The Mane Six and Ponybashing

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,298]

Does anyone else find the rampant and needless Mane Six ponybashing in the least bit off-putting?  Why is hyperbolic hate directed at the most developed, standout, and essential ponies so popular - and so vehemently clung to - within the fandom of "love and tolerance?"  And why is the celebration of one Mane Six seemingly dependent on disparaging another?

 

Does anyone else recognize the hypocritical nature of some of these criticisms oft lobbed at this or that Mane Six?  Rainbow, for example, might be called insensitive within the context of a post that's being overtly, unabashedly insensitive towards others.  People who live in glass houses.  Not to mention that every single user on these forums has flaws.  Or qualities that someone else might perceive as flaws.  Though I'm hard-pressed to think of any forum members that have saved the world.  I mean, even once.

 

I'd even go so far as to suggest that a diehard fan of one Mane Six would both fiercely defend that pony and resort to the bashing of another Mane Six at the drop of a hat.  Simply because the opportunity arose.  Another topic, another opportunity to tell everyone how much you "hate" a pony.  Oftentimes because they remind you of someone you met in life.  That had...  Also saved the world?  That could fly?  I'm sure they could use magic.  They probably escaped from Diamond Dogs and a subterranean labyrinth or protected their little sister from a chimera or scolded a fire-breathing dragon that threatened their friends.

 

Why is their / our perception of the most fundamental ponies in a series we claim to enjoy so very shallow so very often?  Why stop at the flaws, satisfied with their assessment, and then proceed to magnify them for the benefit of...  No one?  Themselves, possibly?

 

I'm just tired of it.  I've no delusions concerning the nature of this fandom, but you would think that we could - and would prefer to - focus on what makes the Mane Six identifiable and important and even lovable long enough to distract us from our love for "hating" them.

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

I hate nopony. Every character in the show (mane, side, or background) I either love, like, or just kind of shrug at and move on.

Edited March 21, 2015 by ShadOBabe

[Ice Fox 1,145]

None of the Mane 6 ( or really any character ) I hate. I wouldn't bash them for their mistakes/flaws either, we all have them. Nor would I do so just to defend my personal favorites. In fact, I disliked it in Bats when the other 6 were painted in a negative light ( it felt, ) just to make Flutts look good ( who is also my favorite pony. )

[The Second Opinion 269]

I will say that it's common (and sort of human nature) to disown something when you find something else you like more in the same category. If you asked the fans, for example, to give you the good and bad episodes of the show, you'd probably find there are an awful lot of "bad" episodes for a show that's had such above average critical and popular reception. Or consider how season 4, with maybe 3 or 4 episodes coming up as all-time fan favorites, is currently winning polls as the best season. When people are enjoying something in the moment, they don't want to hear about how they should concede to something else as better. (Quote a Simpsons episode where Lisa becomes a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival, only to lose it the next day to Nelson, "I like this movie much better than the one by that little girl. Because I saw this one today.) 

Plus, with a cast this diverse, people with favorites are gonna be prone to criticizing the character whose appeal rests on something entirely different, hence contradicting their vision of what one of these characters "should" be.

Edited March 21, 2015 by The Second Opinion

[Prince Firemane 309]

People who bash so hard like that seem to be trolls who stir up the pot for the sake of getting some kind of kick out of the drama involved. Usually someone who goes into a "Rarity Fan Club" topic and gives surface level and half-assed reason why the don't like Rarity.

 

I like it when I come across someone like myself. If I don't like a certain trait about a character, or simply don't like the character at all, I give stable reasons why I think the way I do. Even if I don't like a certain trait/character, I love to discuss them and who knows; maybe my mind can be changed by new insight. It's happened before. It'll happen again. Like I said, people who rampantly bash something like that are mostly just trolls.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,856]

Usually someone who goes into a "Rarity Fan Club" topic and gives surface level and half-assed reason why the don't like Rarity.

 

That used to happen all the time during our initial growth, and it felt like it was a daily thing at one point. A couple of times it was just even things that weren't reasons but just trying to be unkind in general by posting some less-than-friendly pictures. Thankfully, that hasn't happened for months as far as I'm aware, so improvement is there

 

 

I don't really have much to say on the topic of ponybashing, surprisingly. It's just frustrating, pointless, and it certainly doesn't make the one doing the nay saying any friends. I support people being able to share their opinions as they please, however, but that doesn't mean that they're immune from someone pointing out the perceived faults in the line of logic and I do expect the one doing the bashing to try to back up their logic or just lay their sword down in defeat.

[Prince Firemane 309]

That used to happen all the time during our initial growth, and it felt like it was a daily thing at one point. A couple of times it was just even things that weren't reasons but just trying to be unkind in general by posting some less-than-friendly pictures. Thankfully, that hasn't happened for months as far as I'm aware, so improvement is there

That's good to hear. Rarity's much to fabulous for that mess.

[Eloquence 2,076]

There seems to be a trend in our society as a whole wherein going on about how much you hate certain things is "cool", especially in media. I'm sure any one of you could come up with half a dozen "hate trends" off the top of your head, especially given what fandom we're all in...

 

I think this notion of hate being "trendy" comes from a desire to sound smart, to show how intelligent you are because you can see how bad something popular is while "the masses" are mindlessly fawning over it (regardless of whether the actual majority likes the thing in question or not). It follows the same logic of someone trying to be a good critic by bashing everything they review just for the sake of bashing it, in the hopes of getting other people to think they're smart by "seeing flaws that others can't". However, there will always be those who can see through what these people are doing and who can realize their actions for the misguided and often hurtful attempts at attention seeking that they are, and unfortunately all we can really do is ignore it and choose to make our own decisions.

[midnightlegacy 172]

I completely agree with you!  At the same time, I do respect other's opinions, and don't wish to judge.  When it comes to the mane six, however, I cannot choose a favorite at all!  It took me forever to choose Fluttershy, and even then, if it wasn't such a lame answer, I would just claim that I can't choose between them at all.

[KokuraiNoSenshi 3,463]

So much agreement on this... It gets so upsetting to see pointless bashing of a character, look I get it you don't like the character, that's fine I have characters I don't like either, but I'm a HUGE Fluttershy fan but I don't maul Pinkie Pie for what she did in FV... Let it go guys, and no I'm not talking about the song...

[Sidral Mundet 1,666]

I think this video helps explain why people tend to get really angry about ideas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE3j_RHkqJc

Basically someone's going to interpreted an idea (such as the character of a pony) and it has the potential to enrage that person. They then construct a negative thought idea and if it has traction, then it can convinces others and help spread the idea, which then draws in others to counter the idea and so on and so on.

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

At the end of the day it's just a show. I know that may be a radical thought for some of us, but come on. At risk of sounding arrogant, there are more important things to get worked up over in life. Sure, you may dislike a character and that's absolutely fine. But please, be respectful of other people who do like said character.

[Flutter's lover <3 8,204]

I've seen it, and I find it rather disrespectful towards whatever character is getting the hate. It's pointless, really. You hate this pony, ok...why? Usually the person can't come up with a reason why or they focus their hate on the characters flaws. But to go out of your way and say "I despise this character" in a status update or to outright say it in a post just to troll people...That's just childish. Why is there so much hate in the fandom against other characters anyways? It's rather silly.

 

 

I mean, what purpose does it serve? Other than to be hurtful? None. Heck, I'll defend Fluttershy to hell and back, because I love her...but that doesn't mean I'm gonna bash other ponies, just to put Fluttershy in a better light. Yea sure, "so and so" was mean to her in this episode, or inconsiderate towards her in that episode....that doesn't mean I'm gonna bash the offending character. Every Character has flaws, it's what makes characters interesting and dynamic. If all the characters were perfect, the show would be boring. Afterall, that's what it is in the end, a TV show. Hating on things, just because you don't agree with them or don't like them,  doesn't get you very far. I mean, like, can't we all just get along?

 

Personally, I don't' hate any characters, sure there's some I like/love more than others...but everyone has their faves or least faves. I don't go around saying Oh Character X sucks, I hate them"  Sure, I don't' like certain ships, but I'm not hating on the characters.

[Drunk Cheerilee 130]

Bash the mane six? Never. That's Gilda's job.

[Celli 4,332]

Hard not to agree with you. I've seen too many threads here with people saying, "I hate/despise X, they have NO redeeming qualities" "Am I the only one who dislikes X?' "X was better before, and is insufferable/a mary-sue/is perfect/has no flaws"

I'm sick of it. 

For some, it makes certain episodes unwatchable to them, even if it was a good episode objectively and subjectively. I'll never understand. 

But it's whatever, some people are impossible to please, and nothing you say will change their minds.

[ConcorDisparate 385]

I understand what you feel.

 

I had an idea of topic recently, I didn't post it because of the lenght, but it might be a good idea to post it. I'm not quite sure it could fix anything. -_-

But I think it's easier to show them why their whole thinking is wrong instead of explaining why their examples are wrong.

[Megas 27,050]

I get having preferences and some characters having traits that will rub some people the wrong way, But the way people act is ridiculous, vehemently hating one of the characters for pretty much existing, enforcing double standards against characters...sheesh

Edited March 21, 2015 by Megas75

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,328]

Yes, I do find it offputing. I get that everyone has a right to their opinions, but some people go way too far with it. Some people have such bitter hatred for characters that they sound like they would want to kill the character if they were real.

[Jeric 46,834]

Outside of when it gets abusive and carries the tone commonly found in political ranting, I roll my eyes and shrug it off. This is a far more complicated issue and has little to do with the characters and more to do with the individual's own personal narrative.

 

For example, if I don't like Fluttershy because she reminds me of my ex, that is a perfectly understandable reason. It is also sharable since it adds to the overall discussion of why people don't like a character.

 

That said, if you make it a point to go around the internet proselytizing your hatred of Rainbow or Twilight, you might be taking things to an unhealthy level.

 

Simmer down now.

[Venomous 18,813]

As long as it doesn't get abusive, I don't see a problem expressing ones opinion about disliking a character.

[Pastel 7,627]

While I agree with you, this has been said again and again, I thought everyone agreed with this.

 

I don't mind and I respect people who dislike a character as long as they don't go too far and express their hate everywhere.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Blobulle

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

It's fine to dislike a character as long as you have a reason that can be backed by logic. If it's backed by hate that makes no sense...well, can't help you there.

 

Also it's never good to just continually bash a character just for spite. If people present arguments in regards to your complaints and you still can be convinced otherwise...well, to each their own.

[Bhending the Rules 697]

This is an abnormally complex issue for me, simply because I value freedom of expression so much and have always felt that the answer to "wrong" speech is MORE speech. Someone can bash my favorites all they like. I can shake it off and go about my day.

 

 

 

 

 

But something about this particular strain of negativity feels... a little misplaced, to me. This show's message is one of unrestrained positivity. I don't think it's too big of a stretch to say that much of the fandom was originally drawn to the show because of that, and it's part of what keeps us coming back. Being negative is easy. This show tells us that there's another, better way.

 

I try to live by that, at least when it comes to discussing this particular show. Do I have my own least favorite episodes and characters? You'd better believe I do. And I'm not shy about discussing that with other people at all. But when I'm in a forum like this, where I DON'T personally know the people I'm talking to and it's just text on a screen and what's said can be easily misconstrued because tone can be hard to convey? Yeah, I pull my punches. For me at least, there's no good reason not to.

Edited March 21, 2015 by Bhending the Rules

[ryuzaki 21]

I'm fine with all ponies except Rarity. She annoys me

[ya no 12]

There's no need to bach any of them, they're all pretty cool. As long as everyone knows Twilight is best pone. :3