Why Are Bronies Disliked?

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

A comparison was made between MLP: FiM and Tim Tebow. Tebow is going to be replaced by Peyton Manning, who has reportedly decided to sign with the Broncos.

 

It was just in jest.

 

Just so you know, I suggested ripping the Tebow comparison to shreds because Tom Brady is more hated (but also very much loved) than him, which is similar to the situation with people on what they think of bronies and MLP in general.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Just so you know, I suggested ripping the Tebow comparison to shreds because Tom Brady is more hated (but also very much loved) than him, which is similar to the situation with people on what they think of bronies and MLP in general.

 

But Tim Tebow is (if only techncially, for now)... a Bronco!

 

As for the haters, I think that there's an element of truth in what everyone says here. There are pockets of the internet where there are a lot of ponies in non-pony sites, particularly image boards and gaming forums, and they did kind of run rampant. So I could see where the "annoyance" factor comes from. There are going to be people who troll any major fanbase just for the lulz. And there are people who are going to be uncomfortable with guys who enjoy a "girly" show.

 

The question is, how are we going to deal with it?

 

If they're annoyed by Bronies, I take a look at my own behavior. Whenever I, say, think of posting a Pony meme, I look at how others would react. Would they find it funny? Would they find it annoying? I'm someone who has a natural tendency to "evangelize" some of my favorite hobbies without really knowing it, so I have to keep this in check.

 

If they're just trolling, then I simply back off, because to engage them would be to fall into their trap. If they're uncomfortable with guys liking the show, then I might try to be as polite as possible in educating them otherwise.

 

I think we have to all take a good look at ourselves to truly understand what our part in all of this is.

[Guest]

I only ask others to watch MLP if:

1. They inquire about the show and why I watch it

2. Haters be hatin' - (me) "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE MISSING! YOU AREN'T COOL, SO YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BY TRYING SOMETHING NEW OUT!"

 

I think my friend and I have converted 3 people into bronies this way...

[Envy 6,144]

There can be some annoying things about the fandom, and actually I think I've been annoying to a friend IRL lately and I feel bad about that.

 

However... This complaint about ponies being everywhere and that being a reason to hate on the show doesn't sit right with me. I've been posting regularly on internet forums for nearly nine years now, and over that time I have seen plenty of cartoons/anime/video game series/etc. gain a lot of popularity and end up being a common theme for many members' forum avatars/signatures. Yet, I hardly saw anybody complain about those being 'everywhere'. So it's clear that something funny is going on here. I mean, I've literally seen forums with like one or two regular posters (on very active forums) with pony related avatars and a single MLP topic where all discussion was kept, and yet members were still whining about how the ponies were 'everywhere' and how 'everybody' has them in their avatar.

 

Bias is very evident there. Some people just feel naturally inclined to dislike something, and then when some members like it and add it to their avatar sets, their mind interprets those couple of members having those avatars as it being everywhere and being shoved down their throat. It's funny how much a bias can distort reality.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Envy

[Victoria and Co. 782]

(The following are somethings I've found to be true when questioning the reasoning behind some of my friends dislike bronies.)

They say they're tired of ponies being everywhere on the internet, but in reality, the only reason that ponies seem so common is because they know of their existence! They have no one else to blame for their 'overabundance' other than themselves! Not to mention an good fan of something is going to make references, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNET! This just shows how biased they are being.

These excuses for hating bronies are used by everyone and their dead uncle. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that they are hardly relevant.

[Jemboi 127]

I've had to learn to just not care what other people think and not examine it too much. Basic human nature gives the answers to the questions of why, when, where and how. People are insecure and project their insecurities on to others. It's how the world works. They may pretend to hate ponies and what we stand for but deep down they may wish they could be so open and free loving. Who knows? Why should we care? We shouldn't! Just enjoy your ponies and have fun and to hell with the rest.

[RDashFan85 46]

The reason why I think is some haters will go around and make very gross rumors about bronies. Say they're pedophiles because they like a little children's cartoon and other mean and untrue things. Witch isn't the damn case at all. We like the show because of the positive feed back it gives at the end of the episode. And we like how the episode turns out and other stuff. I just ignore all the haters and still watch this great show. They're bullies and to defeat a bully is to ignore and walk away.

[Inkfeather 597]

On this matter I would say that people is rather judgemental on the action of "shoving it down their throats". Of course it's not nice to press one's own desires and hobbies unto other people but because of the topic of these hobbies they are rather quick to conclude that we WANT them to watch and love the show. Personally I'm open to everyone about everything regarding my interest in ponies, they therefor decide FOR THEMSELVES that they want to ask me about it and seems truly interested when I answer. I do though, sometimes get rather rude comment on my choice of clothing if I so choose to wear my MLP shirts anywhere. I have, once, come across a guy that chose to point at me and yell "get those f*cking ponies out of my face". After this episode I simply zipped up my jacket and chose to confront him with why he chose to yell this at me, someone who've never met him before nor done anything to offend him in any way other than being proud of my interests.

 

We talked for a little while where he explained how they were everywhere on the net, used in every possible way in meme's and other obnoxious stuff. I can admit that this is spreading a little too much in my own opinion, I like my ponies to stay among the fans rather than being abused everywhere on Reddit and 4chan. I have no personal troubles with the haters, I simply reply that they should watch one, just one episode IN ENGLISH before they judge whether or not they actually have a reason for hating the show. That they dislike the bronies are another matter. I understand that one's joy of the interwebs might be spoiled a bit when they see ponies, something that they have created a hate for, is everywhere. Because it have become such a huge internet spree I think that many people that come across this show like it for the purpose of being "in" which would mean being part of the latest internet trends. I can only hope that all the fuzz will fall down in a year or so and we will stand back with the core of the fandom, that love the show for the show rather than because it's "hip".

 

I am a proud fan of the ponies, I like their personalities, I like the humor and jokes in the show and I like the lessons they learn. I like to watch my ponies because I enjoy them. I enjoy seeing them have fun and laugh. I am worried when I see them having problems and can only hope they find a way to solve it somehow. I love to laugh with them when they have fun and I love to smile with them when they're happy or shed a tear for them when they're having sad problems, for example, Pinkie Pie in party of one. I always shed a tear when I watch that episode.

 

The reason I chose to write this is to show what kind of fans I would prefer seeing around. The people that love the show for the show and want to be part of the fandom to share this between fellow fans. I'm not saying everyone should be as far out as I am, I just say that people should be honest with themselves and judge whether they watch this because they want to or because they feel they need to. The people that think they need to are also the kind of people that ruin it for the rest of us, it's those kind of bronies that spam 4chan or Reddit with obscure comments containing ponies on a topic that have nothing to do with them.

 

Again, that is why I hope that the hype will calm down some day and we will stand back with the true fans and lovers of this wonderful show.

 

 

TL;DR? : I explain my opinion on this, and why this would happen on the internet.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Inkfeather

[Decassion 2]

I can rather understand that they don't like it that they get to see all that pony things everywhere. It's kinda hard to avoid. Maybe we are going were nopony should go? But, yeah, if people think that we are homosexuals (nothing wrond with those people, I respect them a lot) because we like MLP is just racist. It's like: 'Oh, you wat MLP, so you're gay! And homosexuals and ponies are dumb!' Disliking it is totally fine, I don't care if you dislike it, everybody is different, but just don't go hate on us and spread lies about us 'cause we like to watch My Little Pony. I think it's totally fine if my friend would for example read books I'd find like real stupid and boring. I don't even care. Read it if you like it. But I don't, but that's no reason to hate on it.

[Rainboom24 46]

ohhhh...i can definitely relate to that. i'll consider it

[Twich 15]

Well, I believe a lot of the haters' hate is caused by them self... it's like a yellow car (warning! I suck at explaining things), it's seldom you see a yellow car, as you are aware of however, but once you are aware of yellow cars you see a considerable amount more. it's the same with ponies, if you don't see them, you're simply not aware of them being there at all. And by constantly complaining about how ponies are everywhere, you will see them more, as your subconscious is looking for them.

Personally I like to look at the brain and my subconsciousness as the ultimate trolls - no offense discord - since if they find something to troll you with, they will troll you D:

[Sight Watcher 15]

Because of gender standards and how MLP has been for 20+ years considered the epitome of girly-girl BS.

 

Also confusion that all male fans have the hots for cartoon ponies isn't helping things...

 

People who hate bronies are people too ignorant to actually try the show themselves out of some masculinity nonsense. For some reason they think insulting those who do enjoy the show makes them manlier. Something like that. Haters are just insecure and like to hate because they don't understand and refuse to give it a chance.

[Jemboi 127]

Again, who really cares? Why should we? More pony goodness for us! I've dealt with this kind of thing my whole life. I've loved ponies since the first awful cartoon incarnation of the 80's. I'm also a huge Jem fan, another "girly" show. I would have thrown myself off a bridge a long time ago had I of ever let all the useless negativity get to me.

[Kraznor 33]

First of all, homophobia is a product of ignorance, not an inherent thing. I was very homophobic maybe five or six years ago, but over the course of my time at university I realized how foolish I was being and re-evaluated my position. So forcing homophobes to contend with things they consider "queer" and showing them their fears are unjustified is totally fine by me.

 

The overzealous shoving of ponies into people's faces is a bit more complicated. If you are sharing ponies with people to assert how masculine you are, etc., that IS fairly hypocritical as that post says as it shows you desperately want validation regarding your love of ponies, you aren't truly comfortable with your love of MLP. I've actually thought about this myself. Am I buying McDonald's toys because I actually want the toys or is it more I want to do something very odd in the eyes of society in hopes of provoking them? It was kind of combination of both I've decided, but I was glad I could pick up the remaining three I needed at a Brony meet-up than going up to the counter at McDonald's again. Wearing pony shirts though, I still do that and I don't feel it is being hypocritical as I truly believe the show to be fantastic and wish for any and all opportunities to talk about it with other people. I don't harass people online regarding the show though, just try to talk about it respectfully. The values within the show are likely shared by many of the people who criticize it, just the way those lessons are being administered bothers them for some problem. That isn't something we need to cure, you can still engage with that person on many of the same topics, they just will have come to the conclusions via some other means.

 

There is more but...this is getting long and ramble-y.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Don't forget all the R34 crap, but the other things, I can't say nothing about because I'm not sure of other's reaction to my post

[Starswirl the Trixie 975]

I'd like to break down ponyhate into a few camps, to explore their diffrent rationales.

 

1) The uninformed. These are the people who either had never heard of Bronies until someone they knew came out as one, or those who were told a few bad details. Built up, in some cases, by an inner homophobia which they can no longer express against gays without being criticized by society, they turn it on Bronies. This group is most likely to believe that Bronyism is about Rule 34, though it's important to note that most of these people don't know what Rule 34 is because they are not part of "internet society" (basically, the internet outside of social network sites). They pose a threat to open Bronies in real life.

 

2) Trolls. They are very active on the internet, particularly 4chan; they despise ponies for a couple reasons. Firstly, some may have homophobic tendencies. But most importantly, they simply seek to flame "for the lulz". They have launched some internet attacks, most notably the MasterLinkz ban on Youtube, but otherwise attacks by trolls on pony sites are remarkably rare.

 

3) Our internet critics. These are people who frequent messageboards and/or 4chan, and are involved with internet society. They tend to have one criticism: Pony is invading the internet. My first encounter with pony was back in Summer of 2011, when an internet forum I frequented began to rapidly change. A large number of members, including several veteran posters, ponified their names and avatars. A pony thread was set up to try to handle the growing expansion of pony; there was some conflict between Bronies and others who felt that the forum was under attack. I personally didn't mind.

 

When you go to Youtube comments sections of videos talking about Bronyism, but not of ponies themselves, you'll see a good deal of debate. Ponyhaters on Youtube fall into two camps, like the previous two bullet points: The "YOU'RE ALL GAY *&(&&* WHO WANT TO ^*^% PONIES!!!!" crowd, and the more mature group who feeln that ponies are invading. Firstly, I think that some of this latter group is actually a bunch of immature posters who have just copied a mature argument, even if they have had no experience of pony invasion. But there are a number of people who legitimately feel that Bronies are invading, shoving themselves into their faces. Some of these people are 4channers who still war with /co/lts and /b/ronies; others have had their forums invaded; others have just experienced overly enthuasiastic Bronies.

 

I am thinking of writing a far more controversial post about the groups of Bronies who give us a bad name, but I'll hold off for now

[RDashFan85 46]

I just don't like the idiots that make fun of us get to me. People should just ignore them.

[Arashi Takamine 123]

Ho boy.....

 

Alright I gotta say my peace..

 

As an ex-hater I was infact running into pony art in what I considered Sacred Ground of fandoms. Trauma Center, Zatch Bell, Black Butler that sort of stuff getting ponified...It doesn't help that the first episode wasn't really an eye opener...

 

I rolled my eyes and figured ho hum they can like their ponies all they want but I ain't falling for it. Then began groaning internally seeing the shirts at Hot Topic, and fanart everywhere and yes yuri. That was in 2010 when it was just lifting off and I really didn't like the idea of MLP taking up the space of something else I enjoyed.

 

That's what put me off the most.. I watched Know Your Meme's ep for MLP: FIM and it was interesting. I figure hey they like what they wanted and spoke to some bronies in the comments.

 

I watched Cupcakes, watched the first few eps of season one and well...Here I am. And it's a fun fandom giving me excuses to draw things I haven't considered possible plus I love horses...

 

And I don't shove it down people's throats. I throw in the Brohoof emote on DeviantART on occasion but I don't really fave fanart for MLP or fanfiction....Why?

 

I just haven't found any I really liked yet...I faved one to read later on but I decided to remove it because the character he was using was a real jerk and got turned off...

 

I admit we are a pretty strongly opinionated fandom. But the haters likely just hate because they feel they can hide behind their computer's in their Justin BIeber T-shirt's and feel happy that they made someone feel horrible.

 

I mean just yesterday on a Hunger Game's video I commented that I hated Peeta and got told: "Don't be stupid you freak!" in those exact words...That hurt my feelings a little but when I saw a chance to snark, the twerp back I did it with a vengeance.

 

I don't like conforming totally to the Love and Tolerate because I'm a strong willed person and if someone pisses me off I like to get under their skin, play games with their heads to amuse myself.

 

Does that make me a bad person? No. It's the ones who never leave me alone that get that treatment especially if they've been harassing others on same opinions. I like Monster High too and there was one girl who bullied everyone that it took me getting Spectra and her not getting any attention at all that caused her to go into a total bratfest.

 

I just responded by posting the lyrics to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xqH5aBDYqo

 

Why? I've been a bullying victim and when it comes onto the net I have low tolerence for it. Period.

 

I just don't like seeing people get hurt. That's sort of the point here...

 

 

The best point of that song is those lyrics can be made into a well thought out come back by just posting them. No one will see it coming and they'll make themselves look like an ass whilst you can stay calm cool and collected.

 

Most haters are so obvious about it that they'll not realize by posting their hate for ponies on an ep of MLP is just asking for trouble.

 

So we're partially to blame but OP's friends sound like asswhipes. Poking holes in drawings with pencils just cause they don't like MLP? Why not do that to theirs and see how they like it.

 

Bullying happens in many forms. These guys are just a new breed of bullies.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Arashi Takamine

[Twi Rubix 726]

I've heard this from a few friends myself, and it does get kinda excessive sometimes. Some bronies just need to tone it down a bit, I guess.

[spas-ticShotty 3,584]

I remember seeing a PewDiePie (A famous horror gamer from YT) playthrough on the Amnesia custom story "The Small Horse: Prologue". The plot of the prologue is to capture Pinkie Pie (The small horse), and some other pony references are in that vid, include Twi asking the player to take her into a cave. PewDie doesn't really care about the ponies, as he seemed kinda amused (He makes a lot of things amusing) at them. Unfortunately, he's not a brony 'cause Sweden doesn't have FiM (Yes, he is Swedish).

 

The comments on the video are the reason why I can't look at that video without a face of disappointment. A lot of comments were hurtful towards bronies. I remember one comment saying "F***ing bronies. How much more fat can you autistic f***s be?". That is one of the cruelest comments I've ever seen. First of all, he is insulting autistic people. so we can see right away this kid is a douchebag when it comes to a disorder that they never chose to have and it makes their life harder for them. Second, not all bronies are fat, kid. A lot of us are very fit, from what I've seen in the "Post your picture" thread.

 

Why can't people be more mature on a subject like this? Just because it's girly doesn't mean it's taboo. It ain't necrophilia, for Celestia sake http://mlpforums.com/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.png . Society is so mess up today, it ain't even funny. II sometimes imagine "Would people be more mature about this if it was back in a time period like the 40's?". Sometimes, I think people in that generation are way more mature than people of now. Its sad -_-.

[Nah 3,182]

Simple, society flat out refuses to accept a bunch of teenagers and adults that love this show, due to how fucking close minded they are.

[/mlp/ 106]

BECAUSE THERE HATERS AND HATERS GONNA HATE

[Xanthous 44]

Still not a reason to dislike bronies as a whole if you ask me. Yes, there are ones who actively shove it down other's throats, but having pony avatars and stuff like that isn't shoving it down your throat. Some brony called Kaijyuu said these words:

 

If it's being actively shoved in someone's face, then there's a problem.

If it's being passively communicated, then there is no problem.

 

Telling people to talk about different things when making conversation with them is fine. Telling people to hide their interests and hobbies because it's seen all over the place is stupid, rude, and egocentric

And i agree with him. I'd define the phrase "shove it down your throat" as actively and constatly talk about and only about one thing to another person, and force said person to like that thing.

 

The ironic thing: The obsessive haters tend to bring MLP more often than the bronies themselves. TBH before watching the show i didn't even know about the whole brony phenomenon. I think i saw a DJ-P0N-3 video once and i thought it was cute, but that's it.

 

But, i think obsessive bronies should indeed stop. I know they can be extremely annyoying because my brother is one. I try to avoid mentioning MLP IRL, but my brother will bring the topic everytime. At least people don't care or hate.

 

Regarding the second quote, i'll agree. It's not that big of a deal, after all.

[Guest]

Why can't people be more mature on a subject like this? Just because it's girly doesn't mean it's taboo. It ain't necrophilia, for Celestia sake http://mlpforums.com/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.png . Society is so mess up today, it ain't even funny. II sometimes imagine "Would people be more mature about this if it was back in a time period like the 40's?". Sometimes, I think people in that generation are way more mature than people of now. Its sad -_-.

 

People have always been #%#heads, the internet just takes away their inhibitions. The people back then would have been just as likely to do similar things, but it would have been behind people's backs and such. :/

[Guest]

I think we need to show haters how the show has changed. Most people still think My Little Pony is the same as it was in the 80s, and that's not a good thing (in my opinion). Introducing the show to others is probably best through user-generated content. The best gateway video (I'd have to say - since it's what got me hooked) is Ponies: The Anthology. It'll make them laugh and keep their attention because of the short and entertaining clips.

 

 

 

 

...Also, just found this one... Pretty funny if you ask me

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lWCOADRzTY&feature=plcp&context=C402a348VDvjVQa1PpcFPXarXX2_9iTyHHkNTcE0EdbwaLphNCA3w%3D

 

 

EDIT: Added spoilers so page loads faster.

Man, I was such a nooby noob on April 1st!

Edited July 12, 2012 by Guest