Bronies Get the Cracked Treatment

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

For all the people saying "OMG IT'S A SHOW FOR LITTLE GIRLS", I'll just leave this here:

Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.

 

[Berithil]

For all the people saying "OMG IT'S A SHOW FOR LITTLE GIRLS", I'll just leave this here:

Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.

Thank you, SO much. I love that quote. I was actually going to post it in relation to this thread, but was too busy to look up the whole thing.

 

[Purple Shrimp]

out of curiosity, how many bronies have actually watched the old My Little Pony? I ask because whenever it comes up they start screaming "30 MINUTE COMMERICAL FOR HUNKS OF PLASTIC RAHR RAHRH" but they also love to accuse people who dislike the new show of judging something they haven't actually watched, and I'm just curious if they can comprehend the hypocrisy

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

A bunch of stuff.

A bunch of other stuff.

I just lost a massive post to my own gargantuan carelessness and have no will to type it all again, so I'll summarize:

"When was the last time you picked something up with no encouragement or endorsement?" is a really strange way to try to say "people aren't always influenced into everything they enjoy". Just throwing that out there.

I never claimed anyone likes the show to annoy anyone else. I had to say this like, three times, by the way; please respond to what the other person is saying, not what you think they're saying.

Nothing I said contradicted my actions, so calling me hypocritical is a little questionable.

Most people see themselves as cool and topical when they emulate what is cool and topical to most other people, in absolutely everything the world over. Those that don't often do it to feel cool and topical with a smaller group of people in an effort to feel superior to the larger group. Those that do neither of these things are the exception, not the rule, and shouldn't think otherwise. You do the math given the current topic.

You didn't say your opinion was "not going to change anything".

I know this will mean nothing to you,

You said that. And in that regard, you are wrong, on both accounts. If you had said your opinion wasn't going to change anything, I probably would have said "Yeah, you're prolly right; I see no evidence supporting it." Thus I encourage you to say what you mean as much as I encourage you to reply to what I say (not what you think I said), because I'm going to read what you say exactly as you said it.

My annoyance regarding the show has nothing to do with the show or anyone's enjoyment of it; it is aimed solely at the evangelists of the fanbase, with their avatars, their .gif, their memes, their smugness at those who tire of them, and, if I may be shallow, their show's god awful aesthetic that I'm way past tired of looking at.

I'm not accusing you or anyone in particular of that evangelism. I'm just saying it's long past gotten old. No one cares what you like (and I say that with no disrespect), but when what you like becomes something one is beaten over the head with at every single opportunity, it risks graduating from non-issue to relentless irritation, and while it's my problem for being annoyed in the first place, the annoyance in itself is my issue with the show.

The people who claim they like the show solely because of the show, not because of the phenomenon, are just an annoyance they've introduced since, but it's not an annoyance exclusive to fans of the show. They merely represent one of its many incarnations.

...This post still ended up pretty long.

 

[Outcast107]

out of curiosity, how many bronies have actually watched the old My Little Pony? I ask because whenever it comes up they start screaming "30 MINUTE COMMERICAL FOR HUNKS OF PLASTIC RAHR RAHRH" but they also love to accuse people who dislike the new show of judging something they haven't actually watched, and I'm just curious if they can comprehend the hypocrisy

Never really watch the old shows. Though I don't bash it like some others do within the community (Though I never heard them say it.) Though it bugs me that the other side of haters are saying "ITS A GIRL SHOW STOP LIKING IT BRAGH!"

Please, if you read what Lauren Faust said about the show is that yes it is for girls but it is also for adults as well. Their parents so they can have something to watch together. This is why the show is popular. IT doesn't dumb down the show because it a "girl show."

Hell I perfer a girl lead role since we have way to many male ones. Which is why I can't wait for Avatar the legend of Korra.

 

[-Drifter-]

I wonder, is it actually possible for a MLP thread on The Escapist to avoid becoming a flame-war?

Overly-aggressive haters and overly-sensitive fans make a volatile combination, it's true, but this still seems more than a little ridiculous.

 

[Kimarous]

For all the people saying "OMG IT'S A SHOW FOR LITTLE GIRLS", I'll just leave this here:

Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.

Spoiler

I haven't heard that quote in a long, long time.

I've been a brony for about two months, at most. I've been quiet about it for the most part and haven't really advertised the fact. As much as I liked the show, it was rather embarrassing. When my mom caught on, seeing me watch an episode online, I turned every shade of red. She was amused, but took it in stride. When my brother learned, he just wanted to avoid the specific subject. My aunt, who lives with the family, knows nothing of this to my knowledge; I haven't told her, at least.

I've gradually grown more comfortable with the subject matter. I've gone to the occasional pony-related site and posted the odd comment, but never gotten that involved. My mom doesn't mind if I talk about the show to her, and I've even told her that MLP merchandise would be a hilarious joke present (especially with my aunt and my brother's husband knowing nothing).

Still, I've never been fully accepting of my brony status. Even posting earlier on this thread felt a little out of character. But... now I have reached the precipice. I have reached the point where I am proud to declare:

My name is Kimarous, and I am a brony.

 

[hittite]

out of curiosity, how many bronies have actually watched the old My Little Pony? I ask because whenever it comes up they start screaming "30 MINUTE COMMERICAL FOR HUNKS OF PLASTIC RAHR RAHRH" but they also love to accuse people who dislike the new show of judging something they haven't actually watched, and I'm just curious if they can comprehend the hypocrisy

I haven't, but from what I hear, it had some really great villains (this was Hasbro in the 80s) and a few good characters. But suffered a little bit from the quality of voice acting and animation. I might check it out sometime, if only for Tirek and Firefly.

Now, you want bad? My Little Pony: Newborn Cuties. *shudder*

 

[Outcast107]

snip

First off, welcome friend. Second its good to let it isn't it? Then keeping it hidden. Sure everyone feel weird at first about liking this show. But then, why? I just come to accpet the fact its a good show and refuse to hide the fact I like it. Hell the reason I change my avatar to a pony is because of this thread.

Just to show the haters and to the bronies within the community that I like the show. That it is not a "fad" or a "meme" that just going away within a few months. Sure it might die someday, but that will be years from now.

 

[Sassafrass]

You are all arguing over cartoon ponies.
CARTOON. PONIES.
[HEADING=1]CARTOON. PONIES.[/HEADING]

Let that sink in for a bit.

Of all the things to get worked up over, a thread about cartoon ponies has to rank up there as the most pathetic reason to have an argument on the internet, ever. And this site was supposed to be intelligent but it seems that's gone out the window.[hr]Anyway, as for my thoughts on the OPs question, it was hilarious. Cracked normally is and I did find that article funny. Some people need to learn to take the shots people take at them. Hell, some guy on my Twitter feed just laid into FF X and I'm not arguing with the guy.

EDIT: Ah shit, just bumped it, thought it would still be going. Fuck. XP

 

[Berithil]

out of curiosity, how many bronies have actually watched the old My Little Pony? I ask because whenever it comes up they start screaming "30 MINUTE COMMERICAL FOR HUNKS OF PLASTIC RAHR RAHRH" but they also love to accuse people who dislike the new show of judging something they haven't actually watched, and I'm just curious if they can comprehend the hypocrisy

I saw the first episode of g3(?) I think. It made me want to claw my eyes out.....and rainbow dash acts like rarity.

 

[hooksashands]

Member of almost a year banned for MLP hate already. Guys, let that be a hard-learned lesson: Don't shit on a fanbase. In their own topic. In front of them. Not cool.

I'm going to keep smiling and pretending to be a fan (even if I've only seen two episodes). I don't love it to death, but I don't dislike it either. It's a cute show, has plenty of weighty topics that flow as undercurrent, it's perfect for kids, awesome for adults too. Laura it's creator and editor could easily make a show more geared towards adults if she wanted to; she's a great writer. I have noticed this denial of liking anything a child would like in cultures, this paranoid race to "all be grown-up", and to some degree I think that crushing mentality has sparked a jaded reaction where nobody wants to drop their precious self-conscious and stop being a dullard and FINALLY EMBRACE HIS OR HER CHILDISHNESS by watching MLP. Like a hug from a warm friend you haven't seen in forever.

When I was a wee lad, I would always buy and read Cracked Magazines. I have a thawed and worn box full of 350 issues under my desk. They have always been light-hearted humor, a little more downhome and respectful. These are people who parodied decades worth of movies and tv shows in 4 to 6 pages, you could trust their approach.

If any Bronies have been offended, on behalf of Cracked.com (a reader and contributor) I apologize. And give all my love.

 

[Aidinthel]

Some people need to learn to take the shots people take at them. Hell, some guy on my Twitter feed just laid into FF X and I'm not arguing with the guy.

I haven't seen anyone upset with the article if that's what you meant.

If you're referring to the flamewar in this thread, well, it's the internet. There's nothing to be done about it, I'm afraid.

 

[eternal-chaplain]

Like a good bit of people commenting here, I am a brony as well. Though I do little more than watch the show.
Of course I was quickly made aware of the general hate brought about by people liking this show, and I think Cracked was rather observatory and quite unbiased as opposed to many opinions.

 

[Aidinthel]

*snip*

Well said, and thank you for being so reasonable about it. I haven't seen anyone who was offended by the article (though I suppose there are always a few no matter what), and in fact the main reaction has been quite positive.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

A well handled article, really. Young adult males being attracted to well written, well animated shows about friendship, and how to responsibly handle given situations? They understand that they're not the target audience, but they support it anyway, because they enjoy it? Gasp! They're behaving...rationally? Wait, what? How can this be?

Juxtapose the modest sensibilities with the fanatical anti-pony brigade, and it's amusing to see the results. Then there's the battle of fan versus anti-fan, and even more amusement is had. One side using the tools of the internet to bring down mountains of understanding and acceptance onto the other, armed with vulgarity and anger.

 

[Belated]

I'm actually pretty relieved to read this entry, because it's evidence that bronies are far from gone and I was beginning to worry I jumped on the bandwagon way too late. But what do you think of it? Was it too hard on bronies, or was it just hilarious?

I knew it, it's not the show itself you all like. It's being part of a huge bandwagon that travels around the internet going toot toot!

Who cares how many people like it, if you like it then the number of other people who do too shouldn't be a factor.

Whoa, take it easy dude. Don't put words in my mouth. Liking being on a bandwagon and liking the show for its own merits are not mutually exclusive. In other words, just because I enjoy being part of something, doesn't mean that's my primary reason for doing this. My primary reason is still the show. Don't act like you've discovered some major scandal about the entire group just because you pulled too much meaning out of something just one of us said.

 

[seraphy]

Member of almost a year banned for MLP hate already. Guys, let that be a hard-learned lesson: Don't shit on a fanbase. In their own topic. In front of them. Not cool.

It would be great if internet worked like that.

 

[Aidinthel]

It would be great if internet worked like that.

Forget the internet; it'd be great if people worked like that...

Another user group link:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/MLP-Friendship-is-Magic
I recommend that anyone who joins turn chat notifications off as the group is very active.

 

[Pharsalus]

I don't really know what to think of Bronies, if nothing else there are worse places to get moral guidance. I must say I am alarmed by seeing several users already banned for replies to this post. Forums are all about opinions, even hateful ones and I'm surprised to see people getting banned for vehemently expressing those opinions. Forum mods are mostly bronies perhaps...?