Fake Bronies?

[Cyan Blue 946]

Have you ever met those people who either claim to be a brony or a fan but know nothing about the show/contribute to the fandom. I've met quite a few of these people. Most of them are just younger, but you never know.

 

Ever met these kind of people?

[Pinkamena-Pills 6,839]

Nope,never met a pretend brony. Tho im not sure why anyone would pretend.

[Frostgage 7,975]

FiM isn't exactly the kind of thing people would pretend to be a fan of. And I mean that in the best way possible.

[CMQuickfireTK 751]

Have you ever met those people who either claim to be a brony or a fan but know nothing about the show/[don't] contribute to the fandom. I've met quite a few of these people. Most of them are just younger, but you never know.

 

Ever met these kind of people?

 

Looks like I'm fake. lolol

[Cyan Blue 946]

Nope,never met a pretend brony. Tho im not sure why anyone would pretend.

I'm actually surprised! I definitely  have.

[Fhaolan 4,484]

Ah, I think you're referring to the people who are fans of the fandom. They're calling themselves bronies because of what they think the fandom is: Breaking age and gender barriers, the creative output, charity works, that whole 'Love and Tolerate' nonsense, etc.

 

All fandoms tend to pick up a halo of similar people. Trekkies have a very strong following of 'fans of the fandom', where they're only interested in what Star Trek represents, rather than any actual Star Trek show/movie/book/etc.

 

They're not really 'fake', they just have a completely different focus.

[Invincible 2,091]

I find it hard to believe that someone would pretend to be a brony. Our fandom isn't exactly... label-free.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

Echh. I personally don't really like it when people are bronies just to be bronies - I won't think any less of them and I won't be a jerk to them, but really, it sort of irks me when people claim the title of brony just to be a brony and actually don't give a rat's ass about the show/comics/whatever.

 

Say what you will about "age and gender barriers," this isn't some sort of political or social movement. We're just fans of ponies. We're not family, we're not a community, we're just a fandom of ponies, and when someone claims the title just for the fandom, that's really just fake.

 

Now, of course, seeing the fandom is what made me look into the show - that's the case for many others as well. There's nothing wrong with that, but I can't help but find it a bit superficial to just want to be a brony because of the fact it's weird and unique. The trend will die down soon enough, and the people who do that will go with it. Just riding the waves.
 

[boiteporte 591]

Nope, never met "fake" bronies. I did meet people who said they dislike bronies and the show and yet they still watched all the episodes...

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

I have met a few SJW who just used the title as a claim to how "gender breaking" they were. They feel that by liking things outside a perceived gender norm, they gain more credibility with the SJW. Why one would want credibility with such a broken and superficial group I do not know.

 

But normally they are just fans of the fandom, wishing to gain some gender bender cred. And are either benign enough to not have to worry about, or occasionally contribute to the fandom itself.

[Away 2,077]

I haven't ever met a "fake brony" before. I believe as long as you're a genuine fan of the show, you're a brony. There's nothing else to it.

[Jeric 46,854]

Ah, I think you're referring to the people who are fans of the fandom. They're calling themselves bronies because of what they think the fandom is: Breaking age and gender barriers, the creative output, charity works, that whole 'Love and Tolerate' nonsense, etc.

 

All fandoms tend to pick up a halo of similar people. Trekkies have a very strong following of 'fans of the fandom', where they're only interested in what Star Trek represents, rather than any actual Star Trek show/movie/book/etc.

 

They're not really 'fake', they just have a completely different focus.

 

That's a realty good point. I know a few Nerdfighters that are fans of the community and what it represents. Since they are a nebulous group that don't follow a specific IP (though it is centered around the Hank and John) they may not like the show ... but they like enough of the music that a few would say that they are Brony Fans.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Jeric

[Haven Celestii 9,385]

You don't have to contribute at all to be labeled as a brony, just have to be a fan of the show in general. Not everyone has the ability, the know how, or the materials to create things.

 

And I've never encountered what you call a "fake brony".

[ReGen 1,466]

I guess i'm one? Although I wouldn't consider myself a brony anymore.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

They're not really 'fake', they just have a completely different focus.

I would see them as fake. A fan of something should have some interest in the thing they are professing to be a fan of.

[Jeric 46,854]

 

Say what you will about "age and gender barriers," this isn't some sort of political or social movement. We're just fans of ponies. We're not family, we're not a community, we're just a fandom of ponies, and when someone claims the title just for the fandom, that's really just fake.

 

Now, of course, seeing the fandom is what made me look into the show - that's the case for many others as well. There's nothing wrong with that, but I can't help but find it a bit superficial to just want to be a brony because of the fact it's weird and unique. The trend will die down soon enough, and the people who do that will go with it. Just riding the waves.

 

 

I know that a lot of fans use the opposite of the sentiment I underlined to proselytize and play apologetics, but at times it almost comes across as a justification for enjoying FiM. I wonder if there was more initial social acceptance of the show from go, would love and tolerate ever have been a rallying cry? I doubt it.

 

Then again, there are some who have world views that are naturally in tune with some of the shows messages.

 

**Shrugs.

 

Did I mention I hate defining a group of people.

[RainbowMau 291]

I'm not sure what you mean with the "knowing" thing, I consider myself a brony because I love the show and everything involved, but there are a lot of things from MLP universe that I still don't know since I still have a lot of episodes to watch.

[Adash 193]

I don't see why someone would want to fake being a brony. I think that would open up to unwanted criticism.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I know that a lot of fans use the opposite of the sentiment I underlined to proselytize and play apologetics, but at times it almost comes across as a justification for enjoying FiM. I wonder if there was more initial social acceptance of the show from go, would love and tolerate ever have been a rallying cry? I doubt it.

 

Then again, there are some who have world views that are naturally in tune with some of the shows messages.

 

**Shrugs.

 

Did I mention I hate defining a group of people.

Meh. My personal philosophy is one that's difficult for most people to apply, and that's not to be ashamed of what you enjoy (hence, why I'm not a closet brony) but that is a possibility - using the social aspects of the fandom to justify enjoyment in the show. Only problem is that it really doesn't need to be justified, especially around other bronies, but meh. That's not something I can solve for other people, that's one of the things that is entirely on them.

[7uprulez 4]

I actually remember faking it to get attention once... (idk why I did that) then I really watched the show and became a fan.. haha

[Swirl 90]

Ugh, nonono NO. I don't mean to be rude but just no. I hate it when people say others are "fake" fans because that's ridiculous. Nobody in a fandom is above anyone else and it's no-one's place to call others false/pretend fake fans. Just because they don't know as much about it or don't take part in the fan activities doesn't mean they're not a fan.

[Mae Borowski 356]

Ah, I think you're referring to the people who are fans of the fandom. They're calling themselves bronies because of what they think the fandom is: Breaking age and gender barriers, the creative output, charity works, that whole 'Love and Tolerate' nonsense, etc.

 

All fandoms tend to pick up a halo of similar people. Trekkies have a very strong following of 'fans of the fandom', where they're only interested in what Star Trek represents, rather than any actual Star Trek show/movie/book/etc.

 

They're not really 'fake', they just have a completely different focus.

 

i call them bandwagon jumpers

[Cyan Blue 946]

Ugh, nonono NO. I don't mean to be rude but just no. I hate it when people say others are "fake" fans because that's ridiculous. Nobody in a fandom is above anyone else and it's no-one's place to call others false/pretend fake fans. Just because they don't know as much about it or don't take part in the fan activities doesn't mean they're not a fan.

You didn't get what I meant by fake fans. I'm talking about people who jump on this for titles. And show no actual interest in the show or anything about it and can only name half of the mane 6.

[GammaDove 428]

I've never met a fake brony, just pretentious real ones.

[Fhaolan 4,484]

I would see them as fake. A fan of something should have some interest in the thing they are professing to be a fan of.

Bronies are in an odd situation. Unlike other fandoms, it has inherited stuff from the previously existing My Little Pony fandom (since FiM *is* the fourth generation, there are still fans of the prior ones. FiM effectively started as Lauren Faust's fanfiction of G1's My Little Pony 'n Friends.). Thanks to John DeLancie, a good amount of modern Trekkie culture has migrated over ever since he stood up at a Trek convention and actively encouraged the Trekkies to reach out to the Brony community due to the similarities he saw between the two fandoms. Plus all the cross-over fans from the furries, Whovians, etc.

 

So those fans are bringing over a lot of the culture from their much older fandoms. That plus the Internet is making the Brony fandom go through it's stages a lot faster than normal.

 

Having fans of the fandom is perfectly normal. It usually doesn't kick in until a bit after the source material is cancelled, and the fandom is forced to produce it's own content to fill the gap. This normally is an indicator of a long-term fandom, that it begins to sustain itself. Bronies are just reaching this point ahead of schedule, as has been normal of Bronies so far.