What if Jesse was right...

[Harshreality 60]

Let's face it guys... The show itself hasn't declined in quality, but we as a fandom have. There is a reason why Tommy, Jesse, Digi and the like are leaving. Look at us. We have grown to no longer accept criticism! So called analysts like Henmo are skipping episodes that are bad to aboud showing any negative opinions. JHaller's top ten pony videos look more and more dire each month. People in this fandom are growing to be way too defensive. In the beginning, there was a group of people that loved the show for what it was and accepted its criticism, as it they all knew it was flawed. They were a tight knit community, but now talented creators are leaving on a mothly basis. Once hardcore fans are getting sick of us. The people who are leaving are not being replaced by new, innovative creators. Hostile confrontations are occuring more and more often. It may not be too noticeable now, but when backlash against the 100th episode ramps up. Once bronycon attendance is down. When more and more people simply leave, by then it will be too late. We need to get our act together as a community NOW. We need to be accepting of negative opinion and flaws. We need to recapture the magic of what made the fandom special originally. When you see an analyst skip over negative stuff, call them out. Be supportive and constructive to other's opinions and make it known you appreciate them. Try to build bridges between this fandom and others. Only then do we have a chance of returning this fandom to its former glory. I have been a brony since mid 2012, and I hate to see something I love slowly erode away. If we don't act soon, we may be gone forever and we will slowly but surely fade away as a fandom. We need to act, and act now people!

[碇 シンジン 27,439]

I can't know what the fandom has been back then because I joined last August, but new talented artists and people join everyday in the fandom. Just because some people who were there at the beginning step down doesn't mean it's over. People change and move on in their lives. Change is always hard to accept, but when you think about it its for the better. Everything around us changes all the time. We change with that. It is why I don't think it is wise to try and stop the motion, when nothing is really going wrong.

 

Bronies are fandom about the happy colorful ponies. In my eyes the show is fun and I enjoy every episode with smile =) then I go here and be with the happy pony community. I have enough problems in my life already, so I don't like to see constant hating and over exaggerated negative opinions about the happy ponies the show that I myself can watch and be happy. 

 

It is true that people who leave cannot be replaced because the life it is like a puzzle when one piece is missing its not perfect and any other piece don't fit there. It is because every person is unique and brings their own assets into the fandom. But just because you take one piece away it doesn't ruin the whole picture. You can still see what is going on there on the picture. It is annoying if you focus on the missing piece. but the key thing is to focus on the whole picture here.

 

I think that the brony fandom as a whole is a good creative community with happy good people and it will stay that way because new people join everyday. 

[Jeric 46,878]

There is a reason why Tommy, Jesse, Digi and the like are leaving.

 

He left also because he simply did not like reviewing, and it become a money/fame thing. He wasn't in it for the love of the job. Something he had to go into in his follow-up video. 

 

 

 

Look at us. We have grown to no longer accept criticism!

 

Not me. In fact many of our more popular members in this forum are very critical of the show and I highly respect their opinions, even when I disagree. Please do not generalize. We are individuals not a group consciousness. 

 

 

 

Haller's top ten pony videos look more and more dire each month.

 

We just had a major video released into the fandom. Likely the best animation produced.

 

 

 

People in this fandom are growing to be way too defensive.

 

People as in 5? 152,000? Of course there are some who are defensive. Tribalism. It is a thing. I ignore it as some I know personally do as well.

 

 

 

In the beginning, there was a group of people that loved the show for what it was and accepted its criticism

 

I joined the fandom in 2004. I have read the archives. You realize that there are many that don't even watch analysis videos? If you look at the watched numbers, it is very evident. 

 

 

 

Ok I am not going to parse the whole thing. People are free to enjoy this show in their own unique way.  If they want to not see the flaws, fine. If they do, fine. This whole idea of, "You need to enjoy the show the way I do!" is not exclusive to the YouTube review, critique, and analysis watchers. In the end, what is happening in the analysis community is a function of natural sociology. If people do not want to watch negative reviews ... fine. They are not lesser people ... they are not even lesser fans. That is what people need to take away from this. This is why those like Tooncritic get it. The backlash is criticism. The analysts have the choice to ignore it or not. You produce content, get ready for people to voice their concerns, and live just happily with a smaller fan base. Unless they go the Tommy Oliver route and basically chase the money. 

 

Imagining each other complexly is a far more important way to honor the legacy of the show than asking people to like something they feel naturally opposed to. 

 

 

[Mesme Rize 15,692]

(I won't talk about Tommy leaving, because i already said my piece)

 

Fandoms always change over time, that's a fact. People go and new people come. The reason why this fandom feels different, is because we've grown bigger over time. When i started in 2011, it was still very small compared to now and it was more straightforward. Today, it's so overflowing and big and sometimes confusing. You have all those sites where you can go to and it has even little subgroups, that it's impossible that every brony in this fandom will act the same.

 

The reason some people wish that it would go back to the "Golden years" is because they want this feeling back, of watching it and being in it for the first time. It's understandable, because that's a great feeling. But that feeling simply won't comeback, no matter how much you want it to comeback.

 

Also, i am still accepting criticism. So don't put everyone in the same drawer.

[Malinter 3,064]

There is a reason why Tommy, Jesse, Digi and the like are leaving. 

 

They basically killed their own enjoyment of the show analyising it into the ground. Its like being given a new car but first you have to write a 500,000 word essay on how it was put together, only in this case you have to do it every time you use the freaking car. Eventually your not gonna want to drive it just to avoid the hassle. 

 

You want to know i'd analyize an episode of MLP?

 

[TopQuark 409]

I've only recently started watching the analysis videos on YouTube, so I'd never heard of Tommy Oliver and the others until the news that they quit started popping up here on the Forums.

 

I feel like many people are taking the analysis community as the corner-stone of the Brony fandom; it's not. The subject matter (the show) is the most important aspect of the fandom. If critique goes down the drain, we still have fan art, animation, music, discussion, and many others.

[mars 4,863]

 

 

Look at us. We have grown to no longer accept criticism!

Honestly, could the brony fandom ever take criticism? I'm sure as individuals, we're all fine with it comes to criticism but I've seen many instances where if someone said something bad about the brony fandom, they'd rally up and spam them with  harsh words and saying how 'bronies love and tolerate' even though they were still being rude. This was usually true on youtube videos and on tumblr.

 

JHaller's top ten pony videos look more and more dire each month.

That's true- the videos aren't as great as they use to be, but it's okay. There are still some amazing videos that are just coming out. You just have to look. (:

 

People in this fandom are growing to be way too defensive. In the beginning, there was a group of people that loved the show for what it was and accepted its criticism, as it they all knew it was flawed.

Oh uh... No.. That wasn't really the case at all. Maybe wherever you lurked, there was a very close knit group and that's super cool!!
But where I was a brony from 2011-2014, most of the bronies were pretty vicious.  They totally could not take criticism, as I said above.
Though to be fair, they also knew it was flawed. It was like they themselves could talk about the flaws and laugh, but once 'an outsider' tried to do the same, all tartarus broke loose.

 

They were a tight knit community, but now talented creators are leaving on a mothly basis. Once hardcore fans are getting sick of us.

Interests change. As Hypnosparkle said, people come and go. It's only natural. (:
It's just that the people who are leaving are 'horse-famous' so we notice them leave.

As for everything else... Well... don't worry!

There's always a part of the fandom that will live on. I don't think everyone will give up their love of the show and make the fandom die out.
There'll always be bronies out there. Please don't worry about it so much! Just sit back, relax, and watch the show.

[zombienixon 333]

They basically killed their own enjoyment of the show analyising it into the ground. Its like being given a new car but first you have to write a 500,000 word essay on how it was put together, only in this case you have to do it every time you use the freaking car. Eventually your not gonna want to drive it just to avoid the hassle. 

 

You want to know i'd analyize an episode of MLP?

 

 

That's pretty much why I avoid analysis and review videos. It just seems to suck the fun out of it.  Hell, I don't even watch even my favorite episodes often so they don't get stale.

 

Going back to the car metaphor, pretty much every car ever made has some fundamental design flaws (like the kind I've spent hundreds repairing on mine), but doesn't make them any less enjoyable. But if you can't get past it, then I guess look for something else then, because odds are it's not going to change.

 

Also, points for the Billy and Mandy clip. I miss that show.

Edited June 11, 2015 by zombienixon

[yeet 2,027]

who really cares if we lose 'famous' individuals in our fandom. It's not about being popular xD

Also there are worse fandoms, there are worse communities too. And most of the analysist are dickbags anyway. For mlp, all I've ever seen anyone do is complain about the episodes. Just ignore them, and they'll eventually go away.

Also billy and Mandy is best cartoon, other than yugioh and Pokemon.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 3,115]

You've been Brony since mid-2012? Surely you must know by now to never take "fandom doomsday" seriously (I've said this same thing numerous times now) as none of the predicted end of fandom ever happened. No matter what happens to certain well known individuals within Brony community, we still have massive number of Bronies. And it should be expected that eventually people will lose interest in show. But at same time newer Bronies will take place of their predecessors. As for flaws within fandom, of course there are flaws but no fandom is perfect. And I doubt most Bronies think MLP is perfect; in fact this forums has numerous example of people seemingly paradoxically loving and hating the show.

 

Analysis sub-community is not something I pay too much attention to; had there not been thread about Tommy Oliver rage quitting fandom I would never have known he left and entire Brony fandom would still continue as is.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Tsaritsa Luna

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

If anything, I think people are more critical on episodes now. I joined this fandom in 2012 and I certainly don't remember seeing a whole lot of people being as critical on episodes as I do now. It wasn't until Digibrony and Tommy Oliver came around when I suddenly saw people more able to call out flaws of the show.

 

And no, fandoms don't commonly die. Just look at Star Trek and Pokemon. They're still around even if they're material isn't as relevant anymore. The reason why bronies seemed bigger back then was because it was a new thing. It was the shock of the century of seeing grown men watch My Little Pony. Nowadays, people know what bronies are. People know what they're deal is and people have their own opinions on them. Don't expect the fandom to be this big major thing forever. 

 

And about the major people leaving part, people come and go all the time. Again, I've been on this forum since 2012, and let me just say the people on this site 3 years ago were a whole lot different than the people who are on this site now. Heck, even the people on this site a year ago are different to some extent. We still get new members here everyday. The same thing applies to big bronies. Nowadays, the brony analysis community is full of many people reviewing episodes to the point where it feels kind of cluttered. A few people leaving does not mean the fandom is instantly dead.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202]

Yeah, I am unsure where this whole 'we cannot give criticism' thing has come from. Ever since season 3, criticism has becomes harsher and more frequent and open. At some point, some people in the fandom may tire of such a thing. They might be tired of reading/watching the analysis videos or articles or they might just be tired of making them if they do. Honestly, there's been too much negativity at times after season 3. I don't speak out against it because I would rather avoid those particular discussions altogether and formulate my own opinion on it, one of the many reasons I avoid analysis content. They seem to make enjoying the show into this complex process.

 

I have no comment about the 'popular' bronies that left because I honestly don't care, but we as a fandom have not gotten worse in anyway, some people leave and new people join. It's the cycle of fandom life. It doesn't indicate any kind of 'the end is near' scenario. The fandom is just as strong as it was before, maybe we are just so used to it now. Back in 2012 the fandom was still a bit..fresh as it were. Now we are pretty much a norm. So it could be that the overall tone of excitement over the Brony fandom has died download but the fandom itself hasn't.

[skysweep 541]

Hmm..dont mind me throwing my 2 bits in the ring. 

 

I think it should be the reverse, and that there should be a sanctum for people affected by the criticisms outside to rest and recover. After all, that is what I felt the fandom provided back in 2011, a safe haven, but not so....receptive of criticism. Now we are more willing to judge, but we shouldnt lose what made our fandom special. A place for people to be themselves without judgement. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by skysweep

[Bendy 1,821]

It's a show about cute, cartoon pastel alien horse people! From a cartoon universe where two god horses move the sun and moon in their solar system. And a magical purple unicorn making friends with other magical ponies.  

 

There's a thing called over analyzing. I try not to over analyze a show about horses. Too many bronies hold the show to a higher standard than it has any right to be. Once again, it's a show about cute, cartoon pastel alien horses. This is not Game of Thrones or some drama that truly reflects on real life issues.  

 

This show is for kids, thus it should not be taken seriously. 

 

This show helps me unwind after a hard day and it's nice to see silly cartoon ponies do silly things. The silly things the ponies do puts a smile on my face and that's enough. 

 

You can criticise this show sure, it's you're right. But I personally find it silly to do so. And yeah, some bronies are way too defensive about a show with magical horse people. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by Bendy

[Daring_Do 552]

This show is for kids, thus it should not be taken seriously. 

I saw a response to that line of thinking once that I thought was a good point - Basically, the show is supposed to be a quality kids' show that doesn't insult their intelligence, isn't it? And so. While the things that bother critics may not always bother me, I personally feel that constructive criticism can help the show maintain a high standard of quality. For example, I enjoyed Princess Spike for a couple little reasons. But I understand there are very valid reasons why most people didn't feel the same way, and I'm not going to try to shut those criticisms down, because the writers can (hopefully) learn from them.

[Bendy 1,821]

I saw a response to that line of thinking once that I thought was a good point - Basically, the show is supposed to be a quality kids' show that doesn't insult their intelligence, isn't it? And so. While the things that bother critics may not always bother me, I personally feel that constructive criticism can help the show maintain a high standard of quality. For example, I enjoyed Princess Spike for a couple little reasons. But I understand there are very valid reasons why most people didn't feel the same way, and I'm not going to try to shut those criticisms down, because the writers can (hopefully) learn from them.

 

 

Sure, criticism is a good thing. It helps improve the show if people express their opinions.  

[Daring_Do 552]

That's my way of looking at it, yeah.

Edited June 28, 2015 by Knight Dash

[Tom Snyder 4,113]

When people ask me do i live by the "Love and Tolerate" rule, i don't have any idea what they mean. I haven't met one brony who didn't erupt in anger over my criticism of their video, i make one small suggestion and i'm verbally told: "if you don't like it, then get the ___ out!!" rudeness is not an excuse to bark at me for trying to help. But that's only about maybe 5% of the fandom, the other 90% is kind and understanding. 

 

Some people just want to move on to better things, but it's not because of the fandom, it's because they feel like it's gone out of control. But it's somewhat true, but then its somewhat not. Either way, its their choice if they leave or not.

[Tom Snyder 4,113]

Sure, criticism is a good thing. It helps improve the show if people express their opinions.  

But its not anyone's place to say what they can and cannot do with their channels.That like putting a leash on them and taking that freedom away.