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Didn't realize it was even possible for me to be mistaken on this. :|

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Expect this thread to be locked because Bronies are special and need to be protected from bullies, aka "people who don't get it". MLP .

Dakka has no specific moderation policy towards Bronies, beyond the normal levels of courtesy expected to be shown to all posters.

 Muhr wrote:
So what the hell is wrong with these 'men'? What's so special about it, apart from being obscenely odd behavior when a full-grown man watches a cartoon aimed at children, mainly little girls?

Why would you immediately assume that there is something 'wrong' with them?

People enjoy what they enjoy. The fact tha a show is aimed at pre-teen girls doesn't meant that they're the only ones allowed to enjoy it. It just means that, for marketing reasons, the show is built around elements that pre-teen girls will enjoy. But so is almost every Disney movie ever made, and nobody claims that guys are 'odd' for liking those.

There's a weird double-standard going in in western culture at the moment. If a girl likes Batman, or cars, or football, we all think that's just awesome... But if a guy likes ponies, or any of the other things that we've arbitrarily decided are 'girl' things, then they're a bit weird. That, IMO, needs to change, if only because making people feel bad for liking the things they like doesn't lead to a happy place for anyone.

Can't we all just accept that different people like different things, and let it go at that?

 insaniak wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Expect this thread to be locked because Bronies are special and need to be protected from bullies, aka "people who don't get it". MLP .

Dakka has no specific moderation policy towards Bronies, beyond the normal levels of courtesy expected to be shown to all posters.

 Muhr wrote:
So what the hell is wrong with these 'men'? What's so special about it, apart from being obscenely odd behavior when a full-grown man watches a cartoon aimed at children, mainly little girls?

Why would you immediately assume that there is something 'wrong' with them?

People enjoy what they enjoy. The fact tha a show is aimed at pre-teen girls doesn't meant that they're the only ones allowed to enjoy it. It just means that, for marketing reasons, the show is built around elements that pre-teen girls will enjoy. But so is almost every Disney movie ever made, and nobody claims that guys are 'odd' for liking those.

There's a weird double-standard going in in western culture at the moment. If a girl likes Batman, or cars, or football, we all think that's just awesome... But if a guy likes ponies, or any of the other things that we've arbitrarily decided are 'girl' things, then they're a bit weird. That, IMO, needs to change, if only because making people feel bad for liking the things they like doesn't lead to a happy place for anyone.

Can't we all just accept that different people like different things, and let it go at that?

I have written several papers and stuff and it all comes down to the same reason why alot of people dont like gay men.
Because a man acting effeminate is, is some peoples eyes, bringing himself down to the level of the women, therefore demoting himself(And you are kidding yourself if you dont thing there is a sexual heirachy in the world"

I don't get it, but I don't have to get it, people can like whatever they want to and I can respect their individuality.

I never get why grown up men get made fun of and have their sexuality or even sanity questioned just because they like something cute.

I find the show unwatchable on a huge scale, but I also found titanic and avatar unwatchable and walked out of both movies, which means I am "wrong" to the millions who loved these films.

To each their own.

 insaniak wrote:

 timetowaste85 wrote:
Expect this thread to be locked because Bronies are special and need to be protected from bullies, aka "people who don't get it". MLP .

Dakka has no specific moderation policy towards Bronies, beyond the normal levels of courtesy expected to be shown to all posters.

 Muhr wrote:
So what the hell is wrong with these 'men'? What's so special about it, apart from being obscenely odd behavior when a full-grown man watches a cartoon aimed at children, mainly little girls?

Why would you immediately assume that there is something 'wrong' with them?

People enjoy what they enjoy. The fact tha a show is aimed at pre-teen girls doesn't meant that they're the only ones allowed to enjoy it. It just means that, for marketing reasons, the show is built around elements that pre-teen girls will enjoy. But so is almost every Disney movie ever made, and nobody claims that guys are 'odd' for liking those.

There's a weird double-standard going in in western culture at the moment. If a girl likes Batman, or cars, or football, we all think that's just awesome... But if a guy likes ponies, or any of the other things that we've arbitrarily decided are 'girl' things, then they're a bit weird. That, IMO, needs to change, if only because making people feel bad for liking the things they like doesn't lead to a happy place for anyone.

Can't we all just accept that different people like different things, and let it go at that?

Totally Agree. Sounds like people demanding traditional gender roles and trying to tear down anyone who doesn't fall into 'what they are supposed to like'. One of the major problems with society today is people *TELLING* children what they are *SUPPOSED* to like and not letting them explore and learn on their own what they like and who they are.

One of my Favorite shows on TV today is Steven Universe, which is heavily weighted towards female characters. It is created by a female and at the beginning it was universally dismissed as 'a show for girls' due to a lot of institutional bias. In the past year, the popularity for it has exploded due to it simply being a good show and has broken gender-specific barriers.

I don't particularly care for MLP, but I see why people would, and it falls into one of those shows parents can watch with their kids and not want to kill themselves.

nkelsch wrote:
and it falls into one of those shows parents can watch with their kids and not want to kill themselves.

And speaking as both a parent, and an ex-toystore employee, that's an incredibly valuable thing!

I agree. There are various shows including MLP, Kim Possible and Totally Spies etc, that are good enough to be entertaining for a child and an adult.

One of my joys used to be getting up early on a Saturday and watching children's cartoon shows with my daughter, aged three to 10 years old.

At least these programmes promote positive qualities of friendship, cooperation and innocent fun.

It is very easy to conflate cynicism with sophistication.

It's fine if you like a show. I just don't really get why they need low quality toys meant for small children of that show. I have models and statues of multiple shows but they actually look good. But I just don't get how one can be proud that they have 5 dollar/euro children's toys on their shelf.

I'm quite okay with people liking stuff, as long as they don't bother me. Everyone got their own preference. The problem is... the "Bronies" I know never heard of personal space or not bothering people. Seriously...

 The Grumpy Eldar wrote:
It's fine if you like a show. I just don't really get why they need low quality toys meant for small children of that show.

Because they like them?

The moment has passed some from the height of the craze, so I imagine to many at this point that how out of control the fandom got does seem a bit strange. The show was always fine, and just liking it didn't make one a Brony. No, for a period of time there were fans that would make everything about the show and it made anything else difficult to talk about. It isn't by accident that Dakka ended up with a separate thread for or that one could banned from even such a wild west of the internet as 4chan for bringing it up; the Bronies didn't just like the show they engorged on it.

Politics? Lets talk about MLP
GW? Lets talk about MLP
New game coming out? Lets talk about MLP
Current event? Lets talk about MLP
New film out? Lets talk about MLP

Of course you also had the knee jerk reaction against it that went the other way and when you put the two together, which of course existed hand-in-hand, and you ended up with a torrent of awful that would slow any conversation.

Have been one for nearly 4 years now, the community is great, the show is still going strong, and I even met my partner through it.

As a gamer, there is even a CCG, which is great fun to play.

I also enjoy other weird hobbies that grown men shouldn't be doing like playing with little plastic toy soldiers!

I enjoy watching MLP (avatar is probably a clue ).

It combines well written and acted characters which avoid typical cliches with fun storylines and adventures which have moral lessons without resorting to preaching.

Add in enough references and jokes for adults (such as spotting characters from The Big Lebowski as ponies in a bowling alley) and some fantastic villains for the two-part episodes, especially John de Lancie as Discord, and you have a good show which can appeal to a wide audience.

 A Town Called Malus wrote:


Add in enough references and jokes for adults (such as spotting characters from The Big Lebowski as ponies in a bowling alley) and some fantastic villains for the two-part episodes, especially John de Lancie as Discord, and you have a good show which can appeal to a wide audience.

You can usually tell when a cartoon has appeal when celebrities and professional actors go out of their way to try to be a character on the show. Most of the cameos are not 'uuuuugh, I have to voice a cartoon? dumb, give me a paycheck.' A lot of celebrities end up saying in interviews, "I saw my child watching this show, it was good, so I asked if I could do a voice on the show"

I find it hilarious how we can have a super serious and legitimate community over our plastic army men but BRONIES are somehow insane. Anyone ever seen 40 year old virgin? you know, the thing most people think all miniature painter/wargamers are like? What? That's not true? It is a false stereotype? oh my... Maybe people shouldn't make snap judgments.

 Ahtman wrote:
the Bronies didn't just like the show they engorged on it.

Politics? Lets talk about MLP
GW? Lets talk about MLP
New game coming out? Lets talk about MLP
Current event? Lets talk about MLP
New film out? Lets talk about MLP

Of course you also had the knee jerk reaction against it that went the other way and when you put the two together, which of course existed hand-in-hand, and you ended up with a torrent of awful that would slow any conversation.

I think the rampant fanboy-ism approach to it didn't do it any favors. It wasn't enough just for a brony to like it they also had to ram it down the throats of everyone around them until they were sparkly eyed and puking rainbows as well. Unbridled restraint or complete inability to moderate enthusiasm turns other people off to your message. That super-bubbley-everything-is-magitastic-about-this-thing-I-love-mega-intense-attitude is like nails on a chalk board to me be if coming from a somebody that's just entered 40k, warmachine, ponies, religious cult, extreme fitness training, or whatever. It causes people to lose their filter so that they don't realize that in a way they are being very confrontational towards people that don't equally share their level 11 intensity towards their interest.

Everybody's gotta be into something, whether it's watching 250 lb. men in pads crashing into each other, cartoon ponies trotting about, or anything in between.
I know my hobby of playing with lil' plastic men isn't considered the coolest thing in all quarters and makes some people ask what a grown man sees in playing with toys. Me? I just grin at 'em and keep Rollin the dice.

Relapse wrote:
Everybody's gotta be into something, whether it's watching 250 lb. men in pads crashing into each other, cartoon ponies trotting about, or anything in between.
I know my hobby of playing with lil' plastic men isn't considered the coolest thing in all quarters and makes some people ask what a grown man sees in playing with toys. Me? I just grin at 'em and keep Rollin the dice.

See, it's funny. I bring my painted models with me and I get the response "holy crap, that's awesome". Wherever I go. Most people play board games. A quick discussion that I also play games involving models I paint myself and people see the models and think it's awesome. Of course, presentation helps. But I'm not sure if "I watch a cartoon with good morals and fun jokes that everyone can appreciate" will translate as well when the person you tell sees that you're talking about MLP, as opposed to "I paint figurines for a game" and the person you tell sees its Warhammer. One is a hobby thing that can be argued is for artists and strategists, the other is a show that if taken past watching the show becomes collecting colorful dollies with hair you can brush (and that's at the shallow end). If you want to go to the deepend for both, you get the cosplay. Although I haven't heard of much sexual cosplay for Warhammer (except occasional boobie-commissars), while I've read stories about Bronies marrying stuffed Twilight Sparkles plushies. For real. Which one is more likely to be frowned upon by society?


"You" is also a general "you". Not directed at Relapse.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
If they're not hurting anyone I don't understand the fuss. Sure there must be a few weirdos as all fandomd tend to gather. But to tar all adult fans of the show with the same brush is the same as those who see some stinking slob in a game store and tar all gamers the same way. Which does happen and gamers bleat about the unfairness of it.

But passing judgment is so fun! And hypocrisy is always fun too!

Except when you are making fun of MY hobbies and fandoms, then it is you being mean!

Remember, if you are making fun of other fandoms, its because they deserve it, if you are being made fun of "They just dont get it"
Like me, Im ALWAYS gonna pick on the sonic fandom.

I don't see how you are in a position to pick on anyone.

I know some folks that are into it, I've never made a point of looking into it too closely. From what I gather from them it's mostly just that it's an upbeat show, with simple easy to enjoy characters and writing that's clever in a "Clean for kids" kind of way. The guys with massive figurine collections, that constantly obsessed over it or make porno out of dang cartoon horses seem like they're an entirely different beast all together than the casual fans.

I try not to be too harsh, stuff aimed primarily at kids can still be fun. I still find Winnie the Pooh to be genuinely entertaining and that's aimed at the under-5 demographic. If the pony people wanna watch their pony show about ponies whatever it's a TV Show they can do what they want.

I will be honest - I have never watched an entire episode.

But the part of the one episode that I saw made me laugh out loud, which is something to be cherished. (One of the ponies summoned a fainting couch to dramatically faint in.)

So... I give it bonus points for being very silly.

The Auld Grump

*EDIT* I have a soft spot for extremely silly summoning spells - I have also laughed at a webcomic where one of the spell casters had a spell to summon 'Emergency Pants'... and had needed them before.

I don't get it too. It's like colored pony. I saw original film long time ago. Just animation for childrens, nothing special

 Sasori wrote:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 curran12 wrote:

 Howard A Treesong wrote:
If they're not hurting anyone I don't understand the fuss. Sure there must be a few weirdos as all fandomd tend to gather. But to tar all adult fans of the show with the same brush is the same as those who see some stinking slob in a game store and tar all gamers the same way. Which does happen and gamers bleat about the unfairness of it.

But passing judgment is so fun! And hypocrisy is always fun too!

Except when you are making fun of MY hobbies and fandoms, then it is you being mean!

Remember, if you are making fun of other fandoms, its because they deserve it, if you are being made fun of "They just dont get it"
Like me, Im ALWAYS gonna pick on the sonic fandom.

I don't see how you are in a position to pick on anyone.

I have played sonic the roommate game on my oculus rift. So, maybe I am.

 toasteroven wrote:
Remember, it's important to judge others on this forum dedicated to moving around tiny plastic and metal men.

That reminds me of one of my all time favorite dakka quotes on this topic...

"One Universe is full of vibrant varied characters and settings, all centered around a millennia spanning saga concerning a near omnipotent regent whose gambit to defeat the gods of chaos is ruined when their OWN BELOVED FLESH AND BLOOD becomes a corrupted harbinger of the demonic. That's some heavy stuff there.

The other, as far as I can tell used to be about that, but is now just creepy corporate-driven adolescent power fantasy about fancy boys in power armor." -- Boggy Man


Personally, I don't think they are hurting anyone, so who cares?

Oh they aren't hurting anyone, but it is so much fun to go after folks for liking someone you don't. It is how you cover up a very weak self-esteem. Amirite?

 curran12 wrote:
Oh they aren't hurting anyone, but it is so much fun to go after folks for liking someone you don't. It is how you cover up a very weak self-esteem. Amirite?

No, it's just annoying when you constantly get their fandom smashed into your face.

I think the Powerpuff Girls are great, and watch many a "childrens" cartoon (mostly cartoons from the 80's my wife and her brother inflict on me ), but there are quite a few shows aimed at children it is perfectly easy to enjoy as an adult.

 thenoobbomb wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
Oh they aren't hurting anyone, but it is so much fun to go after folks for liking someone you don't. It is how you cover up a very weak self-esteem. Amirite?

No, it's just annoying when you constantly get their fandom smashed into your face.

Well, it's certainly a good thing that it is the only fandom that is ever overly embraced and smashed in other's faces, huh?

 SilverMK2 wrote:
I think the Powerpuff Girls are great, and watch many a "childrens" cartoon (mostly cartoons from the 80's my wife and her brother inflict on me ), but there are quite a few shows aimed at children it is perfectly easy to enjoy as an adult.

Yeah. Like Batman TAS.

 curran12 wrote:

 thenoobbomb wrote:

 curran12 wrote:
Oh they aren't hurting anyone, but it is so much fun to go after folks for liking someone you don't. It is how you cover up a very weak self-esteem. Amirite?

No, it's just annoying when you constantly get their fandom smashed into your face.

Well, it's certainly a good thing that it is the only fandom that is ever overly embraced and smashed in other's faces, huh?

I've never really seen any fandom do that as badly as the MLP fandom.

Maybe a mod should lock this up... These conversations never end well