Bronies! Are you ashamed of yourself? - UPDATED

[SonicWaffle]

UPDATE - I actually wrote this article a while ago, but with one thing or another I never got around to going through the thread and replying to everyone like I promised. Since somebody has necro'd the thread, I'm going to try and devote some time to doing that today. Meanwhile, if you'd like to read my article (which I'd appreciate, because 'likes' and re-tweets make me look cool, popular and sexy!) you can do so right here [http://ontologicalgeek.com/bronies-chaos-marines-and-dirty-little-secrets/]. Thanks to all those who responded to the thread, I'm sorry for being shit, and I shall attempt to get some responses done today.

ORIGINAL POST;

Hi guys

I'm currently writing an article about arbitrary lines drawn within the geek community, wherein this is cool but that is uncool. You lot immediately leapt to mind (the bulk of the article is about Warhammer as a tabletop game, and how other nerds have looked down on me for trying it) as a marginalised group for liking a cartoon despite geek culture as a whole celebrating shows like Transformers or Thundercats. I felt weird playing Warhammer, as if I were doing something wrong or shameful, just because I experimented with a game considered "lame" by the mainstream, and even other nerds, but I can't figure out why one has been labelled better than the other. Neither I nor the friend I played with have discussed our Warhammer game with anyone for fear of ridicule, but considering we spent the rest of the day co-op playing Borderlands 2 and watching Doctor Who, I'm confused as to why our instinctive reaction is to be reticent about one geeky thing but not the others.

So my question to you, Brony chums, is whether you feel ashamed of your hobby or whether you revel in it? Do you discuss it openly with family and friends or do you restrict your pony-loving to forums or other forms of online interaction? Would you walk down the street in a Pinkie Pie t-shirt (I admit, I had to look the name up) or do you keep your preference a secret? Whichever way you answer, I'd like to ask why - if you feel safe publicaly admitting your tastes, do you ever face harassment for it? If you keep it as a dirty little secret, why? Do you think other people would look down on you?

DISCLAIMER, PLEASE READ - since I know that, sadly, there are people who will only see the title before responding, I want to make it clear that I'm not saying Bronies should be ashamed, I'm just asking about how individual Bronies feel about what they enjoy

 

[TimeLord]

No.

The same way I'm not ashamed of gaming or liking bacon in the presence of vegetarians. I do what I want because I enjoy it.

 

[Hazy992]

Why would I feel ashamed in liking a cartoon? It's nobody else's business what I watch.

 

[hittite]

No, not really. I don't exactly go out of my way to tell everyone I know about it, but I'm not really afraid to talk about it either.

 

[Chrono212]

Nope.

I wear as many self-referential t-shirts, badges and hats as my body is physically able to handle.

WHICH IS OVER 9000!

 

[EeveeElectro]

Oh yes. I could be a *****, a bully, a theif and generally a bad person, but instead I chose to like a cartoon.

I'm a monster!

 

[Scorched_Cascade]

Strangely I was talking about this very thing the other day. While I don't play tabletop Warhammer anymore for a few reasons (not for...12 or so years roughly) I avidly read the 40k books and any lore I can get my hands on and play all the games.

I've been discussing how good the Horus Heresy books, a series I'm a fan of, are and how they've even gotten some critical acclaim and made bestseller lists. I talk about them with others and people read the chat and say things like "that sounds really interesting, what are you talking about?" mention the words "Warhammer" or "40k" and you get "Oh, nevermind then, forget I asked".

It's puzzling. Even people into the sci-fi ish genre who would probably really like it wont go near it because of the reputation of the extended universe it belongs to.

Interesting topic potential but I think the title is going to make it go south fairly quickly. If it does go bad or just stagnate I suggest remaking it with a less...divisive title

Edit-late to the party, see with a title like this I think that's all your going to get. Well that and maybe the opposing view holding people.

 

[Pinkamena]

Why would I feel ashamed in liking a cartoon? It's nobody else's business what I watch.

At first I was like "Does Daystar watch ponies?" Then I noticed the post count. Then your name. You should be ashamed of yourself, tricking other users like that!

OT:
No, I would not say that I am shamed of it. But at the same time, I do not openly show that I a fan of the show, nor do I talk about unless it is brought up. I realize that mosts peoples reaction to "I like My Little Pony" is rarely positive, so why should I willingly subject myself to their reaction?

 

[scorptatious]

Why would I feel ashamed in liking a cartoon? It's nobody else's business what I watch.

But Daystar, I thought you didn't like...

Wait.. You're not Daystar Clarion.

YOU'RE NOT DAYSTAR CLARION!!

OT: I'll admit when I first got into the show, I was kinda embarrassed about it due to the stigma it produced.

Eventually though, I told my brother and he decided to be an asshole and tell my parents. My dad thought it was funny, but beyond that, he didn't seem to mind.

Now, I'm openly wearing MLP T-shirts in public. So I'm not ashamed.

 

[Hazy992]

Why would I feel ashamed in liking a cartoon? It's nobody else's business what I watch.

At first I was like "Does Daystar watch ponies?" Then I noticed the post count. Then your name. You should be ashamed of yourself, tricking other users like that!

I have no idea what you're talking about, Pink I AM Spartacus Daystar!

 

[Shadowstar38]

Might not want to make such a flamebaity title next time there mate. You yourself were even aware of it. Though that first paragraph did spark to mind an interesting topic discussion. Though it is kind of sad you had to single out MLP as the base of it.

See, gaming isn't as "geeky" as it once was. It's far more mainstream. People are considered geeky when gaming boarders on obsession and it's the main thing you focus on. And I believe Doctor Who is at the level of popularity where no one can be rediclued for watching that. But Warhammer is a whole other level of nerdeness we rarely ever encounter. That's some DND stuff right there.

For your question about the particular show you want to know about, I talk about ponies at the same level that other people talk about, I dont know, anime or Half life. It's a thing I like, and if you want to know my interests, that might be on the list of things I say.

I honestly dont get why anyone would be ashamed of it or why people would take offense.

Now. My sexual orintation. THATS SOMETHING I CAN BE ASHAMED OF WITH PRIDE!

Spoiler

 

[skywolfblue]

No. Ponies are awesome, adorable, and I get a kick out of how some people get worked up into such a rage over it.

 

[Hazy992]

Oh yes. I could be a *****, a bully, a theif and generally a bad person, but instead I chose to like a cartoon.

I'm a monster!

How do you live with yourself, Eevee? You're a terrifying creature and you've let all of Yorkshire down

 

[EeveeElectro]

Oh yes. I could be a *****, a bully, a theif and generally a bad person, but instead I chose to like a cartoon.

I'm a monster!

How do you live with yourself, Eevee? You're a terrifying creature and you've let all of Yorkshire down

I...I just don't know.

I'll... take my flat cap and leave now.... *sulk*

[sub]*grumbles* stoopid confusing avatar switches...[/sub]

 

[Folji]

No shame of any sort, anywhere, no real point in it, just a little disappointed in modern society for still not getting that norms change and unusual doesn't mean bad. As in "X is for girls" isn't a constant fact and just because guys liking pretty colours and happy times is unusual doesn't mean it's bad.

But, of course, society likes to put things they don't understand in the same box as the mentally unstable, so it's not particularly tempting to tell the whole wide world about it. Then again, convincing others that liking ponies can be done without being gay has gone really well so far!

 

[Hazy992]

Oh yes. I could be a *****, a bully, a theif and generally a bad person, but instead I chose to like a cartoon.

I'm a monster!

How do you live with yourself, Eevee? You're a terrifying creature and you've let all of Yorkshire down

I...I just don't know.

I'll... take my flat cap and leave now.... *sulk*

[sub]*grumbles* stoopid confusing avatar switches...[/sub]

No more kestrels and Yorkshire puddings for you!

[sub]I don't know what you're talking about [/sub]

 

[DJ_DEnM]

This thread has now become a Haze-Star thread.

EDIT: Welp, guess not anymore.

OT: Nope, not in the slightest.

 

[SonicWaffle]

Might not want to make such a flamebaity title next time there mate. You yourself were even aware of it. Though that first paragraph did spark to mind an interesting topic discussion. Though it is kind of sad you had to single out MLP as the base of it.

Well, that's why I singled out MLP - on this forum, and many others, they're the geeks that other geeks look down on. They're the core of the issue.

See, gaming isn't as "geeky" as it once was. It's far more mainstream. People are considered geeky when gaming boarders on obsession and it's the main thing you focus on. And I believe Doctor Who is at the level of popularity where no one can be rediclued for watching that. But Warhammer is a whole other level of nerdeness we rarely ever encounter. That's some DND stuff right there.

That's exactly the point. Geekiness is becoming mainstream - why are we singling out certain hobbies and claiming they are somehow worse than others?

Now. My sexual orintation. THATS SOMETHING I CAN BE ASHAMED OF WITH PRIDE!

Spoiler

...you're into chickens?

 

[SonicWaffle]

This thread has now become a Haze-Star thread.

A whaaaa?

OT: Nope, not in the slightest.

So you don't mind if other people judge you for liking a children's cartoon, you'll still be wearing your badges with pride?

 

[SonicWaffle]

No shame of any sort, anywhere, no real point in it, just a little disappointed in modern society for still not getting that norms change and unusual doesn't mean bad. As in "X is for girls" isn't a constant fact and just because guys liking pretty colours and happy times is unusual doesn't mean it's bad.

But, of course, society likes to put things they don't understand in the same box as the mentally unstable, so it's not particularly tempting to tell the whole wide world about it. Then again, convincing others that liking ponies can be done without being gay has gone really well so far!

I don't get the impression it's even about gay or straight, it's about degrees of lameness. Like throwing someone to the wolves - we nerds can say to the general public "OK, so I read comic books, but that guy likes a cartoon about ponies - I'm cooler than him, right? I'm not the lowest rung of the ladder?"