Help! My Heart is Full of Pony - Symbols and Ideas · 4:37am Sep 11th, 2017
I have been thinking. When you are an immortal horse princess, you're always on the clock. It's your job not only to rule your subjects, but to inspire them.
Celestia, though far from perfect herself, constantly projects an air of perfection and infallibility, (as dramatized in Royal Problems).
It is this image that helps to stabilize the entire realm. Ponies feel secure in her leadership, and in turn, feel more confident serving their own individual functions in society. (I went into this in great detail in my recent Labor Day essay on the role of work in Equestria, and the synergy it creates between society and individual).
It is no coincidence that the early fandom seemed infatuated with propaganda-style posters for various pony factions. The very same feelings that the princesses of the nation of Equestria inspired in their pony subjects, also inspired rather a lot of us, (even if we picked up on it subconsciously, or expressed it in a lighthearted way, like goofy but awesome WWII-style posters). It's part of their gestalt.
Princess Celestia's mythological role is to be the dream – to be the ideal – to live her life as the focal point of a nation's confidence, enthusiasm, friendship, and energy.
Princess Celestia the public figure is a symbol of safety and stability, which means that Celestia the individual cannot afford to show weakness.
Princess Luna, on the other hand, is the princess who has been to hell and back. She knows what it's like to give into temptation – to be dominated by her own darker nature. She also knows what it's like to climb her way out. Luna is the princess who joins us in our dreams, and knows exactly how we feel because she has been there herself.
As Royal Problems explored, and as mentioned directly right in the prologue of the pilot episode, harmony throughout the land is achieved through a balance of these two primordial forces, personified through the sun and moon.
I had a whole giant second half of an essay planned, where I applied all of this to our civilization, and dissected societal problems, but really what it all comes down to is a shared dream - a shared vision.
That's what holds a society together. Not homogeny of course, but something in common nevertheless. That's why folks who might disagree vehemently and be at each other's throats one day, often come together during times of crisis.
Perhaps all that we need to get on the right track again is a focal point. Maybe it's the simple belief that we can, in fact, do better.
-Sprocket
PS. Horse princesses too. We need immortal horse princesses to come down from the sun and moon and rule over our planet benevolently. That would also help.
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That postscript is far more true than I'm comfortable with.