Child attempts suicide, being bullied for liking My Little Pony

[Spagem 505]

I'm not comparing the two, I am comparing their relation to the issue. A person can be bullied for being a homosexual or being a Christian.

I know you were.

 

What I'm saying, is that while there may be a reason to tell someone your sexuality or religion ( because these are important ), there is absolutely no reason you have to tell people you watch My Little Pony. ( Unless you practice the religion "bronyism".    )

 

It would be like someone going in public with an MLP shirt, getting bullied, then complaining about it. Like... did you really expect to NOT get bullied? You're openly telling people you watch a show for little girls. It's almost a given you will.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Megajack

[VerderaPon3 2]

It's really sad. MLP is a show that spreads happiness. That being said they shouldn't address the topic of suicide on a show that is watched by children. That just puts ideas into kids minds that don't need to be there.

[Felix 1,363]

*sighs*

 

Sorry for their loss. I've heard these stories too many times now...I'll just never understand what motivation people have to do these things to people. It doesn't hurt anyone that they like the show.

 

Should the show get into the topic? I don't know. I feel like there's no way of doing it well without being kind of depressing.

Edited September 20, 2014 by Felix

[ukxRainbowdash 165]

This is horrible news. I'm only now being aware of this video, my initial thoughts are that children are not aware of the permanent damage of killing oneself.

As for the poll question, I said no. I don't think My Little Pony could have an episode directly on the topic of suicide and I don't think hinting it is a good idea either. Since children do watch this show they shouldn't have to understand the concept of it just yet. I believe they should be taught by something other than MLP like school or by parents whenever they feel like the child is ready to know. Or just genuinely really depressed.

[Sceethe 704]

Call me mean, but I think the whole case with this is the kid's fault.

 

If you are going to tell people you like My Little Pony and be open about it, maybe you should be ready to get bullied. If you are sensitive and going to attempt/commit suicide over bullying, maybe you shouldn't give people such good bait to bully you.

 

Just saying. Not trying to say it's ALL his fault, but I'd say the majority of it is his.

---

And no, I don't think MLP should address the subject of suicide. Everyone else saying no has said why.

you don't really understand how bullying works if you think that the MLP- shirt must've been the sole reason for the bullying.

If i'd be the most popular child at school and came into class with that shirt the other day, i wouldnt get bullied for it.

Sure, you can blame the kid for not doing a more socially acceptable thing, but that probably wouldn't have helped much at this point - and he knew that

(here i am obviously just making an assumption - i dont know the full situation)

 

what i want to say is that wearing an mlp-shirt doesnt automatically make a bullseye appear over you.

but it makes hitting the target that much easier.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Sceethe

[Shift 4,272]

Another reason why I hate humanity!

 

Anyway, indirectly, I do think MLP should have something related to just wanting to give up and go away. Not suicide, obviously, but that you should just give the world a chance to fix itself and that there's always a reason to stay.

 

...but society still sucks.

[Dark Qiviut 22,388]

And no. Something like suicide would be far too dark for a children's show. Some kid might think, "Hey, that looks cool," and jump off a building.

This type of comment is where @@Jeric said it perfectly. Your logic for being against it is insulting to kids (including people of your age group) because you're implying that kids are stupid. Many family shows launched themselves into extremely serious or mature topics, like Courage the Cowardly Dog (misandry, domestic abuse, lesbianism), Sesame Street (death, hurricanes, process of pregnancy, kids with incarcerated parents), Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (divorce, war, assassination), Arthur (divorce, puberty, Alzheimer's Disease, cancer), and even FIM (plagiarism, physical limitations/disabilities, consequences of being bullied, feeling overshadowed by your older sibling, critiques of the executive meddling and public school systems).

 

Millions of kids are clinically depressed, and depression is a major killer. Suicide is a very real thing, and it's something very rarely talked about unless it's in passing. So wouldn't it be a good thing to get a factually good show like FIM to research it and address this complicated subject so that the clinically depressed (kids, adults, everyone in between) isn't ignored?

 

Bronies should realize that they're not the only audience.

What you and everyone here need to realize is how there's no barrier to who's a brony. "Bronies" encompass every single fan of FIM. People of your age group, mine, etc. Like what I wrote here, older (male) bronies are just as entitled to enjoy this show and speak out about how to improve it as much as kids. By using that ageist, mythological barrier segregating the core fandom from FIM's base demographic (young kids), you imply that voices of the adults don't matter. If voices of adults don't matter, then the voices of kids don't matter, too. Since a show like FIM brings millions of demographics together, you can't have one without the other. Honestly, your points against it merely prove the idea that family shows do need to discuss suicide and depression. If it isn't FIM, then it'll hopefully be something else.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Solid 1,327]

That's why I cofounded Project Harmony with my friends.

[ARagY 1,152]

It's nothing really new though. If you're being physically bullied then say enough is enough and fight back. Don't be that scared to lose if the outcome is a bloody nose either way. Even "cheap shots" are fully valid if you want them to be. 

 

For emotional bullying I'd just say ignore low-minded individuals. They call you gay, I know how that feels, ignore it. It really is only temporary. You know where they'll be in 10 years if they harass everyone for something that no mature person gives half a damn about that long, through social media and in real life? The one you'll be telling you don't like pickles on your burger to. They won't actually get anywhere and sooner or later they'll realise that and stop. Especially if it's something as innocent as liking MLP. What's the worst they can do to you? Tell your friends about it? Shake it off. It doesn't gain you any benefit to let them drag you down. Just don't care. I know it hurts, but you have to learn to deal with it. They'll either grow up and shut up or stay right in the position where they are while you move ahead. Either way, you can still win. Don't let them get the better of you.

 

On topic of whether MLP should go into suicide. Ehh.. I don't know. I wouldn't really have a strong opinion either way. If you're going to go into it though that opens up a whole new element of psyche to ponies which brings more discussion though.

Edited September 26, 2014 by ARagY

[Sir Hugsalot 9,326]

Maybe one episode showing it in more delicate way, maybe a pony being bullied in school and choosing an isolation in order to avoid that. And then such pony running for example in CMC who help it with standing up after what bullies did. Maybe even making it a blank flank like rest of CMC as a reference to kids bullied for being seen as simply boring or unoriginal. I think that would work here. 

 

But I'd avoid any concept of pony literally trying to kill itself, it would be far too depressing and sad thing for such cheerful show and even an attempt to kill oneself would be hard to watch for kids. 

 

So I think the matter should be used for one of episodes - but in most indirect way possible. 

[deleted101 12]

It really annoys me when someone tells other people to go kill themselves. Suicide is very bad, and I have no idea why some people think it's okay to say things like that. I know that some kids that bully other kids, have a terrible life at home, but bullying is still wrong. Down with bullying!

Edited October 5, 2014 by Mr. TSB

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

Should MLP go into this topic? Yes. Will they? I'm thinking not.

[Wolf General Alpha 636]

....Wait a minute.....I live in North Carolina, and the news is almost always on in my house. 

Where the hell was I when this was on the news? 

 

Anyways, it is just wrong the way people judge others by what they like. 

In my school, students do not usually bully others. Students, where I go to school at, are usually all friends with each other...though the only people that would most likely bully others are the African-American Students. (I felt uncomfortable about saying "The Black Students" because I thought it would probably sound racist or something....)

[rainingpies 7]

Why do people bully each other so much these days? We all just need to be kind to everyone.

Edited October 5, 2014 by rainingpies

[deleted101 12]

I watched this on Youtube, and holy crap, the hate comments made me sick. These haters are such cowards. They go around on the internet, causing trouble for Bronies\Pegasisters, then go over board and say "Go kill yourself." (I'm gonna get off topic real quick. It annoys the living crap out of me when someone incourages suicide. There is nothing okay about suicide, and anyone who tells another human-being to kill themself should be ashamed of themselves.) Then the haters "celebrate" when they hear that a brony killed himself or was assaulted, which goes to show how disturbed they are. Then when it comes out to the public, the haters back down, hide, and act they have nothing to do with it. Some of them even think they have the nerve to turn the tables and try to make to sound like it's OUR fault."If he wasn't a ponyfag, none of this would've happened." Yes, I have seen these haters do this, and it's ridiculous. I don't hate the Anti-Bronies\Haters, but they can seriously get on my nerves.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Mr. TSB

[Steve Piranha 29,420]

Thay just went indirectly to the topic of death, but suicide is way stronger and more delicate to handle in FiM

[Ice Fox 1,145]

People who can't accept the difference of others are disgusting, and are the real ones at fault. What is the point of an intelligent mind if you feel everyone needs to quell their differences and act identical? We may as well cast aside our intelligence and start living with apes in the wild.

[Film Reel 75]

Coming in a bit late to this thread but. This is just one of the many reasons I look down on hummans. What possess someone to push someone to this point regaurdless of age. Now keeping this with in america I think this is half the problem people get bullied to this point either do one of these 1 suicide or 2 shoot the place up sorry generalizing a bit. I think it is stupid and preventable but some adults are not responsable enough to stop it. I feel it's not so much childrens shows that need to explore this but adult shows as that might shock some people into taking that responsiblity. I know what it is like to think suicide is away out cause teachers were not taking action. I think and this might be a bit dark but if someone is bullied tells a teacher but then kills themself or shoots the place up. The teacher should be legally accountable for the childs actions If it is proven the teacher did nothing. Yeah essay over I think best thing is maybe make teachers more accountable and maybe have the teachers educate the kids on how to deal with things not just "if your...... go talk to the ..... expert." Actually teach them useful things to help as well as that company line. sorry for all the writing here.

Coming in a bit late to this thread but. This is just one of the many reasons I look down on hummans. What possess someone to push someone to this point regaurdless of age. Now keeping this with in america I think this is half the problem people get bullied to this point either do one of these 1 suicide or 2 shoot the place up sorry generalizing a bit. I think it is stupid and preventable but some adults are not responsable enough to stop it. I feel it's not so much childrens shows that need to explore this but adult shows as that might shock some people into taking that responsiblity. I know what it is like to think suicide is away out cause teachers were not taking action. I think and this might be a bit dark but if someone is bullied tells a teacher but then kills themself or shoots the place up. The teacher should be legally accountable for the childs actions If it is proven the teacher did nothing. Yeah essay over I think best thing is maybe make teachers more accountable and maybe have the teachers educate the kids on how to deal with things not just "if your...... go talk to the ..... expert." Actually teach them useful things to help as well as that company line. sorry for all the writing here.