Hiram32

Decided I would show off my little collection.

Of course I should say Lyra, since we're both anthropologists, right? However, until that becomes canon I'll have to stick with Twilight. Like most everyone else in this thread, I can see some of my own traits in her character: Obsessive/Compulsive, bibliophile, student, et cetera. It's easy to grow fond of a character when you can empathize with them so easily. On the other hand, one could also interperet the question of favorite pony as "which pony do you find the most entertaining?" In that case I would have to say Applejack or Fluttershy. Applejack's dialogue and voicing is always top notch, and the facial expressions she makes often make me laugh. Fluttershy, especially in 'Castle Mane-ia' i also a cute character and her timidness can be hilarious at times, such as in episode one where she first meets Twilight.

That etymology is close to how I figured the word came about, but a little lengthy. Simply put, in Latin, "ala" means wing, and "cornu/us" means horn. So literally, "Alacornu" translates to "wing horn". I would imagine that if there is evidence of the word existing in ancient Rome, then it probably just changed spelling a bit as languages evolved.

Hi BalanceBrony! Nice to see another anthropologist on these forums! I have had some anthropological interest in the fandom, but since my MS is more focused on applied anthropology I never found time to do such a study. If you don't mind, you should PM me and share more of this with me.

/\/\/\ My life in a nutshell. Being a brony to me is just an extension of my never ending quest to never grow up. I've always loved cartoons, and when I first watched some MLP (after reading about bronies) I was really shocked at the amount of quality in each episode. In today's day in age, most cartoons are pumped out without any real writing, voice acting, or even good animation. I can only imagine what it must be like being in middle school or high school and telling your friends you like MLP. When I was in high school I got bullied just for wearing the wrong band t-shirt. I tip my hat to all of you who stand in defiance and have to put up with bullying or anything else of that nature.

There may be no such thing as normal, but there certainly are norms, and some laws are based on those norms. The argument is not as much non sequitur as it is a slippery slope. Just because the OP violated a one social norm does not support the argument that other social norms will fall apart. More to the point, how is this a double standard. A double standard would imply something like he wears MLP shirts, but doesn't want to be around you when you wear one. Honestly, he just sounds like a dick.

I'm the same way. I don't hide the fact that I like MLP, but at the same time I don't make every post on Instagram or tumblr about ponies. MLP is just a really good show I like to watch, and I don't care if others know that or not.

I'm pretty sure the muffin/derpy thing came from the episode where everyone got sick from Applejack's disgusting muffins. As the camera pans you can hear her say "muffins!". As far as the main point of this thread goes, I think some of it is a little bit of fan projection. I think this is very true with Vinyl Scratch and dubstep references. It seems like Vinyl just gets attention from a lot of fans of that type of music and in turn it becomes apart of that character. I'm in grad school studying anthropology right now, so I'm sure you can guess which pony is my favorite!

Oh this sounds fun! I decided to add my own twist and only use guns I own: Pinkie Pie: Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22. A FUN design with a FUN cartridge means DOUBLE FUN! Mine actually has a pink and black color scheme to it! Applejack: Smith & Wesson 642. C'mon...it's a revolver, need I say more? Rainbow Dash: Mossberg 500. Not only because of the sheer power a good shotgun supplies, but I bought this gun specifically for sport shooting. Rarity: DPMS AR-15. This gun has been upgraded and customized so much that it's tough to even call it a DPMS anymore. Anyway, it is by far the prettiest gun I own and through the building process had allowed me to be quite creative. Twilight: Glock 26. Any Glock for that matter, but I picked the 26 because it's my daily carry gun. I've always found Glocks to be practical, and who is more practical than Twilight Sparkle? No pony, that's who!

I definitely agree with those who mentioned the comics! Not only are they good if you like ponies, but they are some of the best cartoon related comics I've read. I only have two so far, and that is because I am purposely taking my time and getting them slowly to hold me off until season 4. I also agree with the Equestria Girls comment. I definitely don't think it was as good as it should have been, but it kept me entertained! One thing I have personally started doing is collecting Funko vinyls. This was new to me since I've never been in to any kind of toy collecting, but since I started with ponies it was easy and fun.

"Allow"...what an interesting way to put it. Personally, I love masculinity. One of my favorite websites is The Art of Manliness. I like watching sports, lifting weights, shooting guns, putting wax in my moustache, and smoking cigars...all things typically associated with masculinity. However, that doesn't stop me from being myself. I think it's funny how "gender bending" always gets brought up by non-bronies, whether in a positive light or a negative one. I feel like it has more to do with blatant individualism than anyone trying to break down stereotypical gender roles.

This topic interests me, so here's a question: should the term "brony" only be applied to those who self-identify with it? Or does watching MLP make you a brony whether you admit it not?

I've always understood the definition of a brony as any fan of My Little Pony who is outside of the target demographic. In other words, if you are not a little girl, and you like the show, then you are a brony.