Why do some people treat Equestria as utopia?

[arftbmrf 40]

Well, the title pretty much sums everything up. Why do you think people treat Equestria like this, even if it was clearly stated that they are wrong, especially in the last episodes? They have the same problems as we are, and much worse ones, too. They also have slavery, tyranny, crime, such as bank robbers and so on, depression, maybe suicides, wars, conflicts and so on.

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

That's a very good question...I don't get it either...>.>

[Tankulis 29]

Magic? I guess lol its a good question

[LunaDream 331]

I know. I can understand why people would think that previous generations of my little pony were utopias in nature, but G4, certainly not. We can see that in the season openers and season finales. I wouldn't put characters like Tirek and Discord in a utopian world. The word "Discord" even counteracts the word utopia. 

[Fractured 2,684]

In comparison to our world...

>Less crime (Less than ten or twenty acts throughout the whole of the show. It's to the point where foals are allowed to cross Equestria without any fear for their safety, ala Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich)
>No pollution (To our knowledge)
>No homeless (to our knowledge)
>No Lack of need (You rarely, if ever, hear ponies complaining about basic necessities when they're at home.)

The biggest issues they have come from outside Equestria. They last for about 24 hours to a week, then they go away for 1000+ years. After which it's nothing but meeting with friends, fulfilling life goals, and going through day to day struggles of how to go about fulfilling those life goals due to minor complications. That, and participating in the massive array of fesitvals, parties, and lavish occasions that Equestria seems to have in overwhelming abundance.

 

In summary, nope; not a utopia at all.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Fractured

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,894]

I would say it is the fact that friendship is the most powerful force in all of Equestria. Well, technically magic is, but friendship is the most powerful magic there. That is quite the far cry from Earth, where friendship is kinda squandered by a lot of people. 

[Justin_Case001 4,907]

Well, if Equestria was real, I think we'd see much more and worse effects from the villains.  For instance, thousands would have been slaughtered by Tirek or Sombra.  Because they keep it G-rated, even the conflicts and villains always turn out okay.  I think Tirek would count as terrorism, but again, once he's been dealt with, we don't see a bunch of pony families mourning their loved ones who died at the hands of Tirek.  In real life, we would.  So, that's part of it I guess.  I certainly do see Equestria as a utopia, but not because of a lack of conflict.  As you pointed out, they certainly have conflict.  I see it as a utopia because, in general, the pony race seems happier, more accepting, more trusting, and more friendly than people in real life.  It's true that there are ponies who are jerks, but this is just a generalization.  I've pointed out in other threads that in Equestria, even if a pony is mean, you typically don't need to fear them or be suspicious of them.  They might be mean, but they're not going to rape you or steal or identity or something like that.  That sort of stuff doesn't happen in Equestria.  It's a much safer place.  There are threats and villains, yes, but nowhere near the same level of constant global violence.  You don't have pony guerillas running drug and pony trafficking, you don't have pony jihadists, you don't have trains and buildings full of innocent ponies being blown up by pony Isis and sh*t like that.  Again, I know that irl, the big villains would be much worse, but since they're not on the show, it's seen as a utopia.  I would certainly rather live in Equestria than here.  I feel like above all, it would be easier to be yourself in Equestria and be accepted.

[arftbmrf 40]

Well, if Equestria was real, I think we'd see much more and worse effects from the villains.  For instance, thousands would have been slaughtered by Tirek or Sombra.  Because they keep it G-rated, even the conflicts and villains always turn out okay.  I think Tirek would count as terrorism, but again, once he's been dealt with, we don't see a bunch of pony families mourning their loved ones who died at the hands of Tirek.  In real life, we would.  So, that's part of it I guess.  I certainly do see Equestria as a utopia, but not because of a lack of conflict.  As you pointed out, they certainly have conflict.  I see it as a utopia because, in general, the pony race seems happier, more accepting, more trusting, and more friendly than people in real life.  It's true that there are ponies who are jerks, but this is just a generalization.  I've pointed out in other threads that in Equestria, even if a pony is mean, you typically don't need to fear them or be suspicious of them.  They might be mean, but they're not going to rape you or steal or identity or something like that.  That sort of stuff doesn't happen in Equestria.  It's a much safer place.  There are threats and villains, yes, but nowhere near the same level of constant global violence.  You don't have pony guerillas running drug and pony trafficking, you don't have pony jihadists, you don't have trains and buildings full of innocent ponies being blown up by pony Isis and sh*t like that.  Again, I know that irl, the big villains would be much worse, but since they're not on the show, it's seen as a utopia.  I would certainly rather live in Equestria than here.  I feel like above all, it would be easier to be yourself in Equestria and be accepted.

At least in real life police fights gangs, while in Equestria nobody cares. Gangs can rob citizens, threating them, destroy their houses, do basically anything and authorities won't care. Well, unless the gang would harm some historical building, that is. But until then, they can do anything. It's like during 30s'. Al Kapone was locked just because of tax avoidion, even if there were crimes like murder, and other ones.

[cider float 2,539]

I don't know why slavery is considered such a dark issue in children's cartoons. Rarity was a slave for the diamond dogs but the writers cranked it up so it was more funny when she turned it around rather than the dogs doing meaner things to her as a captive.

[ManaMinori 4,146]

Because it's still better than all the crap that goes on, here on our own measly planet. By comparison, Equestria is every bit a paradise, even with craycray op unico-.... Alicorns causing magical catastrophes, creatures from Tartarus, and chaos spirits running around, parasprites, et

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

 

 

>Less crime (Less than ten or twenty acts throughout the whole of the show.

 

As of season 5, the show takes place over the period of about a year and a half, and all of it centers around the perspectives of only a handful of characters. Unless you're with the police, I don't think it's normal to witness 10-20 crimes take place within the span of a year.

 

 

 

It's to the point where foals are allowed to cross Equestria without any fear for their safety, ala Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich)

 

 

Well, all this proves is that it's utopian compared to the Dragon Age universe. Not alot of crime happens in the wilderness. Most of it is contained to population centers, due to there being, ya'know, more people.

 

That said, even using canon information, it's a very bad idea to try to traverse Equestria on your own. Equestria is home to a range of monsters and beasts that us Earthlings would never understand. Applejack kinda had the right idea in Somepony to watch over me.

 

 

 

No pollution (To our knowledge)

 

Because it's probably pre-industrial. Consumer goods probably cost a leg and... another leg. This also explains the rather extreme class divide: Lower class Ponyvillians live in huts while the political class of Canterlot live in veritable palaces, not entirely unlike medieval feudalism.

 

In a few hundred years, this equation should flip. Higher standards of living across the board, at the expense of some pollution.

 

 

 

>No homeless (to our knowledge)

 

See above. I highly doubt that.

 

 

 

>No Lack of need (You rarely, if ever, hear ponies complaining about basic necessities when they're at home.)

 

That wouldn't really make a great episode.

 

 

 

The biggest issues they have come from outside Equestria. They last for about 24 hours to a week, then they go away for 1000+ years. After which it's nothing but meeting with friends, fulfilling life goals, and going through day to day struggles of how to go about fulfilling those life goals due to minor complications.

 

As of right now, several episodes depict extreme disasters or monster attacks; again within the span of only one year.

 

Friendship is Magic (the pilot)

Boast Busters (near miss with an Ursa)

Swarm of the Century

Return of Harmony

Canterlot Wedding (which confirms the concept of war)

Crystal Empire

Magic Duel

Princess Twilight

Twilight's Kingdom

Cutie Map (near miss)

Slice of Life

Party Pooped (near miss)

Do Princesses Dream of Magical Sheep

 

All in little over a year.

 

Yes, there's downtime between each world-shattering tragedy, but that's still alot of disasters to occur in such a short time.

[Shadow Beam 1,179]

This may or may not be far fetched, but I considerably believe that the permanent presence of FRICKEN CAKE-COLOURED, SPELL-CONJURING, CIDER-MAKING AND SENTIENT PONIES, does create somewhat of a dainty society prospect.

 

 

 

But that's just my opinion, of course.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Shadow Beam

[Fractured 2,684]

As of season 5, the show takes place over the period of about a year and a half, and all of it centers around the perspectives of only a handful of characters. Unless you're with the police, I don't think it's normal to witness 10-20 crimes take place within the span of a year.

I actually meant over the whole of Equestria, and was giving a high estimate. Most of those crimes actually belong to children (the CMC), with the mane cast performing the majority of the rest of the percentage, and Trixie, Sunset Shimmer, etc filling up in the rest of the gap. 10-20 crimes over a whole nation is not a significant issue, especially with the high majority of them being minor in scope (Trixie's events with the Alicorn Amulet being both an outlier, and a case of mind control)

 

 

Because it's probably pre-industrial. Consumer goods probably cost a leg and... another leg. This also explains the rather extreme class divide: Lower class Ponyvillians live in huts while the political class of Canterlot live in veritable palaces, not entirely unlike medieval feudalism.

 

In a few hundred years, this equation should flip. Higher standards of living across the board, at the expense of some pollution.

 

 

 

 

See above. I highly doubt that.

 

 

 

 

That wouldn't really make a great episode.

We go by what we see, and we haven't seen any of the above, nor any direct evidence to support it. Which puts the burden of proof on you to prove it.

 

 

As of right now, several episodes depict extreme disasters or monster attacks; again within the span of only one year.

 

Friendship is Magic (the pilot)

Boast Busters (near miss with an Ursa)

Swarm of the Century

Return of Harmony

Canterlot Wedding (which confirms the concept of war)

Crystal Empire

Magic Duel

Princess Twilight

Twilight's Kingdom

Cutie Map (near miss)

Slice of Life

Party Pooped (near miss)

Do Princesses Dream of Magical Sheep

 

All in little over a year.

 

Yes, there's downtime between each world-shattering tragedy, but that's still alot of disasters to occur in such a short time.

Again, all resolved in roughly 24 hours or less, leaving no lasting effects, with the possible exception of Twilight's Kingdom. It's also 13+ days out of 365, assuming the Equestrian calender matches ours, most of those being either relatively mundane in scope, having minor issues, or containing festivals, parties, and the like.

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

I actually meant over the whole of Equestria, and was giving a high estimate. Most of those crimes actually belong to children (the CMC), with the mane cast performing the majority of the rest of the percentage, and Trixie, Sunset Shimmer, etc filling up in the rest of the gap. 10-20 crimes over a whole nation is not a significant issue, especially with the high majority of them being minor in scope (Trixie's events with the Alicorn Amulet being both an outlier, and a case of mind control)

 

 

We go by what we see, and we haven't seen any of the above, nor any direct evidence to support it. Which puts the burden of proof on you to prove it.

 

Well, this brings us back to that age-old problem: our only evidence is what we see directly on camera. From there, everything is an inference. A reasoned assumption. We can't really know what the crime rate or poverty is like in the whole of Equestria, because we are not shown the whole of Equestria. All we can do is guess it based on what we do know.

 

I have told you from whence I draw my inferences: There are factors in the visible canon that, when plugged into the real world, lead to a very poor outcome. Equestria is pre-industrial, very poor outside of major cities, and seems to lack a significant police force. And don't tell me that everyone just "gets along," because there are alot of ponies that weren't exactly touched by the element of magic. When you look at the results of these factors in the real world, the answer is poverty, borderline feudalism, and pervasive crime. There may even be famine in some parts, albeit nowhere with the sort of agricultural sector we see in Ponyville.

 

 

 

Again, all resolved in roughly 24 hours or less, leaving no lasting effects, with the possible exception of Twilight's Kingdom.

 

But it does speak to the volatile instability of the kingdom. At least four of those incidents led to a complete overthrow of the monarchy. The Nightmare Moon incident had the potential to turn to omnicide. What government in history was overthrown four times in just one year?

 

The only reason these things are always resolved is, to put it bluntly, plot armor.

[cider float 2,539]

Maybe they think it's like the Garden of Eden where everyone is naked and innocent. 

 

 

[L1ghtn1ng_Flash 213]

Because equstria is perfect. It's a World were evil is defeated even if the evil is victorious, it's a place were there is no war, no riticule beyond childish squabbles, and best of all, it's got magic!!!! If that's not the definition of a fantasy utopia then I don't know what is!!!

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Mostly I think it's hyperbole taken far too seriously. There is no doubt that Equestria is, in many ways, better than Earth. However some people extend that thought of "the grass is greener" to "UTTERLY PERFECT!" Which is just silly because G3 was actually far closer to what is understood as a utopia, would anypony prefer to live in that?

 

Equestria has simply joined the multiverse of realms along with the Wizarding world, the world of pokemon, and others that mildly depressed people would throw their entire lives away to go to. Making the heedless presumption that their life would be any happier there after the initial spectacle wore off.

 

"Peace comes from within, do not seek it from without."

~The Buddha

[Grepper 3,193]

Because it's colorful. That's the first reason I could come up with.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,027]

Maybe because there are no lawyers? So all the bad ponies go away or maybe the Guard dose a good job. But that is a point in it's self if Equestria was perfect My OC's would be out of a job. As well why have Guards, Soldiers and Police if Equestria was a Utopia? But maybe the bad is crushed so much by the good that it seems better than that or our own world, because God knows it's a S***hole ATM and that probably will never change.

[3k932jd22328jdsf 113]

Personally I think ponyville is the best since while equestria is a nice place ponyville is even better because every pony is friends with every pony else. Also there is never really any full on wars like in real life and in the battles most of the bad guys even end up friends with the good guys like princess luna and discord. Also in equestria they always try to solve their problems differences and issues with words whenever possible. Equestria isn't a perfect society but its much closer then our own barbaric world is.

[RyaN_ 292]

Cute Colorful Sentient Ponies?

[Castle Bleck 19,386]

I don't know why slavery is considered such a dark issue in children's cartoons. Rarity was a slave for the diamond dogs but the writers cranked it up so it was more funny when she turned it around rather than the dogs doing meaner things to her as a captive.

 

The Crystal Ponies were also slaves, and it was pretty much played straight as a G-rated Holocaust.

[Bendy 1,821]

Because some people like to see the ponies as a mary sue race and therefore justify xenocide upon all evil human scum. 

 

Because ponies are the superior, apex species! And everyone that isn't a pony is evil scum and needs to die become a pony.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Bendy

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

It's largely a case of 'first glances' and a lot of the fanbase having been here since S1 when Equestria definitely seemed more like a paradise than reality showed. In the end after a few dark villains and certain philsophical questions that perfect image is falling, but I think it's easy to see why it is seen as a Utopia.

 

Again; first glances.

[silvadel 1,393]

1) Cutie Marks.  Ponies find that thing that they get the most satisfaction out of, and it is emblazoned on their flanks.  In our world many people are like perpetual cutie mark crusaders, either never finding what they are best at, or what they are best at doesn't correspond to what they have most fun with.

 

2) Ties between ponies.  Even ponies like Diamond Tiara have Silver Spoon.  There are very few ponies that do not at least have a body of friends around them.  Human society tends to be a lot more isolating.  Of course that could change in the ponies' future, but it could also be a species thing.

 

3) Freedom.  People gravitate towards pegasi because they can fly and that makes the world their oyster.  Unicorns as well for their magic.  Unfortunately this is a skewed view because the earth ponies are more locked in by danger than we are here by a long shot.

 

4) No Political Strife.  They have the alicorns running the show, and except for the occasional hiccup (that doesn't happen in a normal pony lifespan) the system rolls on.  

 

5) More order.  They control the weather, the birds migration, the night and the day.  Even your nightmares can be entered by the pony of dreams and quashed.

 

---- Things people think of less -----

 

-1) Old Ponies.  Elderly ponies seem to suffer more than elderly people.  Other than Granny Smith, the older ponies seem to live in that retirement facility.  Retirement in Equestria seems a boring existence, bereft of many elements of what makes life meaningful.  The main thing ponies tend to have here is family to fall back on, but what of the ponies in the home?

 

-2) A dangerous world.  We mostly have the world conquered here.  They do not.  In fact there are so many unexplored and ill-explored regions of their map, it seems like daring do is the extreme exception to the general rule.  Except for pegasi I sincerely doubt many ponies move around much (unless they like being eaten by chimera).  They are NOT the top of the food chain.