Why do we Bronies panic so much? Put your thoughts down here!

[PoniesPlease 365]

Okay, so the purpose of this thread is to put down why you personally believe that the Brony community goes into overdrive when some news is announced. I believe now is the right time to create this thread as there are no new FiM episodes coming out and it would be good to discuss our overreacting tendencies.

For example:

 

I believe that we panic because we have something good here, a fandom where people are all accepted  regardless of ethnicity, orientation, likes, dislikes, religion, political beliefs etc. and we don't want to lose that. One way many of us believe that we will lose that is when the show changes; we want, if anything, to be assured of this magical show's integrity. 

I believe we need to realize that the show does change, like every other show in existence. Adapt or Die, people. Three seasons without Twilight becoming a princess was long enough, and it has made us complacent, and lazy. We don't expect change, and now that our beloved writers are forced to make these changes we suddenly panic, thinking we are going to lose what we have here.

 

TL;DR? Basically, I'm saying that nothing's happened for a long time, and now that there is change, it's frightening us all. Change is something we learn about as children, people!

Excuse the rant, I am genuinely interested in learning what you guys consider to be the reasoning by so many of our friends panicking.

[RippedOffMattress 314]

Maybe because a lot of bronies puts the show in an absolute perfect light to where IT MUST NOT BE TOUCHED OR IT SHALL BE RUINED!!!

 

I sort of understand this mentality, many people are afraid of change, and to see a show with a formula so constant be praised by many, a sudden major change can spark major controversy.

 

I do agree that the show must change to stay fresh, and that we must adapt. It's just adapting from such a change in a familiarized concept can be hard for some people, especially with a change so drastic as Princess Twilight.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

I panic because I'm a compulsive pessimist . Even with things not related to ponies, I tend to worry far out of proportion to the actual problem and look at the potential negatives rather than the positives. Although everything that happened in today's episode only increased my worries about Alicorn Twilight and did nothing to reassure me whatsoever. So yeah.

 

Bottom line; I like the show a lot, and I'm afraid of seeing it change for the worse.

Edited February 16, 2013 by DashForever

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

I personally think it's because we forget it's not our show.  We don't own the show nor can we control what goes on in the show.  Some think if they change anything they ruin their show. 

[Twinhead B 482]

We get invested in the show. My Little Pony has a certain quality to it that no other cartoon has at the moment (or ever had?). It's a place we can all escape to and be carefree for 22 minutes, and so naturally, anything that threatens to disturb that gets bronies all riled up. We're protective of the show, because of what it is for us; nostaglia, entertainment, sanctuary, inspiration. etc.

 

The show has not changed in quality since Season 1, but any concept, idea, character, or rumor that may lead us to believe it will causes us to go to DEFCON 1. Many bronies don't care, but just as many are ready and willing to jump ship to keep their memories of the show unpolluted.

 

The average number of views per episode premiere is still steadily increasing, and more and more bronies flock to the herd everyday. Eventually the show will decline in quality, all shows do, but hopefully not for a long time. I recommend everyone stays away from the fandom when that time finally comes, because it won't be pretty, and it won't end well.

[Scootalove 10,689]

People look at the negatives first instead of the positives. We can all admit that, a lot of people look at the negatives in shows basically. People tend to panic because, they think something bad will happen but when they finally see what they were panicking about they finally realize sometimes that they were wrong about the error of their ways (relatively speaking).

[Firelord Derpy 310]

 

I think some Bronys go over the top and some follow them for fun.

As for me, I kind of roll with the flow and stay calm about it, and I think a majority of Bronys act as I do but the ones that don't make themselves heard.

[Mr Dash 1,820]

There are several reasons why we panic. The main being change, which I will focus on. Which goes for anything. We, as a people, are afraid of change. We get our ideas about how a particular thing should pan out, and when we learn of change, a lot of times we begin to fear it. We are afraid that it could change what we love for the worse, rather than looking at it optimistically. I look at Twilight Alicorn with an open mind. I will follow the show until I have reason to no longer follow it. Which will probably never happen. I am very curious as to what will happen in season 4. But several of us did not want a change like that. We just want things to remain relatively the same.

 

Some people can't handle change. They are to busy in their own world. If some kind of change is going to happen to something I like, I may fear that it will harm what I like. But I quickly get over it because I want to see if the change is actually good. I don't have any problems with the change to Twilight, but I can't know for sure until season 4.

 

It's the same with video games, or any other medium. When a game series comes out, and a lot of people like the first, or first few games in the series. They expect it to remain the same, or close to the original formula. But that can get boring, and some people, like the CoD community can be oblivious to it. When change in a game's characters, or game formula happen, people tend to panic and start complaining and getting angry. They don't want to see their favorite franchise take a risk and try something new that could turn out to be really great. CoD stays practically the same each year. Dead Space 3 is a pretty drastic change from the first, some people freaked out about the change. Even if it is a good game. Same with the Resident Evil franchise. Practically any franchise for that matter that tries to do something different, or make a change to keep the franchise from becoming stale.

 

All this panic is usually for fear of change. We all fear change, some of us will get over it and look at a brighter side to the change. Some of us will remain neutral and let come what may come. While others will not and will be vocal about the change. Sharing their dislike of it and stating their reasons as to why they don't like the change. Another thing, some people have head-canon, which is not actual canon. When a change happens that doesn't fit with what they see should happen, or what they see as canon, they will probably panic and get upset. Your canon is not actual canon, unless the content creator says so.

 

And as Dusty Soul said, it's not our show. We don't have a say as to what changes can and can't happen. It's ultimately up to the content creator to decide what they want to do with their creation. People will always panic and freak out from change. It's best to let them be and find out for themselves whether they are wrong or not.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Mr. Dash

[Zygen 6,066]

I dunno I haven't seen the episode yet, but I'd say its very true that we overreact alot. Its a justified reaction because it shows just how much we love this show, but we should just probably calm down, I trust the writers to do their best, and thats all we can do.

 

I'm with this fandom till the end, and beyond. I am going to try my best to be optimistic, even as the pessimist I am and say the show will stay good for a good bit.

 

It is inevitable that the show will eventually decline in quality, but I'm sure with the writers for the show it will be a good while.

 

Besides, even after the show dies I still love this community, and I imagine i'll stay afterwards.

 

We don't like change because of the high quality of the show and how much we love it, and we don't want that feeling to go away, and while thats understandable we have to realize that the writers did write the show the way we love it, it would be foolish for them to change their ways, so I'm going to be optimistic and say they will continue to do their best to produce quality episodes, they know how important this show is to us, and I'm sure they aren't just going to let us down.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Zygen

[Dashiiizzz 24]

I guess it's because people like the way things are already so they get scared that if something changes, itll cause another change, then another, and another until the shows transforms into something that it wasnt at the beginning. We believe that things are perfect the way things are but honestly, the show can't continue without any changes in my opinion because then the episodes would just get repetative and boring. The changes need to happen to keep a sort of interest in the show. obviously we dont want a super drastic change, for example one of the mane 6 leaving the show completely (which i know would never happen, im just using that as an example) idk thats just my opinion.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

Personally, it's because I've been in fandoms before that failed due to mismanagement by the producers or a lose of spirit within the community (the first usually causes the later), and I don't want to see it happen here. 

 

One example I remember was the Microsoft Flight Simulator community. I was HUGE into that. I even went to conventions, and won flying contests. But then Flight Simulator X came out, a lot of people got disheartened by the poor performance, then Aces got shut down, and now the community is a shell of what it used to be. I put my heart into that community (and hundreds of dollars), but now it's...gone. 

 

I see bronies (myself included) being especially protective of our community because it seems this fandom is even more emotionally committed than others. In many ways we're a family, and we want to protect what we've created. As such I think it's a little natural to be weary of what we've built up thus far.

 

We want this community to last as long as it can (I know I do - One dream I have is bringing my eventual kids to BronyCon), and we don't want to see it put at risk.

[PoniesPlease 365]

We get invested in the show. My Little Pony has a certain quality to it that no other cartoon has at the moment (or ever had?). It's a place we can all escape to and be carefree for 22 minutes, and so naturally, anything that threatens to disturb that gets bronies all riled up. We're protective of the show, because of what it is for us; nostaglia, entertainment, sanctuary, inspiration. etc.

 

The show has not changed in quality since Season 1, but any concept, idea, character, or rumor that may lead us to believe it will causes us to go to DEFCON 1. Many bronies don't care, but just as many are ready and willing to jump ship to keep their memories of the show unpolluted.

 

The average number of views per episode premiere is still steadily increasing, and more and more bronies flock to the herd everyday. Eventually the show will decline in quality, all shows do, but hopefully not for a long time. I recommend everyone stays away from the fandom when that time finally comes, because it won't be pretty, and it won't end well.

You're completely right. Many bronies aren't too bothered, and are considered 'The Silent Majority', 

 

We unfortunately see more about 'The Vocal Minority' because they are, as their namesake says, vocal.

 

Personally, it's because I've been in fandoms before that failed due to mismanagement by the producers or a lose of spirit within the community (the first usually causes the later), and I don't want to see it happen here. 

 

One example I remember was the Microsoft Flight Simulator community. I was HUGE into that. I even went to conventions, and won flying contests. But then Flight Simulator X came out, a lot of people got disheartened by the poor performance, then Aces got shut down, and now the community is a shell of what it used to be. I put my heart into that community (and hundreds of dollars), but now it's...gone. 

 

I see bronies (myself included) being especially protective of our community because it seems this fandom is even more emotionally committed than others. In many ways we're a family, and we want to protect what we've created. As such I think it's a little natural to be weary of what we've built up thus far.

 

We want this community to last as long as it can (I know I do - One dream I have is bringing my eventual kids to BronyCon), and we don't want to see it put at risk.

Don't you believe that you'll always be a brony?

 

You still play Flight Sims though, don't you? This brony fandom feels... different somehow. I've always felt this difference. As long as there is one person out there who says that they are still a brony, then the fandom won't be dead. Just look at Star Wars.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

Don't you believe that you'll always be a brony?

 

You still play Flight Sims though, don't you? This brony fandom feels... different somehow. I've always felt this difference. As long as there is one person out there who says that they are still a brony, then the fandom won't be dead. Just look at Star Wars.

Brony 'til the day I die. /) Yeah, I feel this difference. There's more emotional commitment, to put it simply.

 

I don't play flight simulator much anymore, mostly because I'm in real flight school now (though I'll probably start again to help me train). But it's just a hobby at this point, it's no longer a "lifestyle" like when I was part of the community.

[PoniesPlease 365]

Brony 'til the day I die. /) Yeah, I feel this difference. There's more emotional commitment, to put it simply.

 

I don't play flight simulator much anymore, mostly because I'm in real flight school now (though I'll probably start again to help me train). But it's just a hobby at this point, it's no longer a "lifestyle" like when I was part of the community.

That's unfortunate. Still, you've got these forums, and there are plenty of people on these forums that say that they'll be bronies for life; i only hope that the day doesn't come where that commitment is tested.

 

I'm rambling. My point remains that there'll always be Bronycon etc. and we have a lot of protection these days from the writers, the cast.

 

The only way this fandom can die is from the inside, and from what I previously stated, that won't happen.

[Pokota 28]

I think it was said best by Agent K from Men in Black.

 

[Nightgazer Starlight 4]

"Why do the Bronies panic?"

 

Because most Bronies are young teenagers.

 

That is why.

 

Why do I not panic?

 

Because I am an old man, not a young angsty teenager.

[Beta 42]

Putting aside how commited and emotionally invested a lot of the fans are, I think we also have to recognize how awkward a lot of bronies are.

 

I truly think that a lot of the community just doesn't know how to handle social situations and change to begin with, honestly. They treat the show just like they do anything else...with hesitation and fright with new things.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Because I think we're so protective of the property that any change runs the risk of making it worse, and we don't want to take that chance.  It's been going well so far, why not keep it going.  Like the old adage goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it!