How this fandom came to be (discuss)

[FinalGamer 192]

For a long time now, I've always wondered one thing about the MLP fandom. I've been with this since the early starts, I watched the first episodes around the time Bridle Gossip was airing, I was there at the beginning as it were or close enough.

 

And yet, despite loving most facets of the fandom ranging from creativity to generosity to an overall ambivalent humility that rarely exists in most other fandoms...I have to wonder.

 

 

How DID this fandom come to be? I'm not talking about why the show is so popular, I'm talking about WHY we are all here? What is it about this one particular show about cartoon ponies learning about friendship that managed to unite so many of us together?

 

Why are we such a huge fandom? What did this show give us that made us all unite together so swiftly within the span of like two years? I just really have to wonder about this and well...I wondered what you all thought about this very question, if any of you ever did.

 

============

 

So, TL;DR, why do YOU think this show is so popular with our generation?

[Spring Veil 254]

One word: Fluttershy

[FinalGamer 192]

One word: Fluttershy

 

Best pony, or best pony, amirite?

 

But nah seriously I do wonder why you all think about this show is so popular in our generation. Feel free to go into socio-psychological details even, I just wanna see what people think.

[Tenshinohana 264]

I've also thought of this :---D There must be several theories for this.... Or somewhere, deep down, even facts about this.

 

I'd imagine that someone either watched their little sister watching it... Or daughter.

 

Or they looked up a video "just for laughs" and found it actually good....

 

But the known fact is that it spread in 4chan.

 

Psychological details...? Maybe later.

[Typhoid Libby 1,265]

How?

 

 

Now all you sinners; This is the prophecy, the revelation of your own destiny

Sleep well, and dream on.

 

Peeps posted pics of ponies in /b/ and were called bad things because no-one got why.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then there was some explanation and they were called really bad things because everyone got it.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then someone was all like; "You should tolerate and love these ponies in hell." (Abridged. Lots cuss words.)

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then someone was all like; "Guises, we, should, like, totally, love an tolerate all these heit0r peeps."

Then lot of people went full retard and were all "Love and Tolerate" about it.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

SUDDENLY; poni sites like all over the place and it was really weird for a long time.

 

You are all here because /b/ is such a silly place and no-one ever goes there.

 

AND THAT'S HOW EQUESTRIA WAS MADE. END OF DISCUSSION.

[FinalGamer 192]

How?

 

 

Now all you sinners; This is the prophecy, the revelation of your own destiny

Sleep well, and dream on.

 

Peeps posted pics of ponies in /b/ and were called bad things because no-one got why.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then there was some explanation and they were called really bad things because everyone got it.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then someone was all like; "You should tolerate and love these ponies in hell." (Abridged. Lots cuss words.)

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

Then someone was all like; "Guises, we, should, like, totally, love an tolerate all these heit0r peeps."

Then lot of people went full retard and were all "Love and Tolerate" about it.

*Banhammer was verily swung around with great might and purpose of will and lamentations were heard*

SUDDENLY; poni sites like all over the place and it was really weird for a long time.

 

You are all here because /b/ is such a silly place and no-one ever goes there.

 

AND THAT'S HOW EQUESTRIA WAS MADE. END OF DISCUSSION.

 

In the name of the Sun and the Moon and the Twilight Sparkle

 

Amare.

I DO remember the 4chan Pony Wars, could that REALLY have been how it got popular? Certainly was a big part of it, I forgot about that.

[go away seb 367]

In the name of the Sun and the Moon and the Twilight Sparkle

 

Amare.

I DO remember the 4chan Pony Wars, could that REALLY have been how it got popular? Certainly was a big part of it, I forgot about that.

 

Well, besides the fact that it had awesome animation, nostalgic references, good storyline, epic cast, and Tara Bucking Strong, 4Chan was the only reason.

[Typhoid Libby 1,265]

I DO remember the 4chan Pony Wars, could that REALLY have been how it got popular? Certainly was a big part of it, I forgot about that.

 

I've been with this sad excuse of a fandom ever since the original /b/ faggery about ponis being gay as something of an lurky back devil.

I "should" know.

That was the start point for all this, it did not fit anywhere else and no-one else would seriously even discuss it.

Seeing as it was about like of cartoon ponies, where you gonna put it, eh?

 

It all started something like this:

 

File: 10572342552309.jpg-(51 KB, 500x321, twilight_sparkle.jpg)

"Anyone else /b/?"

 

 

And 4Chan gathers all the different people from everysite, it had potential and it exploded.

[Lord Pretty Pie 64]

The way I see it, the show would not have as many fans without the fandom, and the fandom would obviously not exist with out the show. They feed off one another. The problem is, as you said, how did the fandom become with no fandom to feed the fans, inspiring them to create it? I see a big part of it being haters. If there wasn't so much hate toward bronies, there would be less of them. People would fear ridicule and stop watching to 'fit in', but because of such massive amounts of hate, they sought out others like themselves for moral support. These now united Bronies fond more, and more, and created a fandom. Other's just for finding the show no longer needed hate to be spurred into finding others, because here a fandom waits just for them. (I'll end with a rhyme to make it more fun) The hater's own hate did create, that witch they all feared. It's them we all have to thank, for it is us they engineered.

[Spring Veil 254]

The way I see it, the show would not have as many fans without the fandom, and the fandom would obviously not exist with out the show. They feed off one another. The problem is, as you said, how did the fandom become with no fandom to feed the fans, inspiring them to create it? I see a big part of it being haters. If there wasn't so much hate toward bronies, there would be less of them. People would fear ridicule and stop watching to 'fit in', but because of such massive amounts of hate, they sought out others like themselves for moral support. These now united Bronies fond more, and more, and created a fandom. Other's just for finding the show no longer needed hate to be spurred into finding others, because here a fandom waits just for them. (I'll end with a rhyme to make it more fun) The hater's own hate did create, that witch they all feared. It's them we all have to thank, for it is us they engineered.

 

Aaaahh yeah! That right there was one awesome explanation!

[FinalGamer 192]

The way I see it, the show would not have as many fans without the fandom, and the fandom would obviously not exist with out the show. They feed off one another. The problem is, as you said, how did the fandom become with no fandom to feed the fans, inspiring them to create it? I see a big part of it being haters. If there wasn't so much hate toward bronies, there would be less of them. People would fear ridicule and stop watching to 'fit in', but because of such massive amounts of hate, they sought out others like themselves for moral support. These now united Bronies fond more, and more, and created a fandom. Other's just for finding the show no longer needed hate to be spurred into finding others, because here a fandom waits just for them. (I'll end with a rhyme to make it more fun) The hater's own hate did create, that witch they all feared. It's them we all have to thank, for it is us they engineered.

 

So you are saying that the haters created their own source of hatred? ...very Nietzcshean, I like it! I approve of this, this has my FG stamp of approval good sir/madam!

[Lord Pretty Pie 64]

Aaaahh yeah! That right there was one awesome explanation!

 

So you are saying that the haters created their own source of hatred? ...very Nietzcshean, I like it! I approve of this, this has my FG stamp of approval good sir/madam!

 

I'm glad you both liked it. I really like the rhyme I made up... I might have to add that to my signature..

[murkyx 904]

While I joined the herd during mid S2, I know all about the bronies conception, it's history, and how it all started.

 

For one, you can probably thank this woman here for everything we have now.

If Hasbro had not hired Faust in the first place, G4 would not be what it is today. She from the start had the original intention for the show to reach out of it's target audience, and man did she succeed in doing that.

 

Second, I believe that the origins of the brony fandom came from /co/ not /b/ originally. The link to the show was posted on October 10th, 2010, and one of the first people to say they like it (ie, first confirmed brony) actually pointed out what made it stand out. (I can't quote the original post because I can't find it, but I'll paraphrase) The show's characters have depth and many people relate to them, the animation is clean, bright, and very professional, the humor plants a smile on your face, and the storyline is entertaining and well thought out. (Of course, he was also scared to admit that he liked it.)

 

Later on, the discussion migrated to /b/, and after people investigated the pony posts more and chose sides, the brony fandom was born.

 

So it is for those reasons that we are here; the show is good, it is intended to be good, and it is thanks to a mix of investigators and blown up pride from the original fans that brought bronydom to it's current fame.

[Loona 287]

Because bronies like different things about the show.

 

1. Animation

2. The makers of the show

3. The personalities of the characters

 

 

Or maybe Pinkie Pie used her amazing powers to cast a spell on to all of us.

[Lord Pretty Pie 64]

Because bronies like different things about the show.

 

1. Animation

2. The makers of the show

3. The personalities of the characters

 

 

Or maybe Pinkie Pie used her amazing powers to cast a spell on to all of us.

 

Let's just go with Pinkie Pie's magic powers. That explains it quite nicely I think.

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

Because ponies are awesome. There is nothing more to say.

[Viridian Daybreak 65]

What I wonder is, who came up with the word "brony" that we all use now?

[AppleTreeBrony 228]

I've always wanted to do this so....

In the beginning there was nothing but /b/

Then..

BOOM the Brony Universe was created by the one know as Lauren Faust

Little by little people began to inhabit the Brony Universe

and then the war began....

On February 26 2011,

Admins and mods of 4chan's /co/, and /b/ topics began to diminish the population of Bronies from there website.

Next day...

Mods allow ponies back into the forums if

They keep there discussions and images in the "MLP" Threads

and Actually talk about it.

Also a little trolling went down on March 1st

and now you're here 1 year later hanging out with the coolest group on the internet!

(Sources: Know your Meme)

[Starswirl the Trixie 974]

I'm shocked that so few people knew the Brony creation story; hell, I knew it before I started liking ponies.

 

The classic story, or at least the one I've heard so many times, is that the first Bronies were /co/lts, who learned of the show around the time of the premier. On October 19th, 2010 (9 days after the premier) this article was published, fiercely criticizing MLP:FiM. Members of /co/ found it funny that someone would argue so passionately against a children's television show, so they watched to see what the fuss was about...and fell in love with it. This article was what turned the fandom from a couple guys who found the show interesting into something that dominated /co/. Due to 4chan's anarchic organization, no one knows who first called attention to the article, who the first Bronies were, or who coined the term.

 

But soon enough discussion of the show spread across /co/, soon crossing into /b/ where it received much more attention. Attacks by trolls were relentless as popularity increased. In February of 2011, an event I like to call the "Bronies-Anonymous War" began when 4chan moderators made posting ponies a bannable offense. Bronies would make pony threads, post ponies everywhere (even in non-pony threads), get banned, find ways of making new accounts, post more ponies, etc. Their tenacity (Gesundheit, Twilight) eventually forced a retraction of the banning rule. A year later in early 2012 Christopher Poole, the founder of 4chan, apologized for having "fucked up" in how 4chan treated Bronies. But by March Bronies had begun their exodus from 4chan to new websites. It was in this era that EqD gained popularity and that many pony devoted websites were founded. By May the number of fans was soaring, and Bronies first received real media attention in June (or July? I forgot.) with the publishing of an article on wired.com.

 

And no, that's not copypasta. Attached is the famous picture from the 4chan days (I joined the community in December 2011, so I never witnessed any of this. I just read the accounts of others.)

Edited June 11, 2012 by Starswirl the goateed

[AppleTreeBrony 228]

What I wonder is, who came up with the word "brony" that we all use now?

 

Bro + pony= Brony Edited June 11, 2012 by EppalJeck

[Otter 1,942]

Because we're all a bunch of pedophiles who want to have sex with ponies 24/7. At least, that's what the previous generation would like everyone to believe...

[Twiliscael 3,958]

I've been with this sad excuse of a fandom ever since the original /b/ faggery about ponis being gay as something of an lurky back devil.

 

Sad excuse? We have done more than ANY fandom and have grown faster than any before.

Brony defense turrets, ACTIVATE!

[Radiance64 7,051]

Because someone gave the damn show a chance, liked it, spread the word, and then others did the same.

[Tenshinohana 264]

Because this.

[Batbrony 15,994]

This fandom exists because of the tireless efforts and care of one pony! You love her, ya'll know of her, the one, the only, Fausticorn!!!

 

Uh... like I said, tireless efforts.