Brony discussion split

[irixith]

No it doesn't. Video games are universal in attraction.

As someone who's been diving in the dating pool this past year...they most certainly are not universal in attraction. Nothing kills the prospects of another date by answering "I enjoy playing video games" to the question "So, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Some just laugh it off as it if it's a joke...then we end up at my place one day and I get the "Holy shit, you weren't kidding about the video game thing". Some just immediately clam up. Others are visibly disgusted, preachy or even belittling.

I would have to say damaging stereotypes about -insert topic here- are universal.

I have never taken it upon myself to watch an episode of the pony show, and there are no children in my life for whom that needs to be a reality, so I have no particular opinion on it. If a bunch of dudes enjoy it and want to celebrate their enjoyment of it, what do I care? I do care about objects/tv-shows/etc being arbitrarily assigned to a particular sex based on outmoded sex-role stereotypes. Sex-role stereotypes (gender) hurts everyone in a myriad of ways...the fact that even this small thread has brought to light opinions of what the men who enjoy this pony cartoon must be like illustrates it.

Actively enjoying and participating in a community based around a cartoon about ponies is in no way different from communities based around...a show about the wild west in space, a movie about a bunch of guys in white suits with terrible aim led by a guy in a dark suit with cool powers, video games, whatever. Liking something and wanting to share that with other like-minded folks is normal, irrespective of sex. People who like nerdy/geeky things are already cast into the dirty butthole of society, there's no need for us to make it worse by further denigrating our own.

As far as the graphic goes, it looks to be re-appropriated from "stoplight" parties, where singles gather and red signifies "taken", yellow "proceed with caution" and green "single and looking". It helps people at those parties from encountering or creating awkward/embarrassing situations when they're vulnerable. The same seems to apply here -- any of us that have been to a con knows that it attracts people of all types, and (remember the dirty butthole of society?) a large amount of them are "different" than the societal "norm". If someone wants to participate in the con, but wants to make it clear to others that they don't enjoy being approached and spoken to, it's pretty neat to have a way of saying that that's unobtrusive and easy for others to understand. It maybe isn't perfect, but it's neat that someone at the organizational level has identified that there's an issue and has come up with a method to make it easier for a particular sub-group to integrate.

[jeffro11]

No it doesn't. Video games are universal in attraction.

As someone who's been diving in the dating pool this past year...they most certainly are not universal in attraction. Nothing kills the prospects of another date by answering "I enjoy playing video games" to the question "So, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Some just laugh it off as it if it's a joke...then we end up at my place one day and I get the "Holy shit, you weren't kidding about the video game thing". Some just immediately clam up. Others are visibly disgusted, preachy or even belittling.

Okay, this I understand... I always ask the person if they play games on their phone. The answer is most likely a resounding YES. Are phone games different? No. Not at all. They are games just on another format.

As for the brony discussion, one of my friends is a self proclaimed "brony" and he really does love the show in many aspects. He does fit the "typical brony" pretty well. He is reserved, he has depression, and maybe a bit autistic. But he should be able to like whatever he wants to. Who cares if its a show for young girls. People shouldn't be chastised for what they enjoy

[dsheinem]

Actively enjoying and participating in a community based around a cartoon about ponies is in no way different from communities based around...a show about the wild west in space, a movie about a bunch of guys in white suits with terrible aim led by a guy in a dark suit with cool powers, video games, whatever. Liking something and wanting to share that with other like-minded folks is normal, irrespective of sex. People who like nerdy/geeky things are already cast into the dirty butthole of society, there's no need for us to make it worse by further denigrating our own.

Putting aside the gender thing for a minute (which I agree is stupid), I think that the major difference between Star Wars (and most other "nerdy" passions) and MLP is that MLP is specifically designed for/aimed at young children whereas Star Wars, Star Trek, D&D, video games, etc. are designed for/aimed at a broader age range (including kids) so it seems "less weird" that grown adults can get into them or stay with them as they age.

I don't "get" why adults flock to MLP and create fandom around it because there is absolutely nothing in it that I see that would be interesting for people over 12 or so. There may as well be passionate adult communities around Team Umizoomi, Paw Patrol, or The Fairly Odd Parents.

That said, I also don't understand the appeal of about 90% or more of Top rated TV, Top 40 music, etc. - so maybe it's just me.

[irixith]

Putting aside the gender thing for a minute (which I agree is stupid), I think that the major difference between Star Wars (and most other "nerdy" passions) and MLP is that MLP is specifically designed for/aimed at young children whereas Star Wars, Star Trek, D&D, video games, etc. are designed for/aimed at a broader age range (including kids) so it seems "less weird" that grown adults can get into them or stay with them as they age.

I think the only reason we'd need to be concerned about the original intended audience of the show was if grown men were using it to lure children, or something equally gross. I see your point about how it differentiates MLP from Star Wars, but we think about Star Wars much differently today than back in 1977. In 1977, it was children lining up for blocks to see Star Wars. Everyone thought that it was going to be a giant turd, but the interest from the children and the subsequent toy sales were how the movie caught on amongst adults. It's the reverse situation -- Star Wars was intended for adults, and yet children made it popular, whereas MLP is intended for children, and yet adults are making it popular.

The reason that I joked about the most famous of space operas was because of something Lucas once said:

"I've never seen the movies as any kind of phenomenon because I have to live with them and work with them and they're just another movie that I make. It's no harder or easier than anything else I do. It's just that they became really popular for whatever reason while something else didn't. But I like all the movies I make, and I put just as much work into all of them. And it's hard to tell why some of them really become popular and some of them don't. I mean I know the basic rules, yet when something like Star Wars becomes such an incredible phenomenon there's no way to explain it."

[the7k]

I watched two episodes.

It wasn't bad. Not my cup of tea, but it's not nearly as cringe-worthy as the original MLP. Like, I can understand young males watching it and getting really into it because it's not a female pandering as the original MLP. I can understand older males watching it lightly just for a change of pace. I can't really understand any male over the age of 13 getting extremely obsessed with the show though, but who am I to judge?

I mean, I get that the whole reason older male fans got into it was because of Lauren Faust's involvement. What I don't get is why THIS is the show that got so mind-bogglingly huge to the point where there are entire cons dedicated to just this show. Why didn't Powerpuff Girls or Foster's Home get this popular? Outside of Faust, where's the cons for Invader Zim or Futurama?

Anyway, fan conventions are always going to attract a lot of socially awkward folks. I've noticed it even with fighting game tournaments - as they become more like cons, I've encountered a lot of those types. The types that you encounter and as they start talking you just want to cast a spell of invisibility because they're so painfully awkward. It's just inevitable. I mean, these people are socially awkward and thus they enter these communities simply to belong somewhere.

[Luke]

A thing exists called negative attraction.

[samsonlonghair]

I've been avoiding posting in this topic until I could properly inform myself. I just watched an episode of MLP: FIM. I probably won't be watching another. Frankly, I find it rather obnoxious. To put my taste in context, I enjoy many other cartoons including Powerpuff girls. I do not wish to debate the politics of gender roles, I simply acknowledge that they exist for better or worse.

[Key-Glyph]

I'd say it's simpler than that, it's society coding masculine expression as natural and superior and feminine expression as artificial and inferior, so while a woman choosing to adopt more masculine expressions is considered logical and understandable, a man choosing to adopt more feminine expressions is considered strange, irrational, and even outright disturbing.

I agree with this. I love the new Nickelodeon Ninja Turtles show, and not just because I already loved the Turtles. It's good, and fun. But it's also aimed at 8-year-old boys. I don't think anyone would call me maladjusted for loving it -- but maybe some of that has to do with the immediate association of women with maternal instincts and motherhood? What I mean is, even if a passer-by didn't outright assume I was in Toys R' Us because I had kids of my own, maybe they'd be more accepting of a woman having a personal interest in childish things simply because we're assumed to be more invested in children, and by extension child culture, on an instinctual level? (And for the record, I hate the common belief that dads can't be as loving or capable as moms. Grah.)

As for Bronies, I actually love that they exist. I think it's a huge outlet for guys who want to immerse themselves in girlishness but want to do it in a subspace that is established as masculine.

Also, as a fun bit of trivia, John de Lancie (Q of Star Trek, etc.) is a voice on the show, and a Brony. I haven't watched this yet, but he was heavily involved in co-creating a documentary called Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony, which I only just discovered is on YouTube. Could be really interesting for anyone who's really curious about the phenomenon.

[TSTR]

fuck yeah Q

[irixith]

I saw John de Lancie at FanExpo in Vancouver earlier this year, and the brony thing factored into his talk...but he was such a pretentious douche about everything. He even mocked people (and not in a fun way) that were asking him questions. Lowest point of the con without question.

He told us that he does't know a whole lot about MLP or the fandom surrounding it, it's just an easy paycheque.