I really do hate my own fandom sometimes. · 2:03am Dec 2nd, 2012
Oftentimes, the thing I hate most about humans is their tendency to attach meaning to things that are essentially meaningless. This is why I'm growing to despise bronies.
The biggest divide I've noticed in this community is the difference between bronies in meatspace and those exclusive to the internet. The ones I've met personally or even had conversations with outside of the fandom have all been ordinary, kind-hearted, fun-loving people who just happen to be fans of a show about pastel horses. So why is it that every single brony message board or comment section about the fandom as a whole is full of thick-headed, foul-mouthed, hate-spewing bullies whose constant, blind attacks on others and each other completely undermine the very thing that brought them together in the first place?
I don't get it.
And don't misunderstand me; I know there's plenty of good in the fandom. And I'm not giving up on it, though at times I've been sorely tempted to. But when the face of the fandom differs so hypocritically from the one that it claims to have — not just in isolated incidents, but consistently — it just makes me want to wash my hands of the whole thing. Remember the Derpy fiasco? When one hiccup led to an undirected screaming match that still has echoes to this day? Can we really claim our art comes from a straightforward love when the featured box on this website is full of porn every other day? And when a simple reminder for people to be nice to each other turns into a pages-long grindhouse of politics and personal insults and the eternal debate of free expression vs for-the-love-of-Celestia-please-stop-writing-and-clopping-to-incest-slash-pedophilia-stories, it does beg the question of why I bother contributing to this mess at all.
It just gets so frustrating. I admit, I am literally wearing a pony shirt right now, but as weeks go by I'm getting increasingly nervous about having it on in public. Not because I've ever met or had to deal with a hater, but because being a brony is starting to feel like less and less of a positive thing. It's the same reason I tend to shy away from gay pride groups; it's the same reason I never openly describe myself as a Christian. Because as much as I believe in the principles of the groups that I'm technically a part of, it makes me feel unclean to associate myself with those kinds of people.
The problem isn't the haters, bronies. The problem is that we're proving them right.
(Never giving up my Discord hoodie, though. That thing is badass.)
Is the Discord hoodie machine washable? AND FIRST!!!
561937 Yes, it is. And while a little of the stitching has come loose on one of the pockets, it is big and fluffy and full of colour and I love it.
561966
How much are they? Do they come in other characters?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GIFT
This might help.
561977 http://www.etsy.com/shop/RaritysBoutique
561991 That's rather discouraging, actually.
562007
Thanksdl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Colgate_beam.png
562007 Welcome to the Internet then, the faster you get used to everyone being an asshole the better.
Or you could simply ignore it, that's what I do it if I'm not in the mood to be amused by it.
art.penny-arcade.com/photos/215499488_8pSZr-L-2.jpg
562273>>562053>>561991
I attest to all of this. Remember, what makes you a brony is different from what makes everyone else a brony. That, and the principle that the *dare I say* retards you're seeing will argue over whatever comes their way because they have an antagonistic fetish or a genetically defective you-know-what. The Brony fandom is a naturally inclusive one, which means we're going to have to deal with dipshits within and without it.
Of course, if you feel discouraged about the fandom as a whole, and I know I do sometimes, try looking up some PMVs or reading fanfiction from the Vault. Trust me, it's an eye-opener, and a reminder that once you're in this fandom, provided you're in it for the right reasons, then you're
never getting outnever leaving.Knowing you as I do, Nine, I know you've had to put up with a lot more than simple bickering. You know how to stop caring what other people think, so just stop caring about how the dipshit bronies think and only take advice from those of us who are reasonable (otherwise known as the vast majority). Those with the loudest voices don't necessarily speak for the fandom as a whole. Most of us are non-confrontational. We have better things to do with our time, such as writing the next chapter of SWLY.
i know what ya mean
but ya just cant let those ones define the community
the good is what the community stands for
but the bad is gonna try its hardest to tack itself on
You know what? I've been having the same thoughts for some time. I spent ten minutes on the pony board at 4Chan, and I felt sick about even thinking I was part of this community. Truth is, I'm still uncomfortable with it. But, I still enjoy the show, and I certainly enjoy reading. So, I watch the new episodes and read the fics. Point is, people suck, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying what you can. Otherwise, everything will be ruined by the GIFT.
I used to proclaim my love for ponies in public proudly, but lately I've been feeling the same as you, so I never mention mlp in public or tried to defend the show, I just enjoy the show and the good side of our community in private. I know that I look like I am just hiding and avoiding the current issues the community has, but what can we do? we cannot go to the way it was at first. We became too large, too fast. And trying to guide the community away from its own hyprocrisy would label us as snobs, purists or anyother term.
Buy maybe we entablish a form of dialogue to discuss this. We can write a letter to EQD about this issue.
Death Note: Equestria is awesome, but this blog deserved the watch. Well said, Nonagon
I don't really call myself a brony these days and I don't mention I like the show unless someone asks. I'm more than content with writing/reading fanfics and watching the show. Anyway, I have only met two bronies (pegasisters to be precise) in real life and one of them got me kicked out of school by making something I occasionally have to deal with psychically look like extreme anger issues that turns me into a violent psychopath. Yet I didn't question the fandom or its fanbase. Because hey, it's human nature wanting to be in control and neutralize anything that may seem like a threat to your everyday enjoyment.
Not at all; my increasing doubts came later.
This question pretty much sums up what I felt about the fandom. The amount of zealotry that exists in the brony fandom is actually kind of bizarre. I've seen flame wars started literally over nothing by zealous bronies almost wherever ponies are involved. Take the Cupcakes animations by Ocarinaplaya and DeusGear for example. I saw one person say "You literally need to die for making this." and another say "This is horrible. Whoever made this should be shot." Class act.
I wish it could end there with just snotfaced bronies and pegasisters being ill-mannered, disrespectful loudmouths. But I digress. I came across a My Little Dashie tribute on Youtube (a movie's being made. Go figure) and being an internet author myself I thought I'd share my honest view on it. I said I admittedly liked it at first but then went on stating "In hindsight, I feel the story is really overrated and heavily glorified; it's really not that sad, to be honest." I think I knew at the time I would receive some backlash for it, but not as much as I expected. Three idiots bombarded me with hate comments and one of them even PM'd me a death threat. Yeah. Real classy, in other words. Not the only death threats made by bronies I have seen, by the way.
I'll admit I'm no saint myself as a MLP fan (and probably never will be since I will forever despise humanXpony, clop, shipping and alicorn Mane six). When the Derpy incident was still a (big) thing I was merciless, though not as much like the bronies who wanted to spread Yamino's phone number, address, personal information, you name it, all over the internet. I was more butthurt than anything. But I've matured quite a bit since then and now I'm more rational than before. *looks at comment regarding clop* To a certain degree. Hey, at least I shut up about it!
All in all, don't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch as Applejack would have put it. We can't really change the fact that some bronies/pegasisters are sometimes proving the haters right and make us all look like assholes (also keep in mind the fact that these people sometimes are trolls in disguise). Just sit back and enjoy yourself while it lasts. We won't all be around the brony fandom forever, you know.
Discord hoodie.
Gimme. (though I'm intending to pull out some cash and buy my first brony shirt ever, sometime soon. and whenever I finally find myself with a job... lol)
Erm, anyway. Me, I've actually been enthused to involve myself more with the community, which is really why I came here, and joined deviantArt (and the MLP-Fans group there), and made an(other?) IntenseDebate account so I can post at EqD, earlier this week. I've seen some of the bad we have to offer, but personally, I see it as the natural inclusivity of any fandom or group being vulnerable to containing bad apples-GUARANTEED, in a group as big as ours. It is certainly disheartening, but I generally a more optimistic person and don't find myself *that* disheartened by such things. I've hardly even thought about them, honestly, but so far I can't recall any particularly negative or awful experiences due to my being a brony.
As for calling myself a brony and how I carry myself in public... I'm beginning to refer to myself as a brony more often--saying "brony" aloud carries a rather more awkward intonation than typed online, and I find it somewhat embarassin to that extent, preferring just as well to say "I'm a My Little Pony fan." But I'm generally a more timid and awkward sort out in public, so that seems natural enough. Anyway, more back to my point; I actually seem a bit too liberal in how I present my brony-ness IRL. I've mentioned enough so that my grandmother (who is accepting of my love of the show) suggests I blurt it out unprovoked as I do. I do think I shouldn't be too/so blatant and random about it, for my self-conscious and maybe paranoid fear of making myself look like an "undesirable" of our fandom, speaking out about our fondness for MLP as if trying to push it on people.
But really, I mostly brush that off. Maybe I shouldn't just spit it out to someone I've just met, but I'm proud of it and don't aim to wait particularly long to tell someone about it--I can learn earlier how they feel about it, and know to keep my trap shut about it if necessary. Just the same, I could present MLP to a potential fan, or find myself to be in the company of a fellow fan and let things develop from there.
But I think I'm getting off-topic, saying so much about myself or my public MLP-related conduct. I haven't suffered much at all yet for being a brony, and I do find it discouraging that we have such offputting members in our fandom, but personally, it doesn't get it to me or I don't much let it do so. To use yet another negative adjective, it may be disillusioning to find such people among our ranks, and it certainly is a significant issue that their presence or conduct flies in the face of our greatest fandom motto, but I find that the great positives and wonderful people around more than make up for it.
I'm kinda losing sight of this encouraging message I'm supposed to be getting across, and I don't want it to get to the point that I seem ignorant or something, or my argument contrived. But I will say, that with all the great things our fandom and subject of our fandom have to offer... Well, I know I won't be leaving. lol
In any case, this is seeming a lot more... self-assured(?) than I intend. I just hope that my effort helps brighten your spirits up a little, lol. You did express that you don't presently intend to jump ship, but it'd be one dark day if you were to leave us.
P.S.: GIMME THAT DAMN HOODIE
whenever there is light there is bound to be shadows, don´t let it take you down, since in this fandom there is much more light than shadows