My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

I heard about that on BBC 6Music and the presenters treated it with amused/bemused disdain.

I don't think we can forget that the fandom will never escape the prejudices of a mainstream that (understandably considering the past of MLP) sees brony's as emasculated, and possibly dangerous, shut-ins.

Sad but true.

I haven't been open as a brony as I don't want to pic up social flack for what is a merely enjoyable piece of media that I don't consider a part of my identity. Who can say how many of us will call ourselves bronies years after the final series has aired? I'm not being flippant or brutal, simply pragmatic. Some bronies think that the fandom will change world.

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Originally Posted by Ctharlhie

Some bronies think that the fandom will change world.

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Yeah, that's kind of ridiculous. It's just a show, you know? :/

I think my brony-ism is declining. I'll probably still watch the show as it comes out, but I don't really pay too much attention to it any more.

I think I do agree that it would be a good thing if those that enjoy the show seek the following:

a) To stop making themselves sound like some special group (having the name 'brony' doesn't help) whose identity is indeed defined by the show they watch.
b) To stop considering it as something you need to 'come out' as, or see it as some great social stigma. This follows from the first point; it's just a show, not a lifestyle (for most!).

Having thought about this, I'm not sure if I really want to use the word 'brony' myself anymore. Firstly for the reason above, secondly because it's a highly americanized term and thirdly because it instantly suggests we watch the show as some sort of joke.

The bronies certainly won't change the world. That is pragmatic thinking.

What I've noticed the little group does, though, is change the hearts of the people who participate. Generally, very much for the better. It's done wonders for me. My entire life has been spent as an introverted, quiet dude. I've never had any friends, really, mostly because I was too afraid to talk to anyone I didn't already know.

Ever since I started hanging around Ponychan and talking to all these guys, I've become way more talkative in real life. I entered my senior year of high-school with two friends, and left with almost 30 people that are very willing to hang out with each other and myself.

It's done worlds of good, raising my self esteem.

I know you suggest, Nivv, that "coming out" as a "brony" carries a negative connotation and therefore puts it under some darkness and pessimism. Not to negate, as I understand exactly what you mean, but I can't possibly be happier that I was forced to "come out". I wore my shirt to school and dealt with so many upset and condescending people that it did me a world of good. Suddenly I had self-esteem, at all. I was defending something I truly believed was amazing, and had the power to shake the foundations of what were previously understood social rules. Men don't watch My Little Pony. Not heterosexual men, surely?

It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life, even if a tad disillusioned, and it changed me in ways that were and are only magnificent. My life has been fantastic since I started watching "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic", and that's exactly why I will continue to call myself a brony.

I respect all of your rights not to, and I certainly understand, but for me, I'm sharing with people what, while it won't change the world, changed my life entirely.

Edit: Also, being a brony really has become part of my identity by now. People know I'm a brony, the main one where I live, and when people in this area become bronies they almost always tell me first. I guess it's just because here in cow-poke Virginia, in a little country town, I was the only one using the internet for long enough to find something like this.

Basically, whenever someone wants to watch My Little Pony and appreciate it with someone else, yet has nowhere else to turn to, they come to my house or I go there and we have marathons. It's been a FANTASTIC way to meet new people. I couldn't give it up for the world.

That's genuinely a heartwarming story. I agree that this sort of thing is what this fandom is about. :)

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Originally Posted by Ctharlhie

Some bronies think that the fandom will change world.

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For a time, I thought it did. Maybe I still think it did. Or at least it changed the internet.
I saw the time when MLP exploded as extremely meaningful. I remember it as the time where "Love and Tolerance" seriously meant something. The internet had gotten a place that was truly full of people trying to be their best and being nice to everybody. Even when there were conflicts, it just seemed so different within the brony community.
I really considered the whole thing to be a milestone for internet history, because I thought it was such a dramatic change in tone. I still remember how emotional I felt when I read mbulsht's open letter to the brony community and I viewed it as such a beautiful thing.

Sadly, all of it has changed over time if you ask me. Some of it happened due to a deteriorating from within, and some of it seems to be the outside prejudice having done it's job.
The fandom grew, subfandoms were created and we went through some periods of drama. The first thing I noticed were the response to the open letter above, which devolved into a debate about furries. The next is the hatred towards the original character Nyx. Examples like that have given way to hate, and Love and Tolerance has been deconstructed and abandoned by some.

I've seen bronies throw hate towards those 'autistic' 'sperg' 'neckbeards' because they felt that they were horrible and didn't want to be 'associated' with that. And they've been intolerant to so many internal things, such as rule 34, clopfics, grimdark, OC's... Most of these because they are afraid of the prejudice from the outside.

I wouldn't have known what to say if you asked me back in Season 1 what would happen to the fandom when the show ends, because it seemed too important at that point. Now, the things I viewed as important has already died out (partly) all on it's own. So the important thing now is not whether or not we will keep being as enthusiastic about pony cartoons, but whether or not any of us will keep carrying what we got from it. We've experienced what it can feel like when everyone is friendly and accepting. So while MLP won't change the world in any obvious way, I do think it has done good for the world. It has helped destroy some of the gender stereotypes, and it might have helped people realize some things. Become better people, I suppose.

Bluh!

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Originally Posted by Maeni

Bluh!

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I agree with basically everything you said. When I look at other bronies and the people online who love this show, I very much hope that they've learned lessons they will hold on to. I've met some of the nicest people I've ever met in my life through this fandom, and I want to keep meeting fantastic people even AFTER one inevitable day, we cease to exist as a mass.

If this little cartoon can change me as much as it has in just a year, surely it can change the hearts of all the people around me. We can learn to be, not Jim and Mike and Carol and that guy Carol hates, but rather one giant group.

Humans. People. Friends.

Or, we can at least take what we've learned and teach our children and our neighbors through our actions. Genuinely. Not just say we will or proclaim to.

<<This is really unrelated, but I like showing all the people I like the stuff I'm working on and such. And I like you guys, and you're all here in one thread, so I tend to do so... Anyway, I'm working on ~this little virtual piece~ as a commission for someone, entirely by mouse in Paint.NET. I bought a tablet today online, and when it gets here I'll be doing some serious art.

So if you want me to draw an OC, pony-or-otherwise, or maybe just, I don't know, draw something for you, let me know! I'll see what I can do for you guys~>>

That's paint.net? With a MOUSE? How did you get it all brushy-looking?

Edit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrL6V...e_gdata_player

>watching pony videos
>2:29 lol, it's Gavin.

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Originally Posted by Maeni

Ho ho ho, how I do like this~

http://www.mtvhive.com/wp-content/up...k-pony-640.jpg
Andrew WK Outlines His Love for My Little Pony | MTV Hive
Andrew W.K. to Speak at 'My Little Pony' Convention | Music News | Rolling Stone

I didn't know who Andrew W. K. was before the Cupcakes video on YouTube, and now it appears he has joined the herd. (Actually, he says he has always liked ponies so I guess he's an old-school proto-brony)
Awesome ! It really seems like all the brony conventions are really growing, many known people showing up and such.

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Stepping back to this a second, this is AWESOME. I heard about Andrew W.K. earlier this year, then saw the Cupcakes animation later that someone used his song in. If nothing else, it fit well. Oh man, the mental scars.

Mental scars aside, Andrew W.K. has been rocking pretty hard since he started playing! It's fantastic that he joined in on all the pony fun. We need more people who are seen as doing things that are super 'manly' or whatever that are into ponies. This guy's out there rocking harder than anyone has this year, and hearing him talk about how much he identifies with Pinkie Pie warms my soul, man. What a cool dude.

I'll have my license by then. I'm REALLY tempted to go see this and be with all my bronies in Canterlot Gardens. I am unbelievably jealous of all the fun they will be having.

And that is the first time I have ever said that in my life. My life has been one long line of "You guys have fun, I'll stay comfy in my house and play video games."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MTK3Kv3iiZA

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Originally Posted by Taffy

That's paint.net? With a MOUSE? How did you get it all brushy-looking?

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I uh, I... I don't really know?

I just kind of put down my main three or four colors in the hair, then I started blending them together, generally by turning down opacity in one and then plopping it on another. Then I grabbed the pixels from inside there and brushed them out onto the combination, then grabbed a nice color from in there and brushed it out, so on, so forth.

And yeah, Paint.NET! Totes McGotes!

Spoiler for T-t-t-t-totes~:

http://i45.tinypic.com/2hfmkxd.png

-And check it out! I just finished a sketch still using the mouse, in Paint.NET, for my friend's (Talkinghead108, remember him?) OC with his favorite character!

Seriously guys, if you want me to draw an OC or something, don't be shy! You guys are super cool and you get my crap-art services free of charge!

Spoiler for OC sketch-up!:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2dh6veu.png

So, I did a lot to Ponify my computer.

It didn't actually take long once I found all the icons I wanted.

You might note I also changed the Microsoft Start orb to Rainbow Dash's cutie mark.

I changed the Windows theme to one filled with MLP images which change every five minutes. I really like it.

The full-size image can be found here: http://melaniebaustin.smugmug.com/ph...z4VwcGf-X3.png

http://melaniebaustin.smugmug.com/ph...z4VwcGf-X3.png

I love the Pinkie Recycling bin icon. It's like she's saying 'Foreveeveeeer' to any file that gets deleted.

I found a lot of really cool icons. Many are designed for Windows but I also found plenty for Mac and even ones for games like F.E.A.R. and Portal.

Even Word, Excel and Outlook all have their own Pony icons. :D

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Originally Posted by lifeinsteps

I know you suggest, Nivv, that "coming out" as a "brony" carries a negative connotation and therefore puts it under some darkness and pessimism. Not to negate, as I understand exactly what you mean, but I can't possibly be happier that I was forced to "come out".

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Actually you misread what I said. I meant that we shouldn't be considering it as "coming out" simply because it's not a big deal at all. There isn't a huge social stigma on liking a TV show, in my opinion. Good post though! :)

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Originally Posted by melanieb

*image of RD background*

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I love that background; I saw it somewhere a few days ago and it's one of about 3 that are candidates for my actual desktop background. First requirement is that it's a Dashie one! :D

Pinball is srs bsns.

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Originally Posted by Nivv

Actually you misread what I said. I meant that we shouldn't be considering it as "coming out" simply because it's not a big deal at all. There isn't a huge social stigma on liking a TV show, in my opinion. Good post though! :)

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Well, I guess I DIDN'T understand exactly what you meant. Pretention, you have failed me again! Thanks, though. Haha.

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Originally Posted by melanieb

I changed the Windows theme to one filled with MLP images which change every five minutes. I really like it.

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Ah, I did this but never changed all the icons. That's pretty awesome though! Glad it turned out so sweet~

Hey, melanieb! I was watching "American Pie" with my Dad today on our old VHS tape.

I saw a trailer for "Galaxy Quest", and when I did, I practically jumped out of my chair at the fact that I finally knew what your avatar was from! It looks like an awesome movie, I'd never even HEARD of it before!

On another note entirely, and I am sorry for the double post but felt the shift of topic required it:

I got my Bamboo Wacom Tablet today! Yay! But I'm still drawing in Paint.NET because I can't afford Photoshop. Booo...

Anyway, Pinkie decided to convey my expression upon its arrival in sketch form, done with the tablet. I don't like it as much as some of the other stuff, but my use of this thing will get there!

Spoiler for Pinkiieee:

http://i47.tinypic.com/zhaq.png

Man, I have to start drawing. I so desperately want to be better, but I never get around to actually practicing. Not to mention there's at least forty other things I want to be better at. I should really just stick to one at a time. But ponies are simple, maybe I'll sketch a few tomorrow, since I'll have some free time.

But... ponies are so simple! How could I mess up that badly? *lights drawing on fire*

Just in here to say...my daughter is obsessed with MLP and my husband proudly wears his 'Brony' shirt to work. :cooler:

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Originally Posted by brokedownheart

Just in here to say...my daughter is obsessed with MLP and my husband proudly wears his 'Brony' shirt to work. :cooler:

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That's awesome. It really is such a cool show.

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Originally Posted by Taffy

But... ponies are so simple! How could I mess up that badly? *lights drawing on fire*

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They are kind of deceptively simple. Some of the curves and stuff have angles that are sort of hard to eyeball without a couple'a tries. But that's true with anything, especially when you're trying to accurately represent exactly what you're seeing before you.

Everything takes practice. And I still get tempted to light stuff I draw on fire, all the time. Just keep drawing and appreciate what you've got and realize that a lot more talent lies dormant within you.

Practice may not make "perfect", but it will make you a helluva lot more awesome, over time.

Edit: You could try the foolproof, art teacher way. Break it into simple shapes or slice it into pieces.

Not the drawing, the pony you're trying to draw. Give me a minute and I'll show you what I mean.

Edit2:

Spoiler for Rarity Example:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2mzm6b5.png

Only pay attention to where shapes begin an end, and more importantly, divide it into grids mentally where shapes begin an end. This helps you use things in relativity to whats already around them and make sure things stay sized and angled correctly!

If I ever sound like one of those pretentious art assholes who pretends to know nothing about how difficult it can be to draw then please tell me to shut up. I HATED people like that when I was younger. My brother was one.

I think Link uses that same technique. Maybe I'll try that, it is hard to just eyeball how long to make each line and things like that. I'm going to give it another go when I have some time alone.

Can i join this awesome magic pony friendship club?! :smitten:

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Originally Posted by Ekyu

Can i join this awesome magic pony friendship club?! :smitten:

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Spoiler for RESPONSE:

http://i48.tinypic.com/14t6mvo.png

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Originally Posted by Ekyu

Can i join this awesome magic pony friendship club?! :smitten:

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http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/...pinkie_pie.jpg

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Originally Posted by Maeni

http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/...pinkie_pie.jpg

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>We invite new person to join, enthusiastically.
>Everyone clears out.

:P