During which season did the fandom toxicity drive you away from watching the show any further, if at all?

[PCutter 127]

7 minutes ago, Pentium100 said:

Who was kicking you around? Did they come to your house etc to kick you. Or was this online in some forum?

To each his own, but I would just stop going to the forum or would block those users if they were sending me emails etc. If they were coming to my house, then I would call the police. 

Whether I watch some TV show or not is nobody's business and I can watch said show at home without the people I dislike finding out.

I have watched a lot of TV shows without participating in the fandom in the slightest, I think MLP is the first time I joined a TV-show themed forum.

All I'll tell you is that it was also online in another site.

I didn't block them then and I didn't leave because I thought I could be the better one by choosing to tough it out.

To add, I occasionally fear being surveyed for doing something that everyone else finds disgusting and contrary to their tastes.

And yes, MLP is the first time I bothered to show up in online sites dedicated to something.

[Pentium100 2,060]

4 minutes ago, PCutter said:

All I'll tell you is that it was also online in another site.

I did not ask for more information. There is a big difference (at least in my opinion) between someone yelling at you IRL (worse if it's a family member or someone else you cannot really avoid) and somebody writing bad thing from the other side of a PC screen. If it's in some site then I can just stop visiting the site (or at least posting in it), it's not like I would have to find another job (if the boss or coworkers were doing this) or move (if neighbors were doing this).

8 minutes ago, PCutter said:

I didn't block them then and I didn't leave because I thought I could be the better one by choosing to tough it out.

That's one way of doing it. I do not know what happened and am not asking for details, but in that case you can fight back. Or not. It's just a TV show, it's not worth getting worked up over it.

That being said, at least I can easily disconnect the people from the media. I could listen to music even if I did not like the musician as a person. And that's the creator or performer, I really do not care what other fans think if it's a bad thing. It won't make me like the content less. If interactions with other fans are a problem, I can just stop interacting with them and watch the show/etc in peace, just like all the other shows where I do not interact with other fans.

11 minutes ago, PCutter said:

To add, I occasionally fear being surveyed for doing something that everyone else finds disgusting and contrary to their tastes.

Well, then do not let them see you. When you watch some TV show on your PC or TV, only the people in your house know it (well, and maybe some government agencies and your service providers, but they won't really care what somebody is watching). Some forum user is not going to find out unless he works for said government agencies.

[PCutter 127]

15 hours ago, Mirage said:

Quitting the 'fandom' can certainly lead to quitting the show. The show could just serve as a painful reminder, so why bother with it?

For a long time when I stopped after season 6, every little clip of the show I would encounter did indeed reignite how much I hated the ones who forced me out. To make it worse, I projected my hate towards them onto the show I loved so much. Do you know how awful it made me feel, telling myself to hate a pleasant show?

[Mirage 24,191]

6 hours ago, Pentium100 said:

Reactions are a new thing for me. For many years I have been an active member on some forum or another, but IIRC I found reactions here for the first time, so I do not really see the point of them, well, other than clicking "brohoof" instead of writing "I agree with that post and have nothing to add". So yea, you won't see me giving out many reactions.

As for the rest of your post, I try to not be a bully, but I also try to not "wrap words in wool" (or whatever the equivalent English expression is), because this is how I would like people to talk to me - say it straight instead of saying something positive etc, while laughing at me behind my back. But mostly I just try to avoid drama if I can.

While I see no point in being antagonistic just because and think that people should treat other people with respect (even if they disagree, after all, we can have rather civil discussions in the debate section), but anyone going on the internet and especially to forums and similar should know that there may be bad events. After all, the internet is not only full of strangers, but anonymous strangers. So, everyone should act accordingly. After all, we do not know each other personally, maybe IRL we both are completely different and our posts here are just an act... Everyone should be extremely careful because of this.

Please understand, I wasn't directing any criticism toward you. I was just writing off the cuff...thinking aloud.

[Pentium100 2,060]

1 minute ago, Mirage said:

Please understand, I wasn't directing any criticism toward you. I was just writing off the cuff...thinking aloud.

I did not take it personally, just thought that it kinda-sorta could apply to me, so I could respond, at least from my perspective.

[Mirage 24,191]

1 minute ago, PCutter said:

For a long time when I stopped after season 6, every little clip of the show I would encounter did indeed reignite how much I hated the ones who forced me out. To make it worse, I projected my hate towards them onto the show I loved so much. Do you know how awful it made me feel, telling myself to hate a pleasant show?

Yes, I know how it feels. And not necessarily over MLP, but a former workplace.

My advice is to treat feelings like that as genuine but temporary. Allow yourself to grieve but with the intent to recover. Your mental and emotional capacity is very powerful. If you've experienced something that hurts you so much your life is affected by it, then you have equal strength to change it the other way. You climb out of any pit you're pushed into. Climbing out of troubles is just life...we all have to deal with it.

5 minutes ago, Pentium100 said:

I did not take it personally, just thought that it kinda-sorta could apply to me, so I could respond, at least from my perspective.

Okay good. 

[Pentium100 2,060]

3 minutes ago, Mirage said:

Okay good. 

Even if it was directed at me, you won't upset me that easily . 

[PCutter 127]

15 minutes ago, Mirage said:

Yes, I know how it feels. And not necessarily over MLP, but a former workplace.

My advice is to treat feelings like that as genuine but temporary. Allow yourself to grieve but with the intent to recover. Your mental and emotional capacity is very powerful. If you've experienced something that hurts you so much your life is affected by it, then you have equal strength to change it the other way. You climb out of any pit you're pushed into. Climbing out of troubles is just life...we all have to deal with it. 

 

I thought I could bounce back after my fallout, at least before the show ended. But 3 years later, now that it has, I feel it's too late for me to turn it around. I feel like I spent too long recovering.

Maybe I don't feel those emotions as strongly as I did before, and I still fear those emotions will overtake me again, but now I really do feel like rekindling that love I had by watching the rest of the show and Equestria Girls, but even I feel a bit hesitant at that.

I still prefer to watch it again WITHOUT those a-holes coming back into my life. I don't want even reminders of them coming back to me. Just like I did back then while I still regularly watched the show and before I met those people.

Edited February 19, 2020 by PCutter

[Mirage 24,191]

1 hour ago, PCutter said:

I thought I could bounce back after my fallout, at least before the show ended. But 3 years later, now that it has, I feel it's too late for me to turn it around. I feel like I spent too long recovering.

Maybe I don't feel those emotions as strongly as I did before, and I still fear those emotions will overtake me again, but now I really do feel like rekindling that love I had by watching the rest of the show and Equestria Girls, but even I feel a bit hesitant at that.

I still prefer to watch it again WITHOUT those a-holes coming back into my life. I don't want even reminders of them coming back to me. Just like I did back then while I still regularly watched the show and before I met those people.

Hang out with the real fans. There are quite a few regulars here that love everything about the MLP universe. Get to know members like @Sparklefan1234 - they know the show very well and are always happy to talk about it.

Your enthusiasm won't go to waste here...so get out there and make some friends. 

Tehe...

[PCutter 127]

30 minutes ago, Mirage said:

Hang out with the real fans. There are quite a few regulars here that love everything about the MLP universe. Get to know members like @Sparklefan1234 - they know the show very well and are always happy to talk about it.

Your enthusiasm won't go to waste here...so get out there and make some friends. 

Tehe...

Everything in the MLP universe including things and characters popularly derided, which I happen to have no strong opinion of?

[Jesse Terrence 2,967]

10 hours ago, Splashee said:

I didn't know the MLP G4 fandom ever become toxic.

 

I just fell out of the show after season 3, and got back again after I saw Forgotten Friendship. That is quite a break. I did watch the Season 5 100th episode, as well as CMC getting their cutie marks, at the time they aired, but that was all.

Depends on the point of view of people. I don't think the fandom itself has ever been toxic. It's just there's people in the ranks that are toxic drama llamas who make other people feel uncomfortable. As I stated before, family friendly sites and certain artistic circles have the toxic people, but that people is toxic both online and irl anyway.

If you were to ask me, the bits with the most toxic people in the fandom are usually the ones that popped up later on and the ones that seek horse fame. For instance, the eqg dedicated fans, the musical circles, the post twilicorn artists, the OC collectionists who only role play but don't even like the show, the sugar coated enthusiasts who hype on cuteness merely due cuteness... and the list goes on.

They have a thing in common. All of them go apesheet if you dare differ in opinion with them. Critique is taboo with them. Is like if they forgot one's friends aren't meant to be carbon copies of oneself. But then again, they aren't a representative part of the fandom's population. They just reeeeee out so loud they are the ones people can spot the easiest, and thus people think the fandom is just as toxic as them.

[Mirage 24,191]

3 minutes ago, PCutter said:

Everything in the MLP universe including things and characters popularly derided, which I happen to have no strong opinion of?

Well everyone has opinions. I for one, found Princess Twilight to be not only really cool but also heavily foreshadowed in the first two episodes in Season 1. The characterization that it was a stunt to sell toys was BS. Twilight becoming a Princess and eventual ruler of Equestria was planned from the beginning. I've had arguments with the 'deriders' of it and they aren't convincing at all. They just don't like it. Their theories aren't even related to the writing and world building of the show. What is arguable is the timing...that I concede is an open question. But how are the creators supposed to know how long the show will last to incorporate important character developments?

So that's the thing about opinions. Whoever has the most facts to support their view will win any argument, and will maintain a genuine confidence that others cannot shake. Therefore, the non-fans of Princess Twilight just don't really bother me. And besides, the creators are bound to make some mistakes. It's okay. It happens to every franchise.

At least the creators didn't completely crash the show like the creators of Xenosaga did to their franchise. It could have been worse...much worse.

[Latecomer 438]

14 minutes ago, PCutter said:

Everything in the MLP universe including things and characters popularly derided, which I happen to have no strong opinion of?

If ou have no strong opinion, do ou need to get involved on discussions on them? Just focus on the things ou like.

[Tao 6,840]

I think season three was my slight VK from the show just how it was told story wise.

[Jesse Terrence 2,967]

11 hours ago, Pentium100 said:

Or not caring about them. If I like some artist, it means I like his or her performances, not necessarily political views and such. In fact, I do not care about their political views at all - just because someone can sing the songs I like does not give them authority on politics etc, however, everyone is entitled to his own opinion. I sometimes say that if I found out that a musician I like has murdered someone, I would want them to be in jail, but would not stop listening to their records. 

Oh, about that. I'm talking in an interpersonal level.

You see, in the fandom, musicians usually get to be close to other musicians at times. That's why you'll see lots of collabs by several musicians.

But more often than you think, musicians go further from a mere work interaction and even become friends. Once you're into the scene, even if you're not a star, you get to see they have their own circles. And that's where you see the mess the musical community within the fandom actually is.

From experience, I can tell you you shouldn't take seriously when a musician calls you their best friend. It's probably lying. Most do. Happened to me, and saw it happen several times to other guys too. Once they get whatever they needed from you for their music, they are likely to discard you.

However, I must point out not all musicians are like this. In my experience, Vylet pony is a very wholesome person. Which is actually weird, given other musicians who are trans are the total opposite.

[PCutter 127]

39 minutes ago, Mirage said:

Well everyone has opinions. I for one, found Princess Twilight to be not only really cool but also heavily foreshadowed in the first two episodes in Season 1. The characterization that it was a stunt to sell toys was BS. Twilight becoming a Princess and eventual ruler of Equestria was planned from the beginning. I've had arguments with the 'deriders' of it and they aren't convincing at all. They just don't like it. Their theories aren't even related to the writing and world building of the show. What is arguable is the timing...that I concede is an open question. But how are the creators supposed to know how long the show will last to incorporate important character developments?

So that's the thing about opinions. Whoever has the most facts to support their view will win any argument, and will maintain a genuine confidence that others cannot shake. Therefore, the non-fans of Princess Twilight just don't really bother me. And besides, the creators are bound to make some mistakes. It's okay. It happens to every franchise.

At least the creators didn't completely crash the show like the creators of Xenosaga did to their franchise. It could have been worse...much worse.

Ok look I didn't expect a lengthy reply. I only meant to ask that if I said I like something that is hated by the majority, I shouldn't be threatened?

And I don't want to get into arguments. Not anymore like in the past. All I want from now on is to just say what I like and that's it. No asking, no prying, no arguing, no debating; just leaving it at that.

[Mirage 24,191]

35 minutes ago, PCutter said:

Ok look I didn't expect a lengthy reply. I only meant to ask that if I said I like something that is hated by the majority, I shouldn't be threatened?

And I don't want to get into arguments. Not anymore like in the past. All I want from now on is to just say what I like and that's it. No asking, no prying, no arguing, no debating; just leaving it at that.

Fair enough. There's plenty of things to do here that doesn't involve debates or opinion sharing.

[Latecomer 438]

38 minutes ago, PCutter said:

Ok look I didn't expect a lengthy reply. I only meant to ask that if I said I like something that is hated by the majority, I shouldn't be threatened?

And I don't want to get into arguments. Not anymore like in the past. All I want from now on is to just say what I like and that's it. No asking, no prying, no arguing, no debating; just leaving it at that.

On the one hand, no-one should be threatened at all. On the other, debate and discussion are what forums are for - if you just want to present your own opinion without inviting comment, I'd suggest a blog. 

[Pentium100 2,060]

2 hours ago, Jesse Terrence said:

From experience, I can tell you you shouldn't take seriously when a musician calls you their best friend.

I do not have any friends who are musicians, I guess all of my friends chose different careers, so I cannot confirm or deny that. 

As for Twilight and her wings, well, I'd like to say something, but this is not the topic for that  (not that I dislike alicorn Twilight...)

[Jesse Terrence 2,967]

1 hour ago, Latecomer said:

On the one hand, no-one should be threatened at all. On the other, debate and discussion are what forums are for - if you just want to present your own opinion without inviting comment, I'd suggest a blog. 

Lol, I agree on what you said there, but honestly, some people seem to look at the forums more like a social network and safe-space rather than a place to discuss and have some critique.

Sort of why I feel the no critique tag on the art part of the forum is paradoxical.

[Latecomer 438]

13 minutes ago, Jesse Terrence said:

Lol, I agree on what you said there, but honestly, some people seem to look at the forums more like a social network and safe-space rather than a place to discuss and have some critique.

Sort of why I feel the no critique tag on the art part of the forum is paradoxical.

Rather, doesn't the existence of such a tag indicate criticism as invited b default?

[Jesse Terrence 2,967]

2 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

Rather, doesn't the existence of such a tag indicate criticism as invited b default?

Yes, because that's what posting on a forum is about. If you share your art at a forum then people are prone to talk about their ideas about it. The problem comes when they want to post but don't want criticism. Pretty much, they don't want to hear what people think about and are looking for praise and compliment.

If they are not willing to receive criticism, then they should showcase on a blog instead, don't you think? After all, discouraging users to share their thoughts out at a place that's meant to be about people sharing their thoughts out goes against the purpose of what a forum is. That's why I think that tag conflicts with the concept of a forum. It seems completely wrong.

[Latecomer 438]

29 minutes ago, Jesse Terrence said:

Yes, because that's what posting on a forum is about. If you share your art at a forum then people are prone to talk about their ideas about it. The problem comes when they want to post but don't want criticism. Pretty much, they don't want to hear what people think about and are looking for praise and compliment.

If they are not willing to receive criticism, then they should showcase on a blog instead, don't you think? After all, discouraging users to share their thoughts out at a place that's meant to be about people sharing their thoughts out goes against the purpose of what a forum is. That's why I think that tag conflicts with the concept of a forum. It seems completely wrong.

I don't think allowing it as a clearly indicated option is bad - better that and everyone knows where they stand than arguing over it.

[Darksword66 230]

So when it came to MLP i actually never was driven away. Probably because i just refused to be part of the fandom to begin with. It wasn't like anime and such to me where i would actively participate in the fandom (so long as they weren't being tards). However, i only started going into the fandom more because of the MLP world on VRchat. Where i met a good chunk of people who i felt represented the fandom as it should be. They didn't care about things like if you liked this ship or that ship. And they didn't care about what your other likes. Everything was chill and people understood one other. They were there for the show, and to just hang out in their OC's or whatever just talking about anything and everything. Acting like friends and messing around.

That basically is what led me to push more towards checking out these boards and seeing what it was like in the more online fandom that wasn't on VRc. And thus i landed up in a few boards. Though so far this one seems to hold itself together pretty ok.

But to some it all up. I never had an issue with fandom cause i generally never participated in it.

[PCutter 127]

On 2/20/2020 at 2:20 AM, Latecomer said:

On the one hand, no-one should be threatened at all. On the other, debate and discussion are what forums are for - if you just want to present your own opinion without inviting comment, I'd suggest a blog. 

Well I haven't the will to do a blog. I have more pressing things in my life to write about than a tv show.