B.S. Frienship Reports

[Some_random_guy 1,857]

thats kind of what im saying. you cant trust human beings. friendship kind of a lie, and this show really does stroke you a lot. Finally someone who listens to reason and h=gets what im saying! There are many more unreasonable people in this world than you think. Ive come to expect it.

 

Anyway, thanks for speaking some sense.

 

I am also glad. This world is a sick place with all of it's love and crap. I wish we were more like the wild animals who don't give a F:Dk about anything any other organism does.

[Radiance64 7,053]

I don't know, I don't pay too much attention to the show's morals, but I think they're good enough for the kids who would watch to learn from them.

[Bohtty 1,775]

Wow, that was really nice and understanding. I dont think YOU get whwere im coming from. I dont pretend that I know everything, so why dont you quit with the accusations?

 

Why does everyone keep attacking me like this?! Make it stop, make it stop... I gotta go. You win, assholes, you win!

 

Because your being a brat, thats why.

I get where your coming from, but the way you made your post made it seem like you were the authority on the subject. To top it off, you insult us when we correct you. If you don't know everything and we type our posts like we do, then you should consider what we say, not defend your ideas that could be false and then insult us.

 

Think about what you write.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Bohtty

[Coolius rpi 117]

I am also glad. This world is a sick place with all of it's love and crap. I wish we were more like the wild animals who don't give a F:Dk about anything any other organism does.

 

Then we would be betrayed by any other organism. If we all lived by animals, then we would really learn that friendship is a lie manufactured by humans. I like this guy.

[OptimisticNeighsayer 478]

You make the claim that the morals are "bullshit" because you can find counterexamples that do not support the moral. I think you are interpreting the morals the wrong way. If anything, these morals are not meant to be completely reflective of the moral laws of the universe as a whole, but part of a construct that helps us get along with other people in an organized and considerate way, even if simplified. While the show does not ground the morals in the most advanced biological/psychological/philosophical knowledge we currently have, they still have some kernel of truth in them.

 

Let's take an example from science. Newtonian physics was not completely proven false by Einstein's theories of relativity, except insofar as the scope of validity that Newtonian physics claimed. In fact Newtonian physics is really a specific case of Einstein's theories, because it is simple enough to deal with ordinary physical phenomenon, such as when objects are not travelling anywhere close to the speed of light. We don't immediately teach budding young physics majors Einstein's relativity, we start them off with something simpler that they can handle.

 

Now let's compare this to the morals on the show. So you find that a moral learned from the show is not relevant in all circumstances. What are the circumstances (and presumptions that you make in your mind, which can also be questioned) that caused the moral not to be relevant? Is there any way the counterexample can be explained within the old moral, or are revisions to the moral necessary? It's good that you can find exceptions to the rule, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the moral wasn't true for the particular circumstances in which it was learned. Now, young children (and perhaps many adults even) are not going to be able to digest the ethical theories of Immanuel Kant (or Thomas Nagel, if you want someone a little more modern) for example, in a half-hour cartoon, so we show something a little simpler. If Kant or Nagel were to see the show they might agree on some of the ways that the morals are developed and will likely disagree on a lot of others, but that doesn't mean that they wouldn't appreciate how the show does work within their own philosophies. The show does create an ideal on what is right and wrong, and it is fair to question how it actually works.

 

I will admit that comparing the theories learned in physics to those morals learned in a children's show can be problematic because one deals with the objective and the other with the normative, but the point is that both are constructs to help us organize the world, and all of them have their place in understanding life in their respective facets.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Devin McCourty
Responding to a deleted post.

[Yellow Diamond 7,575]

Sorry to be the mod who has to hop in and spook everbody, but this is a friendly reminder to remain civil. That goes for both ends of the conversation. We can disagree without being disagreeable; insulting one another is unnecessary.

 

Love and tolerate, everypony.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Thereisnospoon303

[anythingmasterz 75]

MLP teaches us some important lessons. Its not the whole 'sonic says' fare, though. They never tell us to eat our vegetables or anything (although in one episode they did tell us to read, but whatever.)

 

Im beginning to think some of the lessons they teach us in these 'friendship reports' are kinda bullshit, though.

 

Like in hurricane Fluttershy, I don't think that one pony can really make a difference. that just my opinion, though.

 

Also, In owls well that ends well, I dont think that 'there is plenty of love for all friends.'

In the show stoppers, there isnt even a moral! I think that is waayyy uncool.

 

In stare master I don't believe in the message either. biting off more than you can chew is what makes people strong!

 

In the cutie mark chronicles, they say that, Everypony everywhere has a special magical connection with her friends, maybe even before she's met them.I think that is just utter bullshit. Theres no way that fate can determine what your friends are, even before you've met them. there is no such things as fate anyway.

 

I know I'm going to be whipped for this next one, but here goes. In the best night ever, they say that:Friends have a way of making even the worst of times into something pretty great. Ive been through a lot of bad times, and friends have NEVER made it something pretty great. A dog bit off a chunk of my heel once, and my friends did NOT make it fun. When my cat died, my friends didn't turn his funeral into a party. When I used to self-harm, my friends DIDN'T make the blood taste like sunkist.

 

In super speedy cider squeezy, applejack dosent learn anything, and she writes a letter about it to the princess! Its almost like shes sending a giant f you to the princess, and that is most uncool. Also, since nopony had learned anything about friendship that week, shouldn't twilight sparkle be banished, put in a dungeon, or banished and then put in a dungeon in the place that she banishes her to? just my thoughts.

 

Lastly, in dragon quest, spike believes that he 'belongs in ponyville with his pony friends.' I dont think the ponies are his 'friends.' Theyre always mean to him and they use him. I think he belongs with his dragon friends. his dragon friends can at least teach him to be tough, and be the dragon he was always meant to be.

 

So, what are you thoughts on stupid, bullshit friendship reports?

 

I'm not gonna bash on you at all, but for me I interpret the message and make it part of my life. 1 person can really make a difference, just look at leaders of countries(including dictators). Those guys definitely impacted the world. From my own experiences, biting off more than I could chew always left me depressed and in a worse state than if I wouldn't have. And for me, what makes me happy is helping friends so whenever I'm depressed I ask them if they need any help or are having any troubles, and when they open up to me I tell them my feelings on the situation and it makes me happy to see that they're happy and so open with me. And also if you don't believe in fate what is your signature doing then? It is predicted fate that the food/drink will spoil by that date. As for the letter Applejack sends to the princess, at least she's courteous enough to send a letter to the princess, and she at least states what she knows. Also, in Lesson Zero, Twilight Sparkle freaks out that she would be sent to a dungeon and tries to come up with something to learn, but Princess Celestia relieves her telling her to only send a letter if she learned something and only then. And how is Spike not friends with the ponies? I don't really understand how they're not friends considering they all hang out together and treat eachother nicely. Also, Spike doesn't want to be a fully grown dragon, as he had experienced once before.

 

This is all MY PERSONAL OPINION and noone elses. You are perfectly entitled to your own opinions, so have a good day/evening/night or whatever and goodbye for now.

[Glaceon 793]

Why do you even watch the show? It seems you think the stories, plots ect are BS. I respect your opinion and all that, but really the story and the lessons learned are what make the show great. If you like it just cause it's popular you shouldn't do that really. http://mlpforums.com/public/style_emoticons/default/dry.png

(Oh okay.)

Edited August 17, 2012 by Mal (Starbolt)
Don't threaten to have a mod lock the thread. We are kinda already watching this one anyways! :3

[Nas 2,873]

Alright, give me the phone and call up the dude who said just because this is a life-changing cartoon, that automatically means there has to be a moral/meaning in EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. Because that's ridiculous.

 

Does literally every one have to have a life lesson, or a friendship report at the end? Heck no. Yes, it's still somewhat a kid's show, and it's still slightly educational as it was in the beginning, but, by no means does this show have to include something we will use in our lives in every episode. There's gotta be room for miscellaneous content, so the episodes can be more free-written, and be limited to just something like an adventure or whatever. It can be more popular than, say, one of the episodes that actually HAS friendship reports in them. But that doesn't mean the show will lower in quality or anything like that.

[Twilight Dash 28]

The only episode that has a wrong moral in my opinion is Feeling Pinkie Keen. This video explains why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk49LMICSdU

[anythingmasterz 75]

The only episode that has a wrong moral in my opinion is Feeling Pinkie Keen. This video explains why:

http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk49LMICSdU

 

My problem with this video; he's treating the cartoon as something that IS NOT simply a cartoon. Yes, it may try to teach lessons, but it isn't something that you're supposed to dissect. Not only that, but questioning is NOT for skepticism, but learning purposes. Also, how was the universe created since there are the conversation laws? Something has to be able to exist without needing the laws of physics. And as for Santa Claus. Santa Claus was a real person, Saint Nicholas. But meh, it's your ideals, so I'm not gonna force you away from your own ideals and way of life..

[Carolina 212]

I find that sometimes the morals don't fit with the overall episodes as nicely as they could, but I have no problem with the morals themselves and think most of them are solid, important and contain at least some element of truth. I wouldn't say any of them are bullshit.

 

Like in hurricane Fluttershy, I don't think that one pony can really make a difference. that just my opinion, though.

I'm a Buddhist, so the one-person-making-a-difference mantra is definitely something I believe. IRL, it is much more subtle/smaller than in "Hurricane Fluttershy" and is usually a chain reaction kind of thing due to how interconnected people are. For example, if you did something nice for a stranger, he might in turn be nicer to those around him, and so on, and so on. However, I'm sure situations like Fluttershy's wing power accounting for the pegasi making the wing power quota could and has happened in real life, too.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Carolina

[silvadel 1,393]

Actually, I still wonder sometimes if that letter to Celestia will not bite Applejack in the rear sometime. Celestia has a long memory and I can see her bringing that up at an opportune time in a future episode in an off-hoof manner.

 

As for the friendship lessons thing -- that is something everyone has to come to terms with for ones self. Their world doesnt generally portray the deep dark places of the soul that are sometimes expressed with a wide brush in our world. That said, writing a letter occasionally to Celestia could be cathartic. And it pays to never lose ones hope or the inner child no matter what one's age.