Tommy Oliver Rage Quits the Fandom

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

:\

 

Tommy, if you are honestly surprised that the Pony fandom has its share of blind affirmation, then I'd ask you which internet you've been using this past decade. I'm not saying it's okay, but it's part of a larger problem that has nothing to do with talking horse drawings; and you're not helping matters by giving up.

[The Lonely Paradox 124]

In all honesty, I felt as he does at one point, and was on the brink of leaving the fandom, until I found this place. I found a community of bronies with rational thoughts in their heads and love and tolerance in their hearts. When I became a part of this community, I was reminded of what it meant to be a brony and what made the show so great. Being in the company of true bronies renewed my love of the show and restored my faith in the fandom. The good people of the MLP fandom aren't in the major brony sites or web media outlets. They are tucked away in tightly knit communities like this one that preserve the original enthusiasm and principals of the early fandom. It's a real shame that Tommy Oliver couldn't see the good side of the fandom that very much still exists, but it's better for him to leave the fandom than to be unhappy with it and spread around his misery. It was not from YouTube or a specialized fan site that the fandom emerged. It emerged from a tightly knit community like this one, and no matter what goes on in the greater fandom, it is in tightly knit communities like this one that the true fandom will live on.

[Mesme Rize 15,683]

I don't see what the big deal is if someone rage quits out of the fandom. I don't blame.

 

I distanced away from the fandom, and getting less interested in the episodes as they progress. I guess that's just me burning out, so hopefully the candle won't blow out for a little while longer.

 

Because FiM went through so many changes, it can't compare to earlier seasons in the show.

 

 

There is a different with somebody leaving quietly and somebody shooting at the whole fandom. Tommy should have left quietly without making a fuss, instead of vilifying the fandom just because some of us still like the show.

 

It was simply not cool.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

I don't approve of what he did and how he did it, but he raises some important points worth considering.

He lost every single bit of credibility by using the same bullshit that caused some people to run off and stereotyped the entire fandom under one blanket. If he was going to legitimately be honest, he wouldn't act like the very same anti-bronies or brony separatists who follow through with the same stereotypes. He and Mr. Enter's bullshit about negativity have plenty in common: They used stereotypes, stupid fallacies, and lousy excuses to vilify the fandom (T_O strawmen, ad hominems, and "the brony fandom is a hugbox" stereotype, MME strawmen and "the brony fandom is full of negative Nancies" stereotype). The one difference is ME didn't rage-quit the fandom.

 

but this was a dose of brutal honesty the fandom needed.

What he said wasn't brutal honesty at all. If he was going to be brutally honest, then he wouldn't throw a terrible temper tantrum. His words deserve no consideration because he vilified the fandom and acted as the pot calling the kettle black.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Dark Qiviut

[Cleverclover 1,526]

So what happened to Digibrony anyway? Was never really involved in analysis sub-community but I used to see some of his videos some years back and was aware that he was perhaps most well-known Brony in sub-community and also vaguely aware of some sort of drama that happened. Though it seems like it's been long time since he's become irrelevant (unless I'm incorrect about that).

 

I don't know all the details myself, but he started having one hell of a meltdown either during or after season 4. I'm pretty sure he actually quit the show by now. 

[Raritas 6,820]

I've never seen his videos before, but I recognised him. Let me just say he is 100% right with everything he said. There is a bad part of this fandom, a bad part that is restricting him from doing what he loves. To be honest it was a pretty ballsy thing to do but he did he is right. This fandom has changed over the years, and some areas are certainly worse than others.

 

Good for him, I respect his decision.

[Aleh 481]

>this thread in a nutshell

 

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

There is a different with somebody leaving quietly and somebody shooting at the whole fandom. Tommy should have left quietly without making a fuss, instead of vilifying the fandom just because some of us still like the show.

 

It was simply not cool.

Haha yeah, yeah you're right. I was just more focused on the fact that if he feels that way, I don't see what's going to change that exactly. Maybe he should have been less brash and not shooting at the entire fandom, but what could be done, ya know?

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

He lost every single bit of credibility by using the same bullshit that caused some people to run off and stereotyped the entire fandom under one blanket. If he was going to legitimately be honest, he wouldn't act like the very same anti-bronies or brony separatists who follow through with the same stereotypes. He and Mr. Enter's bullshit about negativity have plenty in common: They used stereotypes and stupid fallacies (T_O strawmen, ad hominems, and "the brony fandom is a hugbox" stereotype, MME strawmen and "the brony fandom is full of negative Nancies" stereotype). The one difference is ME didn't rage-quit the fandom.

 

 

What he said wasn't brutal honesty at all. If he was going to be brutally honest, then he wouldn't throw a terrible temper tantrum. His words deserve no consideration because he vilified the fandom and acted as the pot calling the kettle black.

Regardless of the blanket statements he used, this tribalistic fanboy behavior is an issue that someone had to bring up eventually. Oliver's behavior shouldn't preclude us from having this discussion.

[The Lonely Paradox 124]

I don't know all the details myself, but he started having one hell of a meltdown either during or after season 4. I'm pretty sure he actually quit the show by now.

 

He was a big baby like Tommy Oliver who loved to bitch and complain about MLP not being more like his shitty Japanese cartoons. He would have eventually quit, but his YouTube account was C&D'd, so he was forcibly shut up prematurely. Good riddance, if you ask me. He was an attention starved asshole who made half-assed suicide threats and did nothing but bitch in order to get attention. I don't usually like to hate on people, but Digibrony came off to me as a pretty shitty human being.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

Regardless of the blanket statements he used, this tribalistic fanboy behavior is an issue that someone had to bring up eventually. Oliver's behavior shouldn't preclude us from having this discussion.

At this point, you can't separate it. We could have this discussion, but it's now soiled because it's triggered by a guy who's doing the same stereotyping. He's the wrong guy to start it. The conversation ended before it even began.

 

I've never seen his videos before, but I recognised him. Let me just say he is 100% right with everything he said.

Correction, he's one-hundred-percent wrong. No matter what other fans say, it's downright stupid for anyone to scapegoat and stereotype the brony fandom. He has absolutely no excuse to blame them over something he claimed to love. When you blame them for no longer loving something anymore, then you tell everyone here you never enjoyed the product in the first place. T_O comes across as fake thanks to his clickbait.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Dark Qiviut

[Jeric 46,850]

I've never seen his videos before, but I recognised him. Let me just say he is 100% right with everything he said. There is a bad part of this fandom, a bad part that is restricting him from doing what he loves. To be honest it was a pretty ballsy thing to do but he did he is right. This fandom has changed over the years, and some areas are certainly worse than others.

 

Good for him, I respect his decision.

I wouldn't say 100% right at all. The goober actually called people who seek affirmation pathetic. Because I have some knowledge of psychology and genetics thanks to my wife, my perception is a bit different than his because of this. He ignorantly threw the entirety of humanity under the bus by suggesting that need for affirmation is inherently bad.

 

#hardwiredstuff

[Raritas 6,820]

Correction, he's one-hundred-percent wrong. No matter what other fans say, it's downright stupid for anyone to scapegoat and stereotype the brony fandom. He has absolutely no excuse to blame them over something he claimed to love. When you blame them for no loving something anymore, then you tell everyone here you never enjoyed the product in the first place. T_O comes across as fake thanks to his clickbait.

 

So you're saying there isn't a toxic part of the fandom that is restricting him from doing what he loved? He liked the show, but the fact he wasn't allowed to criticize it by his own fans is what drove him over the edge. Correction, he isn't stereotyping the fandom, he didn't once say it was the whole fan base doing this, plus he never once said he didn't enjoy the show in the first place.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Raritas

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

 

 

At this point, you can't separate it. We could have this discussion, but it's now soiled because it's triggered by a guy who's doing the same stereotyping. He's the wrong guy to start it. The conversation ended before it even began.

 

What? No! It's a conversation that the whole of humanity needs to have as soon as possible.

 

Oliver was a bit of a douche for ascribing the whole thing to the Pony fandom, but that doesn't make his central point any less valid. Confirmation bias is bad for everybody, and it's something that needs to be addressed. We absolutely, under no circumstances, should not just sweep this issue under the rug because one guy acted dickish about it.

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Hopefully he shaves that horrible facial hair on his way out!

Although honestly, if he doesn't enjoy it then fine with him, there's no point in sticking around if you hate it. I guess that's what over analyzing a kid's show does to you, makes it not fun anymore. Albeit I agree with him on several levels about the fandom.

 

I saw the video recently and gave it a thumbs down followed by unsubscribing him. I said this so often, and I'll say it again. If you're going to quit, then do so because the quality isn't up to snuff. Don't scapegoat the fandom! Scapegoat nobody! 

3:17 he begins to talk about why he doesnt like the show anymore

4:32 He says the show is the bulk of the reason of him quitting. The fandom just made it that much worse.

[The Lonely Paradox 124]

T_O comes across as fake thanks to his clickbait.

His video is not clickbait. It is not called "Why I'm quitting the fandom" or "The brony fandom sucks and here's why" or anything like that. The title of this thread is clickbait. Don't confuse this thread with the actual video that he himself posted to youtube.

[NonbinaryDuck 362]

I can't watch the video currently, but reading the replies/comments I get the idea of more so what's going on.

 

I, personally, don't blame him. The show did progress in a way where it just isn't the way how it used to be. The show at this point caters to the brony fandom and it makes me feel sick, because it shows how Hasbro cannot give two sh*ts about their original audience-- the younger, feminine audience, not adult masculine people.

 

Not that I have an issue with older men/masculine watching the show, it's just that Hasbro has gone so low trying to reel in an audience which is desperate enough to spend like, $1,000 dollars on a damn pony figurine.. I can literally use that money for my gaming PC like hot damn..

 

There's also plentiful of pornography from the show that you can't safely search things like applebloom without most recent research such as "applebloom r34" appearing, or suggestive images of the filly. Guys, she's a minor-- A MINOR.

 

I've seen more bad than good from this fandom, which is what I'm trying to point out, but what makes me furious is seeing how people ruined the show. This isn't to blame 100% on the fandom, therefore we should also focus our attention to Hasbro as well.

 

I'm.. I just.. I don't hate bronies, but I sure as Hell won't and don't call myself one. I like the show, although now it's just getting more ridiculous (and Twilight Sparkle still has a personality of a damn robot. Beep-boop). I'll still keep watching just because of Applejack, but yeah. I just wish this fandom had more of a positive outcome. Why is this so much to ask?..

[AccountNoLongerUsed 741]

Implying you need to like the show in order to be a part of this community. I'm gonna be honest, i never really cared for the show. its not bad, but i find fan fictions and fan comics of the show more appealing to me. Plus I like this community.

 

That probably doesnt make any sense, does it?

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

I'm gonna go say this:

 

I think the problem is that this is the Internet, and you can't really kick people out in the community. Every fandom has to deal with extremist fandoms. The loud ones get noticed, and the determined ones make the show well known in the first place. Is there a solution to make sure that only good people be part of the community? Can we really kick people out with opinions like the extremists?

Heavens, no! You want to kick people out for having "opinions like the extremists?" Who is to judge what opinions are "extreme" with the holder of said opinion sentenced to being disowned?

 

People are going to have opinions we don't like but that's no reason to gag them. This "solution" of yours looks like the "political correctness" problem that so many are already complaining about. Don't even get me started on freedom of speech.

 

---

 

Watched the video. My thoughts are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a side note, it was kinda fun watching him throw such a tantrum XD

 

And that's pretty much all I have to add to this.

[Tom Snyder 4,112]

Heavens, no! You want to kick people out for having "opinions like the extremists?" Who is to judge what opinions are "extreme" with the holder of said opinion sentenced to being disowned?

 

People are going to have opinions we don't like but that's no reason to gag them. This "solution" of yours looks like the "political correctness" problem that so many are already complaining about. Don't even get me started on freedom of speech.

 

---

 

Watched the video. My thoughts are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a side note, it was kinda fun watching him throw such a tantrum XD

 

And that's pretty much all I have to add to this.

I was making a point about why someone would think like that. never said i wished to.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Candy Star

[Kerberossz 1,929]

That probably doesnt make any sense, does it?

 

Actually it does. I like the show and THIS forum and I don't really want to know anything about the dark side of the fandom, I mean I don't want to hear anything what they does. Reading this thread made me realize that my naive "Just like the show and enjoy the peaceful talkings with other fans" are not that easy as I thought. 

 

The fact that you like the community is good to hear. I'm on EQD and what you guys said about it...it's just unbelievable. I mean it's just about the fun...right...no? okay. I get it.

 

Tbh reading these comments make me sad. This is why I didn't want to know anything about the negative side, ruins my joy. I'm just being honest.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Kerberossz

[Jeric 46,850]

4:32 He says the show is the bulk of the reason of him quitting. The fandom just made it that much worse.

 

Of course he greatly marginalized that with his closing few sentences, which I understand were more an an emotional 'drop the mic' moment that a legit reason ... but he is far from consistent in this video.  

 

This is a better approach, and it still addresses many of the the same issues. 

 

[ManaMinori 4,145]

While it may have been unnessesary to throw the entire fandom under the bus for choosing only to see and willing to talk about the positives of pony, I can't disagree with TO's main issue about (most of) the fandom dismissing the negative and demonizing anyone who dare try to bring it up, themselves. It's sad that that's what caused TO's enjoyment of MLP to wane over time- no one should feeel like they were being blasted for addressing something that they felt was negative about something they enjoyed- as criticism at art is NEEDED to pave the way for better art and storytelling.

Sad that he's gone and won't be touching the show or doing analysis. I hope that more analysists will take his words to heart and start dropping harsher critique, because the show- lest we forget- is an art form, first and foremost. And for the artists and storytellers who work on MLP to step up to the plate and hit home runs with every swing, that judgement, that harsh criticism is a MUST, for improvement.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

He liked the show, but the fact he wasn't allowed to criticize it by his own fans is what drove him over the edge.

Anyone who believes the fans are responsible for holding him back from being honest is kidding themselves. The fans aren't responsible for holding him back. He's responsible for holding himself back. The bronies who bitched at him for "ruining their enjoyment" don't deter him from enjoying the show. He lost it on his own volition, but he scapegoated the fandom for it instead. That's not honesty. That's cowardice.

 

Correction, he isn't stereotyping the fandom, he didn't once say it was the whole fan base doing this, plus he never once said he didn't enjoy it in the first place.

You're wrong. He completely vilified the fandom, calling it a hive mind and stereotyping it with stupid strawmen and throwing the whole community under the bus. It's a completely low blow that deserves no praise whatsoever.

 

Oliver was a bit of a douche for ascribing the whole thing to the Pony fandom, but that doesn't make his central point any less valid.

His point is completely invalid because he claimed others are acting out of confirmation bias, yet he is acting the same. Why should anyone believe him if he's being a hypocrite.

 

Confirmation bias is bad for everybody, and it's something that needs to be addressed. We absolutely, under no circumstances, should not just sweep this issue under the rug because one guy acted dickish about it.

I absolutely agree. We should be discussing it, and I call people out for this often, even in this very thread. The problem is when you attach his word to the discussion, then the discussion collapses on top of itself. Consequently, you risk ruining the whole conversation. He's the wrong guy to start it.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Dark Qiviut

[thepinkapocalypse 72]

 

Tommy Oliver posted this video yesterday. In it, he basically rage quits the fandom and trashes the show, fandom, and analysis community. Well I find it great that he gets it off his chests, parts of it just rubbed me in the wrong way. It's kind of hard to explain why.

 

So what do you think?

I say good riddance to him. I stopped liking him after he got overly negative about the show I mean i personally felt the show got better at the fourth season and it continuing to go strong. Don't get me wrong this dude is entitled to his opinion but he didnt need to bloody insult the fandom and called everyone sheep seriously who does he think he is?