Why ponies are jerks?

[arftbmrf 40]

Hi everyone.

I'm sure everyone noticed that ponies from G4 became really mean and overall horrible, compared to their counterpants from the previous generation. I mean, they are greedy, violent, lying, cheating bastards, who will do anything, no matter how low it is, to achieve their evil goals. And I'm not just talking about villains, I'm talking about all ponies, even so-called 'heroes'. It hurts to watch. Why are they such jerks, how do you think?

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,651]

I think the reason is because the ponies here are actually a lot more realistic than in the past gens in terms of personalities, where everything was mostly candy and rainbows back then. All of the ponies were as sweet as can be in the past gens, but here, there are personalities of all kinds and sadly that does include less likable ones. That is just like humanity in that way and I think it sets up the moral issues a lot better. The world is filled with bad people just like how Equestria may have a bunch of bad ponies. 

 

Some people are jerks, some ponies are jerks. 

[Yoshi89 5,293]

What about Ace and Teddy from My Little Pony Tales? They were the bullies of the cast and in some episodes, they can be downright mean. To an extent Melody qualifies as well since she was egotistical and sometimes snobbish to her friends at her worst.

[Yufery 205]

It's because now the characters have flaws - it's what makes them more enjoyable and relatable. As Kyoshi said, they were abnormally sweet, kind, and just 'perfect' in the past gens, while here they'd fit more in with humanity since they each are more dynamic with positive traits and negative traits.

 

Even less likable characters aren't necessarily bad ones, as if the show WANTS you to dislike them (i.e teenage dragons from Dragon Quest), then when you see the characters you like succeed against them you'll feel more satisfaction.

 

So basically it's because they're more relatable and more interesting than characters who have no flaws at all.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I think the reason is because the ponies here are actually a lot more realistic than in the past gens in terms of personalities, where everything was mostly candy and rainbows back then. All of the ponies were as sweet as can be in the past gens, but here, there are personalities of all kinds and sadly that does include less likable ones. That is just like humanity in that way and I think it sets up the moral issues a lot better. The world is filled with bad people just like how Equestria may have a bunch of bad ponies. 

 

Some people are jerks, some ponies are jerks.

 

not true that past gen ponies were candy and rainbow personalities. They lied and weren't 100% honest, and stinkers even in past gens. Gen 1, 2, AND 3. (Minty, especially. And there was a whole bunch of lying in 'Twinkle Wish Adventure')

G3 personality breakdown:https://mlpforums.com/topic/146187-pony-spotlight-generation-3-is-there-more-than-meets-the-eye/

[arftbmrf 40]

I think the reason is because the ponies here are actually a lot more realistic than in the past gens in terms of personalities, where everything was mostly candy and rainbows back then. All of the ponies were as sweet as can be in the past gens, but here, there are personalities of all kinds and sadly that does include less likable ones. That is just like humanity in that way and I think it sets up the moral issues a lot better. The world is filled with bad people just like how Equestria may have a bunch of bad ponies. 

 

Some people are jerks, some ponies are jerks. 

 

It's because now the characters have flaws - it's what makes them more enjoyable and relatable. As Kyoshi said, they were abnormally sweet, kind, and just 'perfect' in the past gens, while here they'd fit more in with humanity since they each are more dynamic with positive traits and negative traits.

 

Even less likable characters aren't necessarily bad ones, as if the show WANTS you to dislike them (i.e teenage dragons from Dragon Quest), then when you see the characters you like succeed against them you'll feel more satisfaction.

 

So basically it's because they're more relatable and more interesting than characters who have no flaws at all.

 

Why would they look up at humans, then? There ain't no worse example. Instead, they could've made likable characters without them being jerks. Is the only way to make a likable character is to make him a bastard? Is that all what writers can do?

[Megas 27,740]

Sounds like you hate G4 ponies because they have actual characters

[arftbmrf 40]

Sounds like you hate G4 ponies because they have actual characters

I hate them because they are jerks.

[Gestum 2,493]

Oh no, characters that aren't one dimensional? What a big problem this is. I'll never watch this show again unless all the characters loses their depth and flaws.

[Ra1nbowCrasH 272]

I hate them because they are jerks.

Are the villains jerks by default or do some specific actions make them jerks? What qualifies someone as a jerk? How often they have lie/be mean/whatever to be classified as a jerk? If a hero lies, do all their positive actions loose all meaning? If lying, being mean, vain, or selfish make someone a jerk, do you considered all the people you know to be jerks? If not, why do you hold fictional characters to a different standard?

 

As some others here have pointed out, I think you may be confusing "being a jerk" with being a multi-faceted character. Everyone acts like a jerk sometimes, no one is perfect. We all have our vices, and things we don't like about ourselves that we need to improve; but the majority of the time we also have good intentions and a desire to not harm others or even go out of our way to help them. These fictional characters do a much better job of showing this many other children's shows.

Why would they look up at humans, then? There ain't no worse example. Instead, they could've made likable characters without them being jerks. Is the only way to make a likable character is to make him a bastard? Is that all what writers can do?

 

If all a character does is act like a bastard, it won't be a likable character. They made characters with virtues and vices, not just vices.

[Faerie-StarV 49]

Actually, even some of the G1 ponies can be jerks too.

 

Crunch the Rockdog

Gusty, Buttons, and Truly were being jerks to Wind Whistler by accusing her for not having 'feelings' towards others and did this throughout the episode. They did apologized to her at the end.

 

Glass Princess

In part 1 of the episode, Gusty was getting annoyed by Shady because Shady wasn't very confident of herself and got too impatient with her. Shady believes that she's 'useless' and Gusty wasn't really helping by trying to encourage her to do something positive but no luck.

 

My Little Pony the Movie

Gusty, Sweet Stuff and two Bushwoolies were being jerks towards everyone but the excuse is that they were covered in Smooze which makes anyone who are infected turns them into jerks.

 

 

And let's not forget My Little Pony Tales such as Teddy is a bully and that Ace was being an ass to Starlight for beating him in soccer game.

[Rawzy 1,302]

I think when the producers realised that there was such a big fanbase behind the show, they felt like they had to kinda cater for not just little kids so much, hence making the show more realistic with ponies that aren't always positive and some that are...well...as you say, "jerks".  

[Princess_Bellalatanya 1,053]

the g1 lp ive never seen

but mlp g2 is getting friendlier every episode

[Grepper 3,192]

I don't think every pony acts this way. Many do however, just like real life.

[Mesme Rize 15,685]

Well, la di da. Ponies showing actual character, what a surprise. Seems like you still can't handle reality and see that everyone has flaws.

[arftbmrf 40]

Well, you didn't say which gen since you said previous generation so I wasn't sure which one your talking about.

I can't say much about G3 or G3.5 as I only saw three G3 episodes and haven't gotten around to watch G3.5

I apologise for not being clear.

[Jest (Inactive) 875]

@@arftbmrf,

 

Show one episode or clip where a pony is a jerk, and is not a villain, where they don't apologize later / make amends or learn a lesson from it. Thats the point of most episodes of the show, like the one where pinkie pie turns into pinkimena, is extremely mean and angry because of her being insecure that her friends don't like her due to her paranoid thinking. It ends with her being mistaken, shown that there was nothing to worry about and that her friends were always there for here, it is much better lesson to everyone than just every character being nice.

[AtomicStone 724]

Not all ponies are jerks.. I do remember the odd episode or 2 where one pony was kinda rude, but isn't that just part of the show? Its problems that we have to face in the real world.

I think you're just over reacting.

[Fhaolan 4,484]

Alright everyone. Calm the hell down. Comparing ponies being jerks to the events of the Holocaust and genocide is crossing the line of ridiculousness at warp speed to reach the region of absurdity. There's valid stuff in this topic, but it's getting overwhelmed by the silly. So back it down a notch, 'kay?

[HereComesTom 2,268]

I agree with most of what I'm reading here:  ponies have flaws in G4.  I've seen Rarity use womanly wiles to get what she wants, and I've seen Twilight upset Pinkie Pie without realizing she was doing so.

 

Of course, I've also seen a lot of eccentricities in ponies in general; few real-life people would lose the ability to speak normally like Fluttershy did when she first met Twilight, and few human beings are as book-obsessed as Twilight.  Even with common citizens in Ponyville, it seems like every other pony has something they're crazy about in one way or another.  Being crazy can make you fail to realize how other people react to what you're doing---like how Pinkie acted at the Grand Galloping Gala or how Rarity acted under the influence of the inspiration manifestation spell.  They didn't realize the damage they were doing.  So maybe the eccentricity of ponykind in general can explain a big chunk of the problem?

[arftbmrf 40]

@@arftbmrf,

 

Show one episode or clip where a pony is a jerk, and is not a villain, where they don't apologize later / make amends or learn a lesson from it. Thats the point of most episodes of the show, like the one where pinkie pie turns into pinkimena, is extremely mean and angry because of her being insecure that her friends don't like her due to her paranoid thinking. It ends with her being mistaken, shown that there was nothing to worry about and that her friends were always there for here, it is much better lesson to everyone than just every character being nice.

 

 

I agree with most of what I'm reading here:  ponies have flaws in G4.  I've seen Rarity use womanly wiles to get what she wants, and I've seen Twilight upset Pinkie Pie without realizing she was doing so.

 

Of course, I've also seen a lot of eccentricities in ponies in general; few real-life people would lose the ability to speak normally like Fluttershy did when she first met Twilight, and few human beings are as book-obsessed as Twilight.  Even with common citizens in Ponyville, it seems like every other pony has something they're crazy about in one way or another.  Being crazy can make you fail to realize how other people react to what you're doing---like how Pinkie acted at the Grand Galloping Gala or how Rarity acted under the influence of the inspiration manifestation spell.  They didn't realize the damage they were doing.  So maybe the eccentricity of ponykind in general can explain a big chunk of the problem?

It just means that the writers have no idea what they are doing and can't get their job right. It's called incompetence, when you can't make good characters without them acting like jerks, or being flawed. But since Hasbro doesn't care about the show's quality, as long as it generates profit, I don't think something will change.

[Jest (Inactive) 875]

It just means that the writers have no idea what they are doing and can't get their job right. It's called incompetence, when you can't make good characters without them acting like jerks, or being flawed. But since Hasbro doesn't care about the show's quality, as long as it generates profit, I don't think something will change.

 

You think that the writers are incompetent because they show characters as being natural, help teach life lessons and because ''they act like jerks'', again something which you have no proof for. Your welcome not to watch the show if you hate it so much since you obviously don't care at all about the opposite opinions to your own x) 

[Mesme Rize 15,685]

It just means that the writers have no idea what they are doing and can't get their job right. It's called incompetence, when you can't make good characters without them acting like jerks, or being flawed. But since Hasbro doesn't care about the show's quality, as long as it generates profit, I don't think something will change.

 

You give no argument, except for "there Jerks and i don't like it." If you don't like the reality, that sometimes living beings, be it humans, ponies, meat eating worms, etc. are sometimes showing flaws, i think you should change the channel.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

It just means that the writers have no idea what they are doing and can't get their job right. It's called incompetence, when you can't make good characters without them acting like jerks, or being flawed. But since Hasbro doesn't care about the show's quality, as long as it generates profit, I don't think something will change.

Writing Tip: It's actually a good thing for characters to be flawed. If they aren't, well that's how you get a boring characters.

 

And in real life, there will be jerks. So some ponies being jerks is actually more realistic.

[Black Sabbath 2,486]

It's called incompetence, when you can't make good characters without them acting like jerks, or being flawed. 

I have an question. Could you perhaps give an example of a good character that lack flaws?