Why Are Bronies Disliked?

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,694]

My brother and I used to play with barbies as kids. Not at home, mind you, but at Grandma's house because those were the best toys she had. Vintage barbies. I imagine she could have gotten some money for them, had they been properly preserved and not subjected to the boredom of three ten-year-old boys.But it didn't mean anything for us; we didn't grow up "weird" or anything. At least, not any weirder than we would have grown up without the barbies.

 

I'm on my third drink here (don't judge me, I'm nocturnal) so I'd better get to the point: just as playing with barbies was the most interesting thing to do in the repressive, stifling environment that was Grandma's house, My Little Pony is now the most interesting thing for ME to do in a repressive, stifling world where most people only pretend to tolerate their differences. "Love and tolerance" are just good-sounding words, even among us to an extent, because we use them all the time but we still argue and create divisions among ourselves, just like everyone else. But at least on the show itself, they mean something. That's an important meaning and MLP was where I found it, and that's just one of the reasons why I love the show...so if anyone who doesn't watch the show wants to criticize it, let 'em! They're only missing out.

[SmileForever^.^ 128]

To be specific due to this thread, I'm a Pegasister (but i prefer to be called a Brony but whatever) and i truly don't understand why society generally hates difference. The girls in my class where talking about how 'odd' Bronies are, and then they started gossiping on how 'hot' ________ was, but they have no IDEA! He is in the Herd.

teenage girls annoy me -_- Why must I be one! WHYYYYYY

[PonyEcho 1,610]

well most people would say it because we are something that is outside the social norm and the would be half right, its because we are miles away from it.

I would compare it to being a fan of superhero comics back in the time of the watchmen and dark knight comics first came out and people realized that comics weren't just for kid (superhero comic that is ) and grown men and women could come out about there enjoyment of something for kids, but again our situation is allot weirder.

 

another example would be a comparison to the first ever fanboys 'Sherlokians' are fans of Sherlock Holmes and showed this by fan art and fan fics as well as erotic fan fiction ( because nothing is safe). now compare it to 'Bronies ' now there pretty much the same apart from the source, and internet culture.

 

it's all about the source (MLP ) its weird no matter how hard you try to convince people that the show is so good.

[AnonBrony 1,467]

There... is many of reasons.

 

But the big one... is cuz we are different. Society, no matter when in time, has always feared ones who are different. Ones who do things that are suposed to be "normal." They feared, then they are hated. Simply cuz they are not understood. Simply because they are outside the "social norm".

It has happened all throughout history. (Mainly religion though...)

 

What people don't understand, is that things like this change all the time. What considered masculine and feminine. During the last century we are seeing women do things that are more for men and men doing things that were more for women. Women got the oppurtunity to vote, we are seing more stay at home dads. Women playing sports, men playing with ponies. Even now homosexuals aren't so frowned upon. Society always changes, but thats another thing people fear... change.

 

People don't liek the idea that men could play with ponies, and since we are considered deviants for it we are frowned upon. And when people try to make "sense" of it... the stereotypes appear. Fags, gays, pedophiles, ect.

 

All of that is just out of ignorance and narrow-mindedness. Its just stupid. To fear or hate something in their ignorance. That they would rather try and make "sense" of it than learning the real truth. And thats another thing... sometimes people... rather not hear the truth.

 

To be specific due to this thread, I'm a Pegasister (but i prefer to be called a Brony but whatever) and i truly don't understand why society generally hates difference. The girls in my class where talking about how 'odd' Bronies are, and then they started gossiping on how 'hot' ________ was, but they have no IDEA! He is in the Herd.

teenage girls annoy me -_- Why must I be one! WHYYYYYY

 

Wow hahaha! Imagine when they find out he is a brony!... maybe its better that they don't know.

And being a teenage boy aint no better either.

[Haven Celestii 9,385]

There are tons of reasons. The view that a few of the people get first and nothing else. They may see the r34 or grimdark and shock fics side. That will leave a bad taste in anyone, especially if that is all they see. They might run into a group of super nerdtastic ones. That can leave the impression that we are all like that and all live with our parents. It might even be an obsessive brony and with that, they'll think we are all overly obsessive about the show and its contents. Hell, just seeing anything about cloppers will make them think we are all one without a second thought.

Its also cause men/boys are not normally thought of as watching a show filled with female technicolor ponies. I'm not sure why its so hard to accept, but that the main reason there.

 

People really need to look into stuff more before saying anything to define it. Cause I know for a fact I am not scary.

 

Not much you can do, just gotta move on and let the ignorant be ignorant unless they actually listen to reason.

[Appetite4Democracy 451]

In some ways, Bronies are like America. We're just living our lives our way, but some people give the rest of us a bad name. Most people think that all Bronies are superfanfags who clop to everything pony related (including Sarah Jessica Parker) and waste their lives on nothing but MLP and have no social life, the same way most people think that everyone in America is a fat retard, simply because the ones who ARE like that give a bad name to the majority who AREN'T like that. Most Bronies simply watch MLP, have Brony friends, and possibly make fanart, the same way Americans are simply people who happen to live in America. It's all stereotypes.

[HungryTroll 137]

In some ways, Bronies are like America. We're just living our lives our way, but some people give the rest of us a bad name.

Sorry to say that, I understand that may be I'm not very careful with words now, but bronies havent got military bases all around other comunities.

 

the same way most people think that everyone in America is a fat retard

May be you will be suprised, but I dont think many people thinks like that seriosly.

[Pix3M 607]

This thread makes me sad... seeing people here bash on people for seeing people who are different in a negative light, because they have a mindset different from their own.

 

The hypocrisy here is ridiculous.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Pix3M

[Appetite4Democracy 451]

Sorry to say that, I understand that may be I'm not very careful with words now, but bronies havent got military bases all around other comunities.

 

 

May be you will be suprised, but I dont think many people thinks like that seriosly.

 

We should have millitary bases all around other comminities. It would be fun.

Also, I think you'd be surprised how many people actually DO think that way about America.

[HungryTroll 137]

This thread makes me sad... seeing people here bash on people for seeing people who are different in a negative light, because they have a mindset different from their own.

Haven't seen anypony here bash someone. People just expressing their oppinion about theme tread, nothing more, nothing less.

 

We should have millitary bases all around other comminities. It would be fun.

Lets bring them love and tolerance

Also, I think you'd be surprised how many people actually DO think that way about America.

Who for example? I'm never seen someone who really thinks like that.

[SBaby 660]

I'll say it right now. School =/= Society. School kids are often immature and think it's 'cool' to make fun of others for many reasons. I had classmates that made fun of mentally handicapped kids. And it's likely because there just wasn't anything else for them to make fun of at the time. They were bored. That's why they did it.

 

Yes, there are a few whack jobs on the radio and news, like Howard Stern, and the guys on Red Eye (the Fox News show that even Fox News doesn't take seriously), and they occasionally make fun of bronies (though I still think that guy from Red Eye that went to BronyCon is either a closet brony, or he's bronifying). But in the grand scheme of things, I haven't seen too much negativity toward bronies on TV. I mean, it hasn't really been any worse than when news outlets blame violence on video games, or blame WoW because some kid had a heart attack from playing the game for 40 hours straight (it's not the game's fault the kid decided not to take a break).

 

Now yes, in mainstream society, you might see a few immature people that poke fun at someone wearing a pony shirt. But the majority of non-bronies outside of the internet are generally accepting of it, as long as you don't shove it in their faces.

 

I occasionally see them when I go shopping, and I haven't once encountered a situation where a non-brony made fun of them. Hell, during Halloween, there are people that cosplay as Sailor Moon characters, and we all think it's cool.

 

So I don't think there's quite as many haters as people believe. It's just that on the internet, they can all get together on youtube under multiple usernames. So it looks like there's more than there actually are.

Edited September 16, 2012 by SBaby

[Trixiefan 16]

Seriously society should really learn to accept us bronies. There are many more sick and twisted people in the world we should focus on instead of us who just want to have a good time and discuss a show we all share a passion for. There's nothing wrong AT ALL with being a Brony!

[OkBuddy 586]

People are just not used to the ad-normal. People usually see My Little Pony in general as for little girls because of G3. People don't think that this generation is different than the others mainly because people think of MLP as G3. And also, the fandom came and grew so soon that people have a hard time to adapt this. Now something similar is happening with Transformers, a female audience. Now this is not as big as the brony fandom, but the reaction would still be the same. I mean people are used to the Star trek and star wars fandoms because the sources of these fans were so good. But people would accept the brony fandom more if a celebrity supported them. I mean, a celebrity that is known in the gaming world, Gabe Newell, supports us. But one problem about this, people who are not into gaming have no idea who he is.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Well Society hates us for being different and standing out from the rest, they laugh at how different we are, but in reality, I'd rather be myself than act like sheep.

 

Mee'h

[MLP Nick 8]

I think people just dont understand us. They all watch things like the howard stern show and are just too lazy to give it a try instead they think its just a girls show becuase it has ponies in it

[Guest]

The answer is as simple as to why most Bronies didn't even want to watch it at first.

 

The impression of colorful magical talking horses learning about the power of friendship obviously doesn't sound to thrilling to anybody other than young children, especially if compared to the older generations.

 

As most Bronies will admit, they would say the idea was pretty weird at first. Many people are just more open-minded about the idea than others, though. At first I thought it seemed a bit awkward and that it was just some internet fad, but after getting myself to explore the fandom and the show itself a bit more, I came to like it. A lot of people need some coercing or just examples from the fandom to see that it's more than the simple stereotype of "made for little girls" that has been ever so ignorantly given to it.

 

And other people have different interests, too, I guess. My friend at school is a big sports nut. I like sports to an extent, but it isn't a big interest for me, and even though I've tried playing all of the ones available at school, I wasn't fond of them. It's something I simply don't like because I can't stand competition. That can be compared to MLP very easily. This friend tried watching the show, and really just doesn't like it. He likes competition and only things with inappropriate or comedic value, where as I'm open to things other than that.

 

There are just people that either don't have an interest in the show, or are too close-minded to attempt to watch it. It's as simple as that, and if people aren't going to at least give it a chance, I suppose the hatred doesn't matter. Just ignore it and maybe even take pride in the fact that others are missing out on something that has brought so much joy to you that could possibly do the same for them. If they choose not to, it is their problem.

 

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

Probably because everybody thinks we are like 40 year old men who are pedophiles or something, which is not the case, no matter your age. They just need to grow up :/

[Coconut Breeze 14]

I'm starting to dislike bronies/pegasisters because alot of them are hypocrites. They bash furries because of the porn that can be found in our fandom. Look at the pony fandom, there is a ton of porn. Don't even get me started on the TiaraWhy flashes.

[ceresbane 61]

Yeah...I know I'm probably going to get flame over this,

clearly bronies still have a long way to go to being a utopian community if our own is scared of us.

 

Hence, bronies should stop pretending we're rainbows and sunshine.

[Ion 279]

Another quote I remember is "Bronies claim that they're (the guys at least) are just as masculine, and more secure about their masculinity, because they watch ponies and aren't afraid to show it. But that's actually rather hypocritical. If they felt so secure, they wouldn't feel the need to announce to the world that they like ponies. Look at all the coming-out stories. No one CARES. If you felt so secure about your position, you wouldn't feel the need to have to tell the entire world."

I can't agree with this part more. I really get annoyed when you see all these stories about coming out as a brony. They treat it just like some people do if their gay, and they feel the need to tell everyone they know and seek some kind of understanding with them (Like its some kind of taboo). If anything its this kind of behaviour that makes the rest of us seem like a group of strange people, when in reality we are just another collection of people who enjoy a show not intended for us (Like a lot of adults who enjoy cartoons meant for children). We don't hear stories about men coming out as people who like the Powerpuff Girls, or Kim Possible. I don't see why liking MLP should be any different. In the end of the day, its likely this behaviour that fuels at least some of the ideas on what the average brony "is".

[FriedWater 2]

Before reading some of the posts in this thread I didn't quite understand why people would care about what other people do in their spare time but now it would seems to me as though many of the more defensive and insecure bronies cause many rather reasonable people to grow irritated with us. If this is the case then now I know what to address when dealing with irritated dislikers and other bronies alike. And I can make sure that I can use this criticism of the fanbase to check my own behavior and be a better representative and not view the situation as black-and-white as I had before.

[~Chaos~ 3,966]

Well, I guess people just don't understand things, so then they hate on it, but in some instances I can see where some bronies can be a bit annoying, for example, they say 'love and tolerate' but then they can't tolerate things in their own fandom, such as rule 34, (this applies to some, not all) and so that is a bit hypocritical in my opinion, and can be a bit annoying. But generally, the brony community is a friendly accepting fandom, but people just can't seem to grasp the fact that it's okay to like a show that was aimed at a younger female audience, society these days.

[SirPoniesAlot 7]

Some bronies can be pretty darn annoying, or just irritating in some cases, but for the most part I just ignore or stay away from those bronies. My brony friends are softcore or just fans for the most part. I treat this show like I do anything else I like, just another cool thing.

[Black Cloud 73]

Ponies don't really get "shoved" into people's faces. Unless a fellow brony nags a non brony to look at something pony related. There are plenty of things that gets shoved in peoples faces all the time. Wither it be meme's, Games,Movies,or books. Once something has become so popular that it gets a large fan base it usually gets tossed about o the internet so much that its everywhere, like meme's. Ponies have become part of the internet, if you don't want to see ponies then I suggest minimizing your surfing or don't go on the internet at all.

[ZomBrony 346]

I still really think a lot of phrases like that are BS. Sure, we have lots of MLP Content all over the internet but it is not like we force it unto anyone. People still have the choice whether or not to view our content. The most common thing I hear when asking haters why they dislike ponies/bronies is because they say we force our content unto them and this really annoys me because I have NEVER seen anyone FORCE anyone to watch anything related to ponies. Has anyone else experienced things like that?