What do you think of the patting on the head?

[Silly Lily 80]

Pinkie's done it to Fluttershy: ...Your Auntie Pinkie Pie got it all taken care of...

 

Twilight's done it to Rainbow: ...tell me all about your issues with Applejack...

 

Rainbow's done it to Twilight: ...And that's why you would never qualify to be my pet..

 

and maybe some more that I have missed

 

So, obviously this cute patronizing little gesture is somewhat common but I wonder why it's done and how it's recieved? I don't think it's taken graciously for most of the time the reaction is annoyance. I suppose it's similar to being treated like a kid?

[Guest]

You might be reading too far into the body movement of animated characters, here. True, a pat on the head is usually degrading, but in some cases, it's done to put a mind at ease. There are all sorts of reasons for a pat on the head. If we accurately measure the resulting head-bob from the head-pat, might we find the character who is performing the action to be aggressive in nature? Pfft. Nope.

 

A head pat is a head pat. It's just something most of us grow up exposed to that goes unnoticed. It's strange that ponies would pick it up, though. Obviously there was some human influence in the Pony Universe, right? Hu-hu, I dunno.

 

If someone were to pat my head, I'd ask them to rub my belly... If nothing else, do it out of courtesy.

Please, rub my belly.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Guest

[GrooveBroove 680]

@, basically summed up the answer there I'd say.

The only thing i'd like to add is that the head pats are usually hilarious.

[Crispy 5,563]

People also use the head pats as a reason to ship.

 

Which is... fine, but it's pretty weak as a reason.

[enigmatia 37]

In drawing, and I suppose animation as well, expression and gestures tend to be an exaggeration from the norm to get the idea across with rather planar looking styles.

 

edit:

damn typos everywhere

Edited August 4, 2012 by enigmatia

[NavelColt 22,880]

I agree with the initial response, reading too far into it. And that's saying a lot coming from me.

 

All of those examples may seem patronizing, but they're all joking and or playful responses. Just because the other person may have not found it amusing doesn't mean it was for the purpose of belittling them or anything. It was the overall situation. Plus, Dash wasn't annoyed by it when Twilight did it, she just did it. Dash was just confused overall at why the heck Twilight was playing psychiatrist in the first place.

[Twiliscael 3,960]

All I know is that it is usually not recieved well by the patted pony. Usually some annoyed expression comes across their face and they reply in an annoyed tone.

 

But damn, it's adorable.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Twilie'Zorah

[SkyDream 315]

If it ever comes to it that the majority of people here or anywhere find a head-pat as expressed in an episode to be the result of a very specific intention, such as degrading or passive-aggressive across the board, then I would be just as inclined to say that it's exactly that as anyone else. As it stands, though, the writers have the freedom to allow for any motivation at all to be the backing of a good head-pat. I would even go so far as to say that they're able to do it because they know their friends and family won't consider it to be degrading or demeaning, personality-wise.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

I can speak from experience. When I was growing up my BBBFF used to tease me by patting me on the head! It bothered me for the most part, but a tiny part of me actually liked it. I never protested too much!

LOL!