Thread: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Originally Posted by Ctharlhie

Some bronies think that the fandom will change world.

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!

Originally Posted by Maeni

Bluh!

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~>>