Are the Cutie Mark Crusaders wrong in their way of thinking?

[ManaMinori 4,146]

Before, in the same episode, right before they got their cutie marks, they drew the conclusion (and were happy about) the fact that their purpose in life was to help other ponies see the light of their own marks. Also, in the very first episode that explained cutie marks, the fillies came to the realization that remaining a blank flank allowed one more time to explore themselves, and that in itself was a special thing.

 

Now while the CMC have had ample time to explore and decid that their talent is in helping others, shouldn't THAT rewarding feeling of helping some other pony be the "ultimate reward", instead of the cutie mark on their butt, that resulted from their deed? It turned a moment of self sacrifice and generosity without personal gain into the opposite, and sent message of the "ultimate reward" being in personal gain coming from going out of the way to help someone else, I think.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Nightmare Muffin

[BastementSparkle 20,334]

Not at all, the Cutie Mark came from the realization of what they wanted to do with their lives. Their Cutie Mark's are basically the physical manifestation of their desire to help others in this way, their "Destiny". That feeling is the reward, else why would they get cutie marks for it? If they were helping simply out of a desire to get a mark, I doubt they would have even gotten the marks.

 

 They're planning on devoting their lives to helping others, that's rather admirable, some marks don't change that, it's simply a symbol for what they want to do.

[PinkieatHeart 208]

I agree with BasementBloom. I don't think the CMC are gonna try and rush other fillies and colts into getting their cutie marks. They're gonna help them discover more about themselves over time and help guide them on their unique journeys. And in time, the cutie marks will just happen to appear.

[ManaMinori 4,146]

Not at all, the Cutie Mark came from the realization of what they wanted to do with their lives. Their Cutie Mark's are basically the physical manifestation of their desire to help others in this way, their "Destiny". That feeling is the reward, else why would they get cutie marks for it? If they were helping simply out of a desire to get a mark, I doubt they would have even gotten the marks.

 

They're planning on devoting their lives to helping others, that's rather admirable, some marks don't change that, it's simply a symbol for what they want to do.

i know it's a manifestation of their desire to help others, well, not the mark itself, but its form. It just puts too much focus of the mark - their own gain (their marks) being "the ultimate reward".

[Zeal Crown 196]

I think you might be taking the message a little differently. The cutie marks indeed represented the want to help others in their self discovery, but I don't think they were happy with their cutie marks just because they had their marks. It more of represented their self discovery into the joy of helping others, as before they weren't as quite sure. Before, they helped others so they could get their cutie mark out of it. This last task was to help someone out of just the task of the good of their heart without gaining any personal gain, and that is what achieved them their marks.

[BastementSparkle 20,334]

 

 

i know it's a manifestation of their desire to help others, well, not the mark itself, but its form. It just puts too much focus of the mark - their own gain (their marks) being "the ultimate reward".

 

 

Can't really agree with this. The Cutie Marks are like a badge of honor. There's no real honor in the badge itself, but the meaning behind it. The Cutie Marks in context are their "Ultimate reward", the reward being that they've found their destiny, helping others with their marks. Their reward for helping Diamond Tiara is the realization that they want to keep helping others. The Marks themselves are not the reward, the meaning behind them is.

 

 I can sort of see where you're coming from. The song at the end referring to the mark's as "The Ultimate Reward", etc. But I think you're taking it a bit too literally, I really doubt that was the intention at all.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,907]

I think it was what they learned then and it wasn't the Cutie Marks that made them happy on its own, it was most likely the realization that they now know what their own destiny is and that most definitely could excite them. There is nothing wrong with being excited about something you learned about yourself as well as being excited about helping others. One doesn't cancel out the other.

[Buzz 1,769]

In my eyes, the CMC earnt their cutie marks, the symbol of what they are special at in life, after helping Diamond Tiara find what her's meant to her. We have seen in the show how much joy a Cutie mark can bring to a colt or filly when they get one, hell they throw a massive party because of it! So, I see it that the CMC's talent is helping young ponies discover who they truly are and what their purpose in life is, which is only represented by the cutie mark. In life we all have people there to help show/guild us to who we are suppose to be, and that is what the CMC is going to be for the duration of the show.

[Aurora Storm 83]

I think once of the CMC (I forget which)  said she didn't care if she EVER got  her cutie mark as long as she could help others. Her friends agreed AND that was what sealed their fate so to speak. Everything else they did was to get their cutie marks but when they finally stopped thinking about themselves and putting others first they discovered that WAS their talent and therefore earned the marks.