Solecistic Miss

That is one thing I find a little off in mlp, not that they can really help it. Many ponies' names have a lot to do with the talent they possess or their cutie mark (obviously for marketing reasons and to make them more identifiable in the show). At some points it's pretty predictable. Oh, your name's Luna? I just wonder what you'll end up doing. Yeah, no clue there at all. It would make more sense if they didn't get their matching/themed name until they got a cutie mark, or if some ponies got a name change later in life to match their talent. Eh, it would make more sense, but not necessarily a better idea/practice.

One thing we must remember is that a cutie mark does not appear until the pony realizes that a certain thing is their special talent. For example, Twist (in the episode Call of the Cutie) was already great at making sweets. She didn't get her cutie mark until she considered that it was her special talent. One does not just get a cutie mark and become coerced to perform the tasks related to it- they got the mark because it's already something they do and love to do. I find I also disagree with your comments relating the cutie mark as a drug to the ponies, and that it can cause a 'high' and withdrawal as well. People get satisfaction from doing the things they love, and want to continue to do those things because they enjoy it. It's called intrinsic motivation. Of course, there is also extrinsic motivation (motivation outside of oneself, ie rewards or acceptance) due to the societal views of a cutie mark. There's no doubt about that. Because your cutie mark is supposed to represent your special talent- the thing you do better than anyone else and have a deep passion for- there are expectations on what a person does with theirs occupation-wise and such. I think most of the ponies' breakdowns are because they are supposed to be experts at what they do (or at least on their way there). Since these are their special talents, they expect to automatically be great at them all the time. When it doesn't go that way, they can get defensive, aggressive, or have a personal crisis. Pinky's upset when another party pony comes to town because she doesn't want to be one-upped, and at another time has a breakdown when she believes that her friends don't want to party with her. Fluttershy doesn't instantly connect with the critters at the gala. Their talents have worked for them all the time up til then, so it's understandable that they can't handle it when the one thing they excel at above all others all the time fails. And it's a crushing blow to their self esteem to fail at your calling. Forgive the analogy, but it's like a spoiled child getting denied what they want for the first time in their life. They don't know how to react other than negatively, explosively even. I don't think the cutie marks have some sort of dark power over ponies, but rather that the treatment and lifestyle of those with cutie marks relies too heavily on them and notion that their talent will always work in every circumstance.

It actually sounds like a pretty interesting idea. Personally, I like it sometimes when they change up the dynamics- if fanfic was meant to adhere to canon, there'd be a lot less of it around.