Why are the ponies so technologically behind?

[Yummychickenblue 303]

Hey forums!

 

I was listening to The Living Tombstones, Sepetember, and it made me start thinkng "why aren't the ponies as technologically advanced as they should be?" The use of electricity as well as machinery that has probbly been used in the last 100 years IRL is referenced in multiple episodes. Feeling Pinkie Keen comes to mind when Twilight is studying Pinkie to find out how her Pinkie sense works. So that brings us back to the original question. Why are the ponies so technologically behind? They have had the last 1000 years study sciences and however long before that, yet they aren't very advanced in any field really. Is it the same case with the Harry Potter world where they have relied on magic for everything and thus have not had a need for scientific research?

[joecal97 340]

Well, they have helicopters, trains etc

 

But they have magic, so a lot of our technology is irrelevant / obsolete to them, that might be why

Apart from that, try only need what is relevant to the episodes storyline, which rules out most tech.

[Sunny Fox 5,952]

Simply put, they have magic, so many of the things we need technology for, they can use magic as a substitute. So they never needed to advance their technology as far as we have.

 

"Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C Clarke.

 

Edit: Ninja'd!   Curse my need to seem smarter by including quotes from smart people!

Edited August 3, 2014 by Sunny Fox

[Pastel 7,630]

I don't think they're that technologically behind. They have phones, trains, helicopters... And many other things that work with magic.

[EpitomeOfTruth 243]

I think we're all thinking the same thing here, due to their magic and stuff they lack a need for advanced technology.

[boiteporte 591]

Where did you see helicopters and phones in the show ??????

 

And, I think they are far behind in terms of technology. If you look at the trains, they still run on coal.

However, they rely on magic for a lot of things which means that they do not need  technology as we do.

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

Maybe in the end of S5 ponies will have TV like in My Little Pony Tales.

[BayoUni2847 528]

It makes a person wonder what would happen if the ponies would have more technology like what we have.

 

I understand Twilight didn't really understand how to use a candy machine in Equestria Girls .

[Scootaloodle 1,623]

It’s a good question:

 

I think simply it’s just more fitting in the oldie world fairy tale like setting.

[ShadowPirateX 600]

When you have magic, you don't really need advanced technology.

Helicopters are nice to have, tough.

 

Where did you see helicopters and phones in the show ??????

 

And, I think they are far behind in terms of technology. If you look at the trains, they still run on coal.

However, they rely on magic for a lot of things which means that they do not need  technology as we do.

Have you forgotten the two helicopters?

And I think those phones were in Equestria Girls.

[Pastel 7,630]

IIRC there was a phone in an office in Manehattan.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Blobulle

[Cirrus. 1,092]

With magic they don't have as much of a need. They have electricity and stuff like x-rays, computers, Giant LED stage screens, phones, and computer games. They just don't have as much of a need for it. As a plus they also aren't hopelessly addicted to it like we are either.

 

Think of this- wouldn't it be funny if they had smartphones and all you saw in the background was texting going on?

Edited August 2, 2014 by steve88

[boiteporte 591]

Well, you sure do pay attention to details because I don't...

Can't believe I missed those helicopters....

[Wander 125]

I don't think they are behind, I just think they live a completely different life style to where they don't need that technology.

[Luna 831 466]

technology isn't everything in the show shows that not everybody need technology to have fun and have a good time

[Sidon Aldermane 52]

They're not exactly behind, but their technology does seem to be achronological. For example they clearly have advanced technology such as computers, but still use things like horse drawn plows.

[Untitled Goose Q 5,138]

Technology is primarily driven by need. Many of the things we use technology for the ponies have substitutes in magic, and so have had no need to develop technology.

[Jammo 986]

I would like to see a race in a future story that lacks any kind of magic and is instead highly industrialized.  Maybe with steam and clockwork.  Would make for some interesting visuals and interaction with the Mane 6.  They could be confused that society makes it's own magic, the machine guys would be confused why they think they need it.  Would make for an interesting dilemma, like Feeling Pinkie Keen done right .  The Season 5 ComicCon animatic did say they might go beyond equestria.  Might be a good idea to introduce different races in this universe.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Jammo

[Yummychickenblue 303]

I would like to see a race in a future story that lacks any kind of magic and is instead highly industrialized.  Maybe with steam and clockwork.  Would make for some interesting visuals and interaction with the Mane 6.  They could be confused that society makes it's own magic, the machine guys would be confused why they think they need it.  Would make for an interesting dilemma, like Feeling Pinkie Keen done right .  The Season 5 ComicCon animatic did say they might go beyond equestria.  Might be a good idea to introduce different races in this universe.

That seems like it would be a good idea, I hope they do something like that.

[DubWolf 17,540]

How do you know they aren't very advanced in every field? Care to explain :comeatus:? To answer your question literally, it's because that's what the writers wanted (I don't think they're very technologically behind though).

 

I also don't think there's much need for all that fancy technology. Like others have pointed out, the ability to use magic already eliminates many tasks that would require one to engineer a device to perform said task.

 

But as discussed in several threads on the forum, one can never engineer a piece of technology that's perfect, so I'm sure there's room for the ponies to still advance technologically...if they needed to....

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

Either cuz of magic or cuz it's a cartoon fantasy world that really isn't meant to be taken too seriously

Edited August 3, 2014 by LZRD WZRD

[Fractured 2,684]

In a world where you can always find a job, there's no real incentive to build things beyond what they already have. Inventions probably move slower and are possibly created entirely by accident.

[PinkieAwesome 66]

Magic interferes with technology! Well in harry potter world it does

[WriteCodes46 178]

Pretty much for two reasons:

1. Magic, meaning they don't need it.

2. Hooves, meaning they can't make it.

[JeyWiz 1,097]

They still have a bit of somewhat modern technology, like phones, helicopters, trains, Pinkie Sense detectors, they even have DJ sets and dubstep music! Someone could have muddled up time in Equestria and made modern technology exist in old times or something like that.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Ravelicious