Bronies Get the Cracked Treatment

[Gyrohelix]

w00t! Nothing a party cannon can't fix!

 

[irishda]

I don't mind people liking the show. Replacing every word referring to people as "pony" or some derivative thereof (bronie, somepony, everypony, etc.)? That's sort of disturbing, like people that learn how to speak Klingon, or adults that use baby talk with other adults.

 

[Melon Hunter]

Hang on... what? Respond to what the other person is saying, not what you think they're saying? That's what I'm trying to do, here. If you think I haven't responded properly, then perhaps you need to clarify your own opinions in future. All I'm going on is what you've posted.

And again, I never said anyone does likes the show to annoy anyone else, but you implied I did, several times.

So no, you're you weren't entirely responding only to what I said.

Then if I have put words into your mouth, I apologise for that. However, the textual nature of this debate does sometimes make it difficult to understand the true meaning behind some statements.

As for the hypocrisy statement, you claimed I didn't and couldn't know how many people enjoyed the show for its own merits, and yet in the very post I quoted back, you said you could count those people on one hand, suggesting you had a better handle on the reasons why people watch the show. I will accept I cannot know why every last person who watches the show does so, but to call me out for that and then have that flippant remark on your own post is hypocrisy.

...As you cheerfully demonstrate here.

I didn't say I could. I said I bet I could. Speculative. It's also very obviously hyperbole, dramatic exaggeration, to emphasize my point (though I frankly wouldn't be surprised if I could). Because it's obviously an extremely sensitive subject to you, you ended up taking it way too freaking seriously, and continue to. I recommend you do not; regardless of whether what I say or what you say is true, it's a fricking television show.

I am a naturally argumentative person. I will debate someone if I believe their opinion is in some way misguided, and I will take umbrage to sweeping generalisations being applied to any segment of society. I am not simply taking this seriously because it is a pony-related thread; I will apply this principle to anyone who starts spouting things that only apply to the vocal minority of a group. Your hand comment, speculative or otherwise, fell under this. Also, please do not put words into my mouth about how this subject in particular is extremely sensitive. That is not the case; I simply wished to refute your points.

If your annoyance is directed at the evangelists of the fanbase, then I would counter that every moderate fan shares that opinion. I like the show, but not to the point of beating people over the head with it. I would suggest in future it is a far better option simply not to get involved. After all, while I realise your frustration at this small group of people, what good is it to jump into a thread where everyone is trying to be cordial and proclaim your hatred, where it has no real relevance to the matter at hand?

'Cause I felt like it. Venting made me feel better.

And it has as much relevance as anything else on the subject. Something else that irritates me are people that whine at any sort of criticism on a subject they like, saying it's not relevant, simply because they can't handle that someone disapproves of it - even if the criticism is completely reasonable and adds something to the discussion other than fountains of memes, animated .gifs, and hate speech. So I shall politely disregard your suggestion in the future, thanks.

I can handle disapproval just fine. And now you're putting words in my mouth. As much as you dislike those who will post pony GIFs and the like, I dislike those who come into pony threads and start shouting a load of ignorant guff about how they hate the fans so much and they're all so annoying, etc..

Your original post quoted someone saying that we have 'become the show', and you agreeing with them. This is patently untrue. I have not allowed MLP to take over my life, merely become a part of it, just like any other normal fan of any franchise. I'm not saying dissenting opinions are irrelevant, I'm saying that those who have extrapolated some unfortunate encounters into a view that every brony is somehow a loudmouth who will not hesitate to push the show down others' throats are irrelevant, because this, as I will repeat again, is not true. Furthermore, I see a distinct lack of fountains of memes, animated GIFs and hate speech (except from haters themselves, it would seem) that your criticism has brushed aside in this thread, merely a mostly well-balanced debate.

I realise that this will probably be pushed aside by you as me 'taking this too seriously', but this is not due to the fact it is pony-related. It is because your entire argument is based on sweeping generalisations, which have no place in any reasonable debate. Furthermore, if you feel the need to vent about fans of a show that badly, perhaps you are also taking it a bit seriously? Just a thought.

Also, as we seem to be batting the same points back at one another, I understand if you wish to end this exchange here. I would just ask that you do consider these points, regardless of what franchise they apply to in future. It is remarkably petty to have such vitriol for anything based on such emotive extrapolation.

 

[infohippie]

Aww. Somepony needs a hug. He also needs to learn to ignore threads that aren't going to interest him.

The crazy thing is that he probably came into here thinking HEY ITS A CRACKED ARTICLE LETS FIND OUT HOW THEY BASH THE BRONIES. So his post isn't out of place. Hell do you know what you do when someone who obviously doesn't like what you like posts in a thread about it? You don't quote them and bash them back by saying somePONY instead of somebody. What you did actually pisses me off greatly and I don't hate bronies. Hell one of my best friends is a brony I just don't find the show that interesting.

Wow, man, chill a little. In a pony thread I'm sure as hay going to use terms like "somepony" because I enjoy them. I don't do that in other threads, so in a pony-related one how about you try not to get pissed off that people use the language that's come to be associated with it?

For the record, after he looked at the article and saw it wasn't about bashing bronies he still felt the need to post a negative comment. Why try to defend that?

And I still think everypony could do with more hugs.

 

[AstylahAthrys]

Even though I'm a girl, I can totally relate to Bronies having to defend themselves over liking it. People seem to think that if you're not part of the target audience, you should not be watching that. I've faced so much of that over my life since I like "guy things." As a kid I watched the boy cartoons, played video games and loved Star Wars. Many people asked me why I didn't play with girl stuff, why I liked my action figures over my Barbie dolls. You know why? Because I got joy from it. To this day, my mom looks into my room filled with tech and game swag and wonders why I couldn't be "a regular girl." You know what? I am a regular girl. I like shoes, jewelry, clothes, perfume and hot guys, I just also happen to like my 360 and computers and Superhero movies.

What I'm getting at here is that Bronies should not be hated for liking a "girl show." It's cute, funny, well-written and just downright fun. Obviously they still like guy stuff, otherwise they wouldn't be on a forum where guys are the target audience. They're not gay or pedophiles, like playing video games does not make me a lesbian (which many have assumed before.)

Some Bronies are a little overzealous, but maybe they wouldn't go out of their way to defend themselves if they weren't being called names because they happen to like something outside their demographic. It's sexist and backwards to say "guys can't like girl things." That shouldn't matter. Guys don't have to always be macho, playing war games, watching football and fixing cars. It's sexist to think that.

Now, how about we all have some cupcakes? And by cupcakes I do mean cupcakes, not... *shudder* cupcakes.

 

[LilithSlave]

Bah, who needs to be a "normal girl"? Tomboys are %20 cooler.

Seriously though, why hasn't video games been considered girly enough since the beginning? There are plenty of girly video games.

I've always liked my video games girly.

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

Then if I have put words into your mouth, I apologise for that. However, the textual nature of this debate does sometimes make it difficult to understand the true meaning behind some statements.

That's why I asked that you just reply to what's being said; then you don't have to worry about the "true meaning" of one's statement.

I am a naturally argumentative person. I will debate someone if I believe their opinion is in some way misguided, and I will take umbrage to sweeping generalisations being applied to any segment of society. I am not simply taking this seriously because it is a pony-related thread; I will apply this principle to anyone who starts spouting things that only apply to the vocal minority of a group. Your hand comment, speculative or otherwise, fell under this. Also, please do not put words into my mouth about how this subject in particular is extremely sensitive. That is not the case; I simply wished to refute your points.

Then that subject is sensitive. My point is that this is making you take things personally, and in turn get personal; that shouldn't be made other peoples' problem. Whatever you hoped to rectify becomes lost because what you say comes off as condescending and biased. Which is fine if you're in fact condescending and biased, but if you're trying to do as you say, it has no part in your stance.

Your original post quoted someone saying that we have 'become the show', and you agreeing with them. This is patently untrue.

Gonna have to disagree again, though I think you misunderstand what I meant by it, as evidenced in your following statement.

I have not allowed MLP to take over my life, merely become a part of it, just like any other normal fan of any franchise. I'm not saying dissenting opinions are irrelevant, I'm saying that those who have extrapolated some unfortunate encounters into a view that every brony is somehow a loudmouth who will not hesitate to push the show down others' throats are irrelevant, because this, as I will repeat again, is not true. Furthermore, I see a distinct lack of fountains of memes, animated GIFs and hate speech (except from haters themselves, it would seem) that your criticism has brushed aside in this thread, merely a mostly well-balanced debate.

I didn't mean it's taken over yours or anyone else's life; I meant that the fanbase has become the primary attraction for most; the show itself becomes a supplement or a reason for a topic, a conversation piece, even if one actually does get genuine enjoyment from it in the meantime.

As for .gifs, memes, and hate speech, all but the last one, at the very least, is present as soon as the first page.

I realise that this will probably be pushed aside by you as me 'taking this too seriously',

It'd really be best if you dropped disclaimers like this. It just makes me want to antagonize you.

but this is not due to the fact it is pony-related. It is because your entire argument is based on sweeping generalisations, which have no place in any reasonable debate. Furthermore, if you feel the need to vent about fans of a show that badly, perhaps you are also taking it a bit seriously? Just a thought.

I already made it clear in a previous post that it was my problem for being annoyed in the first place. I'm remarkably self-aware of my own issues, though this sometimes leads me to have debatably unrealistic expectations for others to be.

Of course, this also leads to complacency if one's not careful. "I know about my issues, so I don't have to fix them!" It's a fine line.

Also, as we seem to be batting the same points back at one another, I understand if you wish to end this exchange here. I would just ask that you do consider these points, regardless of what franchise they apply to in future. It is remarkably petty to have such vitriol for anything based on such emotive extrapolation.

I dunno about you, but I like arguing. I often do it with no intention of defending a position or making a point; I just want to get into a non-committal debate. Did I have this conversation just to have an argument, or was I getting at something? Doesn't matter. It is all for the thrill (or as close as I get to thrilled) of the battle.

The internet is awesome for this because chances are I'll never even speak with that person again, meaning there's no reason for either party to harbor resentment or revisit in the future.

Also, everything we do is petty; nothing we do has ultimate meaning. Thus all we can do is what matters to us, even if it is as fleeting and ephemeral as for one's own amusement.

 

[Melon Hunter]

snip

Also, as we seem to be batting the same points back at one another, I understand if you wish to end this exchange here. I would just ask that you do consider these points, regardless of what franchise they apply to in future. It is remarkably petty to have such vitriol for anything based on such emotive extrapolation.

I dunno about you, but I like arguing. I often do it with no intention of defending a position or making a point; I just want to get into a non-committal debate. Did I have this conversation just to have an argument, or was I getting at something? Doesn't matter. It is all for the thrill (or as close as I get to thrilled) of the battle.

The internet is awesome for this because chances are I'll never even speak with that person again, meaning there's no reason for either party to harbor resentment or revisit in the future.

Also, everything we do is petty; nothing we do has ultimate meaning. Thus all we can do is what matters to us, even if it is as fleeting and ephemeral as for one's own amusement.

Well, I guess we have something to agree on, there. I will often take a contrary viewpoint myself for the sake of a debate. However, this is not a personal thing, as I have said time and again. I am trying to remain as balanced as possible here; your continued claims that my argument is somehow invalid because I stick to a principle is frankly insulting.

As for everything being petty, then why do you even care about this? Really. Why not just leave it alone? If someone is enjoying something to the point of annoying you, why not shrug it off? I would rather not see such vitriol, because it is a waste of your own time. Someone who posts pony GIFs at every opportunity they get is at least enjoying the show and the fandom. Obsessively hating said fans will get you no such joy, surely.

I didn't mean it's taken over yours or anyone else's life; I meant that the fanbase has become the primary attraction for most; the show itself becomes a supplement or a reason for a topic, a conversation piece, even if one actually does get genuine enjoyment from it in the meantime.

Why is that necessarily a bad thing? The fanbase churns out a phenomenal amount of excellent quality artwork, fiction and more besides. Are you saying attraction to the huge creative community around the show is somehow a point against it? That seems like a rather odd criticism. Fans build upon their show and create things pertaining to it; that's what fans do. I fail to see why people are damned for enjoying fanworks based around a show they also enjoy.

And as for GIFs and memes on this thread? One on the first page, posted as a sarcastic response. Not fountains, not every other user posting them. One. Like I said before, this matter is extrapolated beyond all reason sometimes.

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

As for everything being petty, then why do you even care about this? Really. Why not just leave it alone? If someone is enjoying something to the point of annoying you, why not shrug it off? I would rather not see such vitriol, because it is a waste of your own time. Someone who posts pony GIFs at every opportunity they get is at least enjoying the show and the fandom. Obsessively hating said fans will get you no such joy, surely.

Already told you. Because I felt like it, and because I wanted to get into an argument. I clearly don't have anything better to do.

Also, "obsessively hating" is a ridiculously huge overstatement on my feelings toward the subject, though I can see where you get that impression, given that my posts have been nothing but walls of righteous fury the likes of which the world has never seen.

Oh, wait, I didn't do anything close to that. So I guess "Mild irritation at most" would be more accurate. Your disregard for my request not to read into things brings me sadness.

(Note: It doesn't really bring me sadness, so don't even. Hyperbole, god damn it.)

Why is that necessarily a bad thing? The fanbase churns out a phenomenal amount of excellent quality artwork, fiction and more besides. Are you saying attraction to the huge creative community around the show is somehow a point against it? That seems like a rather odd criticism. Fans build upon their show and create things pertaining to it; that's what fans do. I fail to see why people are damned for enjoying fanworks based around a show they also enjoy.

Didn't say it was a bad thing.

Yes, I'll say that as many times it's necessary.

It sure as heck isn't my my thing (I personally find an involved fanbase detrimental, even to things I like, and avoid them like a freaking plague. No, I'm not going to explain why, so don't ask.), but my point was that it is a thing. It only led into another bother with the fanbase, those that defend the show on its own merits when their true enjoyment lies in the fandom, even if they actually also like the show; it's just a gripe about being aware of what you're doing.

If that doesn't apply to you, or the next guy, you don't have to defend yourself over it.

And as for GIFs and memes on this thread? One on the first page, posted as a sarcastic response. Not fountains, not every other user posting them. One. Like I said before, this matter is extrapolated beyond all reason sometimes.

It's also just the first page; I used the first page as a point because it illustrates that it took no time for someone to do it, in any capacity.

And yeah, it's not quite as prominent, on this forum. This forum doesn't represent the whole, partly because its demographic is older, and partly because acting like a jackass is discouraged, if not as strongly as I'd like. Do you want to bet it'd be easier to find a forum of reasonable, mature individuals on this subject than it would a bunch of jackasses?

 

[hittite]

It's bias, people will ignore and oftentimes purposely circumvent logic that doesn't suit their agenda.

Look at the flamewars over on G4 about Skyward Sword versus Skyrim. People are calling Zelda inferior "kiddy games", their fans a bunch of sad manchildren, and calling them immature. While they're still spamming the Assassin's Creed match with anti-Zelda posts, telling everyone how angry there are over an internet vote, and how everyone should vote for Assassin's Creed so they don't lose to a "girly fag" like "Zelda"(see: Link).

I know a lot of my fellow bronies are computer gamers, wRPG, FPS, TF2, and so forth fans, possibly primarily. But I see a lot of parallels, being a huge Nintendo fangirl myself. Detractors always seem to go with the "it's too cute", "it's for kids", "people who like it need to grow up", "it's not gritty and realistic enough", and so on and so forth.

I really think that more Pony fans and Nintendo fans should overlap. We have so much in common.

I've been looking for a chance to link this video into this thread. This is from Movie Bob's other other show, the Game Overthinker. And it's also why I'm not surprised at all to see pony pictures in his videos.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

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

Get out here, voice of reason. We want to continue to drone on about how the show is gay or how we face persecution for liking the show or.....
[sub][sub]I grow tired of the threads too and I'm a fan of the show. Both sides need to just stop.[/sub][/sub]

 

[Outcast107]

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

Get out here, voice of reason. We want to continue to drone on about how the show is gay or how we face persecution for liking the show or.....
[sub][sub]I grow tired of the threads too and I'm a fan of the show. Both sides need to just stop.[/sub][/sub]

Eh, it won't stop. That's the sad truth about it. Just have to sigh, shrug your shoulder and just keep looking pass these types of threads. That's what I do with all the hate between the consoles and such.

 

[Aidinthel]

That's what I do with all the hate between the consoles and such.

I can't believe I'm saying this but I miss the console wars. Even pc vs consoles was never this horrible. Or at least it was a lot easier for me to stay out of those flamewars...

 

[Dagda Mor]

The knee jerk reaction to bronies is unsettling."They bring up ponies in everything they do!"In my personal experience,and I can say with some degree of confidence that,as a brony,I have had more experience with bronies than most non-bronies,the only time that bronies post pony image macros or memes is in a dedicated pony thread.A brony sub group may form in a community,but that hardly means that they're taking over.Most bronies aren't just hipsters liking the show because it's 'ironic'.This might be hard to understand,considering that most haters have not actually watched the show,but most bronies do genuinely enjoy My Little Pony.And they enjoy it so much,that they change their avatars.There's nothing wrong with that.It's not because they're showing off ponies and trying to derail everything.

 

[Aidinthel]

*snip*

While I do understand your desire to set the record straight, I assure you it isn't necessary. At least not on the Escapist. A very large proportion of this community watches the show, and the few remaining haters are thoroughly dedicated to their role and thus extremely unlikely to be convinced by any amount of argument, however well-crafted it may be.

If you want to discuss FiM with like-minded people we do have a user group here:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/MLP-Friendship-is-Magic
If you join I recommend turning chat notifications off when prompted as the group chat tends to be quite active.

Side notes:
-People tend to frown on resurrecting old threads.
-Please put spaces between your sentences. It would make your posts much easier to read.