,
Kodeake out
Ah anti-bronies, so humorous yet so angering. Naturally I tend to stay within the little (large) safe havens we've managed to create around us, venturing out into the dark depths under guise of anonymity. But honestly as obnoxious as they are they don't directly affect me or anyone around me, they know better because anyone who actually has the physical ability to do harm is either smart enough to know that we're harmless, or dumb enough others will come to my aide against their stupidity. Although I know this isn't true everywhere, but a lot of things are like that.
Religion is much the same way, except when people think they should devote all their effort to 'saving' you, and not to be sexist but it's almost always women who most aggressively pursue that line of thought no matter how many counter-points I draw and how obvious I make it to be that I don't want to have the conversation with them... sigh, women. The thing is is that many wars have been fought over religion, often times turning more towards cruelty than those fought over resources, why bother keeping slaves when they are heathens better off dead for the sake of god or tortured until they convert, but I digress. [Rant over]
For the record, if you live anywhere near Ohio I'd offer you a ride to Trotcon[2015] if I still live near here as well.
Ditto. I just happened across this blog post. I tripped actually, and now I may sue you for the pain and suffering I have experienced from this obvious death trap.
All joking aside (though I really did just happen across this blog post), I empathize with you. I'm 34, and I like ponies. I've been called every name in the book, and some new ones that have probably just been added. I'm agnostic, I'm pansexual, and apparently, I'm also immoral, evil, and trying to destroy America, which is news to me. It doesn't matter that I'm a humanist, and try to ease suffering, and it doesn't matter that I do my best to protect children from predators, no, I'm evil. Evil, evil, evil. Also, weird, which may be the most damning thing of all.
Anyway, that aside, I'd love to attend a Brony convention, but I live out in the middle of nowhere, and even though there is an occasional con a few hours away I could attend next time it rolls through, I have neither the resources, or the time, to attend. So that leaves me SOL. This same thing happened with Star Trek. I'm a Trekkie, have been since I was 4 years old, but I didn't attend my first convention until 2010. It was still a magical, wonderful experience, as I got to meet actors from my favorite series (DS9), and they just happened to be very cool, and very accommodating for this fan, who tried so hard not to gush like a school girl as he met Armin Shimerman for the first time (real class act, all the way).
I hope you get your chance to show the world just how good, how ethical, and how driven you really are. I have nothing against faith, or religion as long as it isn't one trying to force me to follow it, but I do hope that one day, people will know that morals and ethics come from all of us working together, not from gods.
2037712
*Lives in Canada*
Thanks for the offer but.... different country and all that.
It's funny, I live near two fairly large churches, and you know how people usually go around knocking on doors and trying to convert you. Well, my mother is actually a Wicken, and they're legitimately scared of her. They don't come around anymore after they found that out. We don't get too many visitors. I know what you mean about the big "converters" being predominantly female, though. It's weird, but also true. Not quite sure why that is....
2037717
Never though I'd gain a follower through my rambling blogs, of all things. But hey, that's cool. Though I am a bit curious about how you randomly stumbled onto my blog. I was never a Trekkie, but I am a massive Whovian, as mentioned in the blog. I've yet to actually meet one of the Doctors though... god damn you, CCEE, being full when Matt Smith is there...
2037769 - I was digging through stories, ones to read on my Kindle, and I saw yours (Cheated Dreams, in this case). I went to click on it, but clicked on your name by accident, which brought me to your profile page. Your blog post was quite prominent, and so I read it, and here I am. I also realized I had read one of your stories some time back, and liked it, so I followed you while I was at it, and gods, I wish they'd call it something other than "following" or "watching" because it makes me self-conscious!
I read what you had written, and couldn't help but agree, and wanted to respond. On a different note, I am a Trekkie, but I'm also a Whovian, as well as a Browncoat, a Brony, a MSTie, and who knows what else. I've also become quite attached to TwiDash fics, so it was only a matter of time. My stories are AppleDash, but I'm all about the love either way you go.
2037717
Hi Lotus. You probably know me from EqD. Nice coincidence running into you here. I didn't know you were a fellow fic person too. Cool.
What a fascinating topic. I for one know that religion is not synonymous with morals. I get a kick out of the carnage in the Old Testament for example. Try KJV Leviticus 19:19. Mixed breed cattle and multi-fiber clothing is a sin. Yeah, and there are hundreds of little ditties like that. Many of the religious folks will say out of one side of their mouth that the Ten Commandments are literal laws that must be plastered in public places yet say the verse I just quoted is old history. Picky choosy.
If legitimate non-confrontational questions of facts and scientific reason offend people, the person asking the questions isn't the problem. They are the ones wanting my adherence to their subjective beliefs.
2037839 - Hello Arkan0id!
Also, well said. I have no problems with religious folks, I know many, and they're good hearted people, but when terrible assumptions are made about innocent people, that upsets me. In Christianity, Jesus talks about bearing false witness against others to be a sin, yet there are high profile Christians who just make up lies about atheists, agnostics, science in general, and they don't care to lie to others about it. It's shameful.
2037769 Bah! Meh, is feels like all the authors I truly like are either in Canada, Europe, or west of the Mississippi... At least I have my passport.
A life lesson, young grasshopper: always buy tickets (at least for one day) to the Calgary Expo
You never know who is going to show up or who they are going to announce, seeing as they save they really, really big announcements for the very end.
Besides, the Expo is more about the media guests. A lot of it (for me) is the people who attend. The cosplayers come out in full force in some of the most extravagant costumes that I've ever seen, and are all wonderful people to talk to (who have no real qualms about talking to random-ass strangers). For example, last year's expo was totally worth it for this one person who made a perfect Samus Aran costume. The thing had glowing green light tubes and everything. I think I nerd-gasmed when I first saw it
2038300
I actually think I saw that cosplayer last year. Oh well, I still have Otafest I can go to coming up.
Anti-Bronies have their own merch? Well, that gives me some birthday presents ideas!
Aside from ComicCon, I didn't went to any conventions. Living in Quebec, there isn't a lot of brony conventions(Like, 0.). But, with a little saved money, I'll try to go to bronycon next year.
As for religion, I do believe in a god... Sort of. Do unofficial satanic/chaos spirit count? All hail Zalgo!
Anti-Bronies would've been a litlle better if they didn't try to follow the way of the Nazi: Seeing hundreds of comments stating how the want to make a holocaus on us is getting boring, and to me, kinda freighteing.