Ponies and communal bathing

[ManaMinori 4,145]

In many parts of the world, bathing has always been a communal act- the Greeks, Asians, Swedes all practice it for various reasons, be it religious purification ritual, or whether they serve as community centers to bathe and discuss art, music, or politics….. but not so much in the modern world and major cities, like the U.S.. Now, especially within the Anglosphere, we’re used to showering at home, alone, as a function n plexi-glass containers in the fastest means possible. With the amount of Greek mythos behind MLP, along with the very strong presense of community interaction (given all the festivals and press for togetherness and friendship), you’d think communal bathing would be common, in what scenes we’ve seen of the ponies getting clean. But strangely, this isn’t the case. Twlight is shown to have a bathroom and a tub and bathes alone, in the episode "Feeling Pinkie Keen”, as does Rarity, in “It isn’t the Mane Thing About You.”, and Trixie in "Father Knows Beast". The only instance we see of communal bathing is in "Bridle Gossip", for medicinal purposes. So why do you guys think ponies- being such a close knit society that literally thrives on interaction, bonds, community, and friendship, don’t have communal bathing?

Edited January 21, 2019 by Nightmare Muffin

[SharpWit 2,703]

Because communal bathing isn't as popular in western culture, especially nowadays people are appreciative of their privacy. Spas do it for practicality and special occasions. You're more likely to have a small group go together and it's less costly to have a giant tub than a whole bunch of smaller ones. Another part is just architecture and access to hot water within your own home. If you can have it without leaving, why leave. It also wouldn't really provide much significance to a scene, so there's little reason for showing it over and over again.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

37 minutes ago, SharpWit said:

Because communal bathing isn't as popular in western culture, especially nowadays people are appreciative of their privacy. Spas do it for practicality and special occasions. You're more likely to have a small group go together and it's less costly to have a giant tub than a whole bunch of smaller ones. Another part is just architecture and access to hot water within your own home. If you can have it without leaving, why leave. It also wouldn't really provide much significance to a scene, so there's little reason for showing it over and over again.

while the series' audience is, indeed aimed at Western audiences, it was built with heavy Greek themes and references, so should that have been excluded for the purpose of it possibly not being meant to be understood by the Western audience? I think you're missing the point. I never was asking for the subject of communal bathing pressed in such a way where it'd feel like the viewers were being hit over the head with it, as you seem to suggest, nor is the concept of it meant to be about "too poor/ or unable to have hot water at home, so might as well use public baths". The whole point of communal bathing is community and openness, and that's the theme that MLP hinges on. So I would think, in what bath scenes we do get- whichare VERY scarce, mind you, we would've seen more communal bathing than not

[MangoFoalix 25,035]

I don't really agree with this. Why would you associate human culture with ponies culture. Yes, it might be similar in some circumstances with refrences and the such, but I think ponies have their own culture and do not need to adhere to our human culture.

[Sepul-Coloratura 762]

I consider going to the spa is the most social and the most common things that mares do in MLP.  It's like drinking tea in englush culture. Or how smokers bond together by smoking together. I think close mare friends going to the spa together is one of the most common things they do.