Controversy

[Scootadress 361]

I just have this dreaded feeling that Cutie Markless isn't going to stay on air, or won't be aired much. I'm going to get so much hate for saying that. I loved it (Its my favorite season premier), but I just have a feeling that it's going to get controversial.

 

If only because the LAST cartoon that tried the same premise wasn't aired in America. When I first saw this episode, my head went to the PPGs, the episode: See me Feel me Gnomey. Cutie Markless handled this topic better (It felt scary, dark. The PPG's just felt off.) but I can't help but worry if parents will like it.

 

Maybe I'm analyzing it way too much...but they seem similar and the reason for controversy is..well..communism .

[Aleh 481]

Eh, didn't think America was still massively into hating communism, so I'm going to be optimistic and say you're overreacting.
But then again , the powerpuff girls episode is from like, 2004. 
So I haven't got a clue >.< 


[Thankfully whatever happens it'll stay on air outside the US xD]

[yeet 2,026]

Haven't seen it yet. But if parents find it offensive, i'll start up a company for obliterating them. Because if you're a grown adult finding cartoon horses offensive, you need a reality check.

[Scootadress 361]

Eh, didn't think America was still massively into hating communism, so I'm going to be optimistic and say you're overreacting.

But then again , the powerpuff girls episode is from like, 2004.

So I haven't got a clue >.<

[Thankfully whatever happens it'll stay on air outside the US xD]

The episode was aired in other countries, but because of what it presented it presented...yeah. The girls gave up their powers, thinking it'll help everyone. (They want to be normal) The Town also does so, except with freedom. If anything, Cutie Markless is like a revamped version. Even with what the girls told the villain. (Though, the ponies wanted their marks and didn't worship the mane 6.) Edited April 4, 2015 by Scootadress

[Foliha 395]

That wasn't Communism - that was The Stepford Ponies.  That crazy unicorn was really Dale Coba in drag.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Foliha

[Shanks 10,816]

I was pleasantly surprised a shitstorm of parents freaking out didn't happen over Tirek, lets not freak out over something that hasn't happened and might not happen. There are already more than enough things to freak out about as it is.

[Mesme Rize 15,683]

I don't know. We have a shitstorm, no doubt about that. We just have to see how big it will become.

[MLG4Ever 876]

The US has a Free Speech Law so most likely it will stay but I know that some of the other countries are heavily against communism

Edited April 4, 2015 by MLG4Ever

[Aleh 481]

The US has a Free Speech Law so most likely it will stay but I know that other countries are heavily against communism

The OP post clearly says that the power puff girls episode was banned in the US.

And as far as I can tell literally nowhere else banned it. 

Freedom of speech doesn't mean it won't be banned on television because angry parents decided to throw a hissy fit xD

[Shanks 10,816]

The US has a Free Speech Law so most likely it will stay but I know that some of the other countries are heavily against communism

That didn't exactly stop Derpy from being censored, plus the government has been treating the constitution like a piece of toilet paper these days. In the context of this thread though what the OP means by the possibility of this episode being "banned" is "banned" as in the network refuses to air due to pressure from parents. As I have said before though the panic over this is a tad pre mature.

[Steve Piranha 29,419]

Oh, I thought the freakout happened already, let's hope we don't get to that 

[Megas 27,566]

If that does happen...well let's just say it's hard to lower what little faith in humanity I had. I mean some of the opinions people have about this episode is already making me raise eyebrows

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Just a friendly reminder to not let things go off topic, and to not point fingers at other groups. I had to hide a few posts that either referenced a hidden post, or were a little antagonistic. Let's just remember the #1 rule of the forums, and keep the thread on track. Name-calling and finger-pointing will not be tolerated.

 

Thanks.

[ThatOneComrade 1,091]

Americans can be very stupid-- I mean we can be really stupid-- but we're not gonna take out a pony show because of some communist undertones. Parents would be more likely to do so if they'd let Glimmer win, but Hasbro made it clear that Glimmers ideas are wrong, misguided, and just not American enough, and even those parents would be a very small minority.

[Abia 258]

If this was taken down, it would be immortalized. Look at what happened with The Interview. I don't know about you, but I sure as hell wouldn't have watched that if Sony hadn't been hacked. That attack is what made The Interview a phenomenon, at least for a while. MLP already has a huge fanbase. Censoring something from the show would definitely draw even more attention to it. I don't think the whole Derpy censorship had the intended effect. Removing something like this from the air would only guarantee it got online illegally; activity would definitely increase in the fandom if someone tried to take these episodes down.

[Shanks 10,816]

If this was taken down, it would be immortalized. Look at what happened with The Interview. I don't know about you, but I sure as hell wouldn't have watched that if Sony hadn't been hacked.

It wouldn't have got the attention it did that is for sure, kind of shame that movie sucked but I suppose that is a topic for another day. This is a different situation though because MLP is a "kids show" the effect of the Derpy controversy are still felt to this day, because of that is very unlikely Derpy will get another speaking role but thankfully there are fanfics. As to what effects it would have if this episode were censored or removed aside from it getting a lot of attention is a bit of a question mark as this episode really is one a kind.

 

Though the intent isn't to have a specifically political message it is so far the only episode airing that can legitimately be said to have political parallels. One effect might be for Hasbro to give the order for the writers be more careful which might end up being a bad thing because it could cause there to be less experimentation with episodes like this, I am not saying the show would be ruined but there could be some lost potential. It could also expose the people who would most likely complain loudly enough for this to happen as there is no shortage of hypocrisy in politics.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Black Adam

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

I was expecting this episode to be about communism, but it really wasn't. After watching it, I just can't see it that way. Sure, the whole utopia through equality thing was featured briefly, but it wasn't the main idea.

 

The episode is really more about friendship than anything else. The whole moral here wasn't that communism or equality is bad, but something more in line with what we're used to seeing in MLP. This episode is more about the fact that you can be friends with people who have different features than you do. You don't have to hide anything—neither your strengths, talents, nor your true character—and you don't have to conform to make friends.

 

I mean, that was the whole idea they were fighting against. It's that idea that "we're all the same, so we're friends. You guys aren't equal, so you can't be friends." Of course that's a pretty fallacious ideology, and the mane six succeeded wonderfully in proving it. Each character is distinctly different, and that's where their strength as a team comes from. Nothing about that is inherently communist or anti-communist at all. Seriously. Nothing.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Admiral Regulus

[RarityFan01 2,444]

Just in case this does happen, we just need to watch the episode as fast as we could. It's on YouTube right now. Also, there will be no doubt it will be on Daily Motion, even if it is taken off the air. Daily Motion isn't American. We may not be able to watch that episode on TV, but there is still the internet. 

 

Then again, a lot of people may not have internet access... I really do hope they don't take it off, though. 

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,302]

I saw it more as individuality vs. conformity.

[Scootadress 361]

I was expecting this episode to be about communism, but it really wasn't. After watching it, I just can't see it that way. Sure, the whole utopia through equality thing was featured briefly, but it wasn't the main idea.

 

The episode is really more about friendship than anything else. The whole moral here wasn't that communism or equality is bad, but something more in line with what we're used to seeing in MLP. This episode is more about the fact that you can be friends with people who have different features than you do. You don't have to hide anything—neither your strengths, talents, nor your true character—and you don't have to conform to make friends.

 

I mean, that was the whole idea they were fighting against. It's that idea that "we're all the same, so we're friends. You guys aren't equal, so you can't be friends." Of course that's a pretty fallacious ideology, and the mane six succeeded wonderfully in proving it. Each character is distinctly different, and that's where their strength as a team comes from. Nothing about that is inherently communist or anti-communist at all. Seriously. Nothing.

Many normal people wouldn’t wee it as much, but with the episode mentioned above..clearly people just tend to.

[Aleh 481]

Just in case this does happen, we just need to watch the episode as fast as we could. It's on YouTube right now. Also, there will be no doubt it will be on Daily Motion, even if it is taken off the air. Daily Motion isn't American. We may not be able to watch that episode on TV, but there is still the internet. 

 

Then again, a lot of people may not have internet access... I really do hope they don't take it off, though.

 

Eh. Even if people suddenly go mental at the episode (which I'm going to hope is unlikely, but America apparently overreacts to stuff like this >.<) it'll be available pretty much everywhere online (and on TV everywhere outside of America xD).

Not sure how many bronies haven't got internet tbh (probably more than I think tho >.<).

[Antidaeophobia 299]

Very much like the Star Trek episode 'Return of the Archons' (Are you one with the body? Are you one with Landru?). I don't think it's controversial for children, even if it really represents fascism in an easy way for people to understand. I'd say that this episode really showed the difference between communism and fascism. Equestria to me always came off as very communist/socialist. You don't see ponies in poverty, and everyone seems to have exactly what they need and are fairly capable of making a life from their special talent, even if it is as silly as party planner. People are also dedicated to community service, such as winter wrap up and etc. However, the town they visited was very fascist, people were scared to be themselves, and the ponies weren't truly happy and it was ruled by a dictator who wanted to covert the masses whether they wanted it or not. Dictators free themselves and enslave the people.
I think the episode was interesting, but had a good message that younger kids could appreciate even if they don't understand the political aspect of it. But if you're an adult, then I think it was more scary. Given they were pretty much tortured and subjected to constant propaganda in an attempt to break them, which we both know is a tool of war, and also common in North Korea. I really enjoyed the episode, I see this season having a very good start.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Antidaeophobia

[Jammo 986]

It was less about communism, and more about authoritarian communist dictatorships. Can we all agree those are bad? People whining are only looking at one piece of the story and dwelling on it, because it's the easiest way to generate drama... Which people love doing.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

I don't think it had much to do with communism itself; it was more about manipulation and how equality can be both a good and bad thing depending on the person espousing the philosophy.

 

Starlight isn't a communist; she is a charismatic pony with a penchant for manipulating ponies to her will, and he is VERY good at it. Considering she is merely a unicorn, likely not Sombra's level, that can make her especially dangerous.

 

As for the topic itself I don't see why it would cause controversy in most nations. It could possible has issues in some other places, but it wasn't like it was outright attacking governmental systems.

[Kay Dreamer 884]

I'm hoping the episode doesn't create too much controversy. I loved it. It was probably one of the darkest, spookiest and certainly deepest episodes we've had so far.

 

I like the post by @@Antidaeophobia. I don't think the episode was outright attacking communism as a political ideology, but was illustrating the horrors of fascism as a whole. (Though I disagree that Equestria is communist, as we still see a wealthy elite in Canterlot. Socialist is more likely.) Any regime where freedom is curtailed, where citizens are brainwashed and where fear is the order of the day is terrible. The whole setup of the town was deliciously Orwellian.

 

But despite the degree of thought and care placed into the setting, it was really just window dressing. The core of the story was again about friendship, and how you don't all need to be exactly the same in order to be equal. True friendship, (just like true social equality), is about embracing your differences and using them to help each other.

 

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs." That's as Marxist as it gets, but you need special talents in order to make that work. Starlight Glimmer's town was pure fascism under a front of false equality, simple as that.

 

Thing is, I really don't think most people, upon a surface viewing, are going to get that. At all. As since the town was painted as horrible and wrong right from the outset, I highly doubt many parents are going to kick up a storm because "MLP supports communism, OMG". The whole point of the episode was illustrating why forcing everypony to be 'equal' was a bad thing.