Cutie Marks: Do they really mean anything?

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

What's the deal with Cutie Marks? I mean, they seem pretty pointless and unnecessary. What purpose do they even serve? In the earlier seasons, they tell what your special talent is, but the later seasons say that the Mark tell what you wanted to do with your life. Which is it? The show never does fully explain the concept.

Do Cutie Marks mean something else? Could they be an ID of some sorts? A status symbol? Or could they represent something else?

How do you feel about the concept of Cutie Marks?

Edited July 10, 2022 by Millennium Shadow

[Hierok 11,831]

I think cutie marks are around because it makes ponies believe they have a goal in life. 

[Midnight Seashell 206]

I always thought cutie marks were some sort of social status symbol and without it you will be shunned from society or you may even be looked down upon because somepony has a "better" cutie mark than you

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

3 minutes ago, Hierok said:

I think Cutie Marks are around because it makes ponies believe they have a goal in life. 

Ah, so, you're saying that Cutie Marks are a symbol of purpose for ponies? Make sense.

[Hierok 11,831]

1 minute ago, Millennium Shadow said:

Ah, so, you're saying that Cutie Marks are a symbol of purpose for ponies? Make sense.

Exactly. I didn't know how to say it.  I think people are willing to work harder if they are truely happy about what they are doing and that they believe they are doing what they are suppose to do.

[Marimo 555]

Cutie marks are meant to be a metaphor for puberty, not losing your virginity. After all, it is inevitable that a pony gets their cutie mark the same way all people end up going through puberty, and it's something that each person or pony goes through indiviually, but having sex truly is a choice (unless forced into it by another person) and requires another person.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Marimo

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

22 minutes ago, Hierok said:

Exactly. I didn't know how to say it.  I think people are willing to work harder if they are truely happy about what they are doing and that they believe they are doing what they are suppose to do.

I believe we choose what our purpose is, whether it be significant to others or to yourself. 

Edited September 30, 2017 by Millennium Shadow

[Marimo 555]

9 minutes ago, Millennium Shadow said:

Why do you say that? 

Getting your Cutie Mark being a metaphor for losing your virginity makes more sense, as the CMC wanted to get them as soon as possible, by any means. Same deal with many teenagers, wanting to lose their virginity as soon as possible, by any means.

I'm just sayin', bruh. 

Puberty is more fitting of a metaphor. It's more fitting that the CMC would be focused on that, seeing as they're more like preteens at the oldest than actual teenagers, and that's closer to something they'd be going through or wanting to go through rather than sex. It's more appropriate and fitting to be sending messages that are allegories to the target audience since that's what they're going to be going through soon. And Diamond Tiara's teasing is more equivalent to a mean girl flaunting how she has boobs now and calling Apple Bloom a flat chest.

Plus, cutie marks are something everyone goes through. It's just a matter of time. Sex is not something everyone goes through. It is ultimately optional while cutie marks aren't no matter how hard you try to avoid getting one.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Marimo

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

6 minutes ago, Marimo said:

Plus, cutie marks are something everyone goes through. It's just a matter of time. Sex is not something everyone goes through. It is ultimately optional while cutie marks aren't no matter how hard you try to avoid getting one.

The thing is, society wants you to get laid as soon as you hit puberty, and it will shame you if you don't and until you do. A lot of people are self-conscious about being a virgin over a certain age, and this can cause self-esteem issues and the feelings of being unloved and unwanted.

I know this all too well. 

[Marimo 555]

9 minutes ago, Millennium Shadow said:

The thing is, society wants you to get laid as soon as you hit puberty, and it will shame you if you don't and until you do. A lot of people are self-conscious about being a virgin over a certain age, and this can cause self-esteem issues and the feelings of being unloved and unwanted.

I know this all too well. 

That's still not what it's about. Even if you could make that connection to sex, that isn't what it's meant to be, nor does it match up with other ways the show treats cutie marks.

After all, people get self-conscious about themselves just going through puberty to, like how they fear getting teased as late bloomers (like blank flanks), or struggling with the changes they go through (like how some ponies fear what happens if they do get cutie marks and it doesn't turn out well).

Edited September 30, 2017 by Marimo

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

7 minutes ago, Marimo said:

That's still not what it's about. Even if you could make that connection to sex, that isn't what it's meant to be, nor does it match up with other ways the show treats cutie marks.

After all, people get self-conscious about themselves just going through puberty to, like how they fear getting teased as late bloomers (like blank flanks), or struggling with the changes they go through (like how some ponies fear what happens if they do get cutie marks and it doesn't turn out well).

Did you noticed in the earlier seasons, the CMC didn't seem to care about the meaning of the Marks themselves and just wanted to get them for the sake of getting them so they wouldn't feel worthless? They acted like they had a low sense of self-worth (like a lot of people), and they had the belief that getting their Marks would give them a sense of worth.

It's psychology.

[Marimo 555]

Just now, Millennium Shadow said:

Did you noticed in the earlier seasons, the CMC didn't seem to care about the meaning of the Marks themselves and just wanted to get them for the sake of getting them so they wouldn't feel worthless? They acted like they had a low sense of self-worth (like a lot of people), and they had the belief that getting their Marks would give them a sense of worth.

It's psychology.

Yeah, and the message of all those earlier episodes were to just be patient, you can't actually force yourself to grow up, it comes naturally. Like puberty. Any argument you make that it's about losing your virginity, it can also be applied to puberty even moreso.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

@Millennium Shadow

Just letting you know I edited the NSFW out of the title. While I understand the reasons, NSFW could potentially send the wrong message as this is actually good discussion to be having. Nothing serious, but I thought Mature would be a better indicator.

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

5 minutes ago, PathfinderCS said:

@Millennium Shadow

Just letting you know, I edited the "NSFW" out of the title. While I understand the reasons, "NSFW" could potentially send the wrong message, as this is actually a good discussion to be having. Nothing serious, but I thought "mature" would be a better indicator.

Thanks. I'll keep it in mind. -hugs- 

Edited September 30, 2017 by Millennium Shadow

[Jeric 46,851]

47 minutes ago, Millennium Shadow said:

I believe we choose what our purpose is, whether it be significant to others or to yourself. 

This isn't completely true as some people have natural abilities that others don't. Finding out you actually are talented at something has a strong psychological influence on behavior and motivation which is generally the accepted paradigm. 

If you heard me sing, you would understand that will alone doesn't decide your purpose.

Also, with the sex, special purpose, and butt tattoo talk ... I am reminded of The Jerk. He found his special purpose too!

 

 

19 minutes ago, Millennium Shadow said:

It's psychology.

What theory would that be again? I'm kinda one of those people that reads Journal Psychology (still have a subscription cause late wife was a PsyD ... also I spend several hours a day in EBSCO vs Google). Since you were kinda quick to use that emote, I would be happy to talk shop. =D

Based on the age, would you say Erikson would apply here? 

[Nightfall Veilwing 1,138]

13 minutes ago, Marimo said:

Yeah, and the message of all those earlier episodes were to just be patient...

I get that. Every kids' show covers that moral. But, if we were 100% honest, would we rather wait for something we want or get it immediately?

Obviously, the latter. 

Everypony is impatient, you know. Some more so than others, though.

[Marimo 555]

6 minutes ago, Millennium Shadow said:

I get that. Every kids' show covers that moral. But, if we were 100% honest, would we rather wait for something we want or get it immediately?

Obviously, the latter. 

Everypony is impatient, you know. Some more so than others, though.

Yes, but sometimes you can't force something to come quicker. Or being impatient will just lead to mistakes being made.

Of course people don't want to wait. That's why it's a lesson in the first place, because sometimes people need to learn what they need to do rather than doing what they want to do.

[AlbaTross 1,586]

I think one's destiny, which cutie marks are supposed to be a physical manifestation of, is a combination of elements as opposed to be just one.  It's not just something one is good at, and it is not just something one loves doing.  Something could satisfy both conditions and not be one's destiny.  I believe it's also something one finds meaning in.  Even still, that doesn't necessarily equate to destiny.  It's a tough thing to truly find, and I think many humans actually end up being blank flanks well into adulthood, if not until old age, or maybe even miss the boat on finding their destiny entirely, never realizing it in their lifetime.  

It doesn't help that we live in a world that's somewhat anti-destiny.  Most people can't differentiate between their career and their destiny because their career ends up being the thing that takes over most of their lives.  FYI, they're not necessarily the same thing.  Blessed are those for whom they are one and the same, and yes, that is very much possible, but it's also just as common for someone to waste their life away on a job they don't care for just to make ends meet, and some spend their entire working career doing just that.  

Rumble's fears are not misplaced, even though I firmly believe that in Equestria it is impossible to end up with a mark that means nothing to you.  I got my cutie mark in working with kids and while I have other interests, most notably gaming, most of my week ends up being spent on the thing I'm destined for.  Sometimes lessons in this show seem more aimed at their adult audience, and this week's is one such episode, lol.  I think what Rumble said applies way more to our world where it is possible to have one's life committed to something fruitless.

As for the OP, I think the virginity theory is somewhat reminiscent of not having a cutie mark, as the're both reflective of rights of passage that each respective society values even if they're entirely different things.  I've also kicked around the idea of cutie marks being reflective of puberty as the development of one's body is a big deal to those who are in the age group where those changes start to happen in some before they do to others.  People can often be self-conscious about how certain parts of their bodies look vs other people's.  In a world where even Rarity doesn't wear clothing most of the time I can see how body consciousness would be an even bigger issue.  

First and foremost though, cutie marks are about destiny.  They just happen to take on properties of other things that we can associate them with, which is fine since this show is all about life lessons and their practice applications, and therefore benefits when concepts are more versatile and can be applied to more situations.

[Libra 11,691]

Two things:

1. i am sorry for whatever horrors of NSFW tartarus you have witnessed that gave you that idea.

2. Cutie marks are just indicators that the pony has a special talent in a particular field. Let's take fluttershy. Her mark is three butterflies, a type of animal, and she takes care of animals. The mark is just a talent they are good at.

[MAIKUN 262]

To be honest, I think a Cutie Mark can change anypony at all, it’s like they’re being brainwashed at all.

[Will Guide 21,360]

Here's what Luna has to say about Cutie Marks, which I have been trying to say for several years to explain WHY a cutie mark doesn't always represent a talent:

 

Luna: "Who you are: That is all a Cutie Mark is"

Fact: A Cutie Mark is a representation of who you are.

Remember that "who your are" is not just your talent. It's also your name, your background, your personality. Which aspect of "who you are" that the Mark represents varies from pony to pony.

Sometime what a Cutie Mark looks like represents the pony's talent. Bab's Cutie Mark is a pair of scissors indicating she's good at cutting stuff, for example.

Sometimes, it resembles a pony's name more like how Sunburst's Mark is literally a burst of sunlight, which has nothing to do with his talent of knowing a lot of magic despite not being able to do any of it!

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

To me, Cutie Mark is just a memory card storing your future goal (The cutie mark itself)  and your personal traits to archieve them (when your cutie marks are stolen, your abilities and whatever make you are stolen as well or when the cutie mark are transfered to you from someone you INHERIT THEIR ABILITIES TOO). To me, Cutie Marks are the RESTRAIN, keep you in the line, mind you, other creatures dont have cutie mark but they still have personalities, culture, life, they dont need those in the first place. So, Cutie Marks are good because they help you realize your abilities and goals easier, cutie marks are not wrong, its you who interpret them wrong. Cutie Marks are bad when you try to betray them by take them away or do whatever to manipulate them, you are Physically Messed Up. Cutie Marks are the double egde.

Ponies, THEY ARE MARKED to put to the line, any effort to go against it will result in miserable.

[MAIKUN 262]

On 10/2/2017 at 11:05 PM, WiiGuy2014 said:

Here's what Luna has to say about Cutie Marks, which I have been trying to say for several years to explain WHY a cutie mark doesn't always represent a talent:

 

Luna: "Who you are: That is all a Cutie Mark is"

Fact: A Cutie Mark is a representation of who you are.

Remember that "who your are" is not just your talent. It's also your name, your background, your personality. Which aspect of "who you are" that the Mark represents varies from pony to pony.

Sometime what a Cutie Mark looks like represents the pony's talent. Bab's Cutie Mark is a pair of scissors indicating she's good at cutting stuff, for example.

Sometimes, it resembles a pony's name more like how Sunburst's Mark is literally a burst of sunlight, which has nothing to do with his talent of knowing a lot of magic despite not being able to do any of it!

I'm sorry, I think you're wrong. A cutie mark CAN CHANGE anypony and a cutie mark CAN tell them what to do. And plus, they're brainwashed as well too. I suggest the CMC should give up on their cutie marks by now.