My Little Ethicist: the Surprisingly Refreshing Ethics of MLP

[TheEngineer 188]

Until recently, I had wondered if My Little Pony contributed to the overarching (and over-simplified) motif of Good vs. Evil in cartoons. I explained in another thread how I felt that this motif, present in most cartoons, represents a part of the socialization process. Evil, in children’s cartoons, is something that people have as an inherent characteristic, it just is and some people are just (and thus inexplicably) evil. Of course, in the real word, people do morally egregious things for complex reasons that are worth understanding. When I had written the previous article, season three had not been released and I based my assessment primarily on Discord and a few other characters. Now, however, I have realized that I was wrong and I feel it is only appropriate to write a follow up article.

 

My Little Pony’s ethics are surprising, firstly, because they run contrary to a lot of society’s expectations. In my experience growing up in the Deep South, revenge often becomes intricately bound up in justice. One part of the human experience is experiencing the desire to “get back” at someone, it is why there is a feeling of closure many experience when a criminal is punished. Yet, is punishment really the height of justice? Is collective revenge, the suffering of the criminal, really what is desired when we claim we want justice? There is no better counter-argument to the idea of justice as punishment than Discord.

 

Discord, in Season 2 begins as just another evil character. Not only is he bent on becoming ruler of a chaotic and disordered Equestria, but he also is given very little background story other than being sealed up before by the forces of order and good. In season 3, however with Keep Calm and Flutter On Discord gets a new dimension. It turns out that he isn’t evil just because of being evil, but rather is in the state he is because he has had no friends. Furthermore, though he is initially turned to stone by the ponies; as he was before he was set loose. Near the conclusion of the episode, however, after being set free, Discord is indeed reformed and realizes the value and magic of friendship. 

 

This transformation is interesting because it contains a number of possible implications such as that 1) Discord is not inevitably evil, 2) even evil characters can become good, and 3) that reform is preferable to punishment. The turning to stone of Discord represents his separation from mainstream society. Notice that he can still hear what everyone is saying, he is just sealed away from the main population, unable to move and interact with them.  Then Princess Celestia decides to set him free with the goal of reforming him. Keep in mind that Discord essentially attempted what amounted to treason or violent political revolution in modern times with the result of suffering to many ponies. This is no small-time thief or other convict, clearly Discord, in the eyes of many, should simply be sealed away forever, which is death in a sense. Celestia, however, sees potential in Discord and decides that he should be reformed rather than forever dead to everyone but himself.

 

This high-level criminal, then, is reformed and brought to serve good when very few people have hope in him. Discord is transformed, furthermore, not through torture but by kindness, friendship, and radical compassion. Instead of torture or further suffering, he sees the value of friendship through one pony who shows him that he can be good and that he needs friends in an otherwise cold world. This message is something of a disruptive one: even those who seem evil can be reformed and brought to be good in society. Perhaps I’m reading too far into this, but it is, at least, a refreshing break from the usual Good vs. Evil dichotomy that is reproduced in cartoons and anime series’ across the world. Babs Seed is another excellent example of a secondary character that initially is a bully but learns that compassion and friendship are what is truly important. Trixie, too, eventually apologizes and learns from her power trip.

 

In MLP, compassion is ultimately the solution to society’s problems. Babs seed is bullied and so he bullies others, Discord didn’t have a friend and so he turns against the order of the world, and Trixie felt humiliated and had to hard labor without anyone to befriend her so she became drunk with the idea of having power over others. Sure, you have the King Sombras of the world who are more of an ancient evil, but the rest of the “villains” are all too human/pony and can be reformed with friendship and compassion.

 

What’s more is that the show’s values ring true in contemporary research. Give convicts more free time and time to reflect on their misdeeds and what happens? They actually begin to change their ways and become more amicable towards society. In the Netherlands, where the justice system is considerably more tolerant towards low-level convicts, this system has worked wonderfully and resulted in even more open experimental prisons, the country also recently emptied eight of prisons because of a lack of crime. We have the ability to change our world if we adopt more compassionate policy and ideas towards even those we despise. In many cases, school shootings, bullying, and crime can be prevented merely by befriending and showing kindness to people who are abused, hurt, or down; but we have to take the first step and extend a hoof.

 

It’s our world, we can either choose to ignore, hate, and declare hopeless the Trixies, Discords, and Babs Seeds of the world or take their complex existence seriously. All it takes is compassion and kindness towards those who we normally despise, a radical compassion that applies to all humans, to change the world. What a fantastic way to inspire such an idea than through a bright, adorable TV show that appeals to a wide demographic. 

Edited March 21, 2013 by TheEngineer

[Fluttermena 1,223]

I'm quoting my response from the other thread since it already illustrates what I want to say without me having to write it all over again (keep in mind this was before season 3):

 

On the subect of MLP, I actually think the conflicts are pretty realistic when it come to good and evil, morality may not be black and white in real life, but that doesn't mean that evil doesn't exist either, the show's antagonists are similar to people in real life: some, like Discord, are sociopaths who realise how much they hurt people, but they just like doing it. Others, like Chrysalis or the Flimflam brothers, are selfish and are willing to hurt others for their own gain. You also have people like Diamond Tiara, Trixie or Gilda who are arrogant, but not actually evil, they can redeem themselves. Some, like Luna, have issues that can drive them to hurt others. Then you have those like the Manticore, the Ursa Minor or the Dragon from Dragonshy, who hurt people by accident and can be reasonned with. Fluttershy was right when she said "you're not a bad dragon, you just made a bad decision" and that's the kind of attitude the show promotes.

The show also does a good job when it comes to dealing with those antagonists, a lot of problems can be solved with diplomacy, sometimes solving the problem that makes someone act out is a good idea, other times, a disciplinary speech will make people realise how much of a jerk they are, and they'll stop. Some people, such as Discord, Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon, won't listen to reason, and sometimes violence is necessary to prevent greater suffering, and after they are defeated, then they might be more willing to listen and redeem themselves (like Nightmare Moon).

 

The only thing to add is about Discord turn to good, I had him pinned down as a sociopath back then, but Keep Calm And Flutter On showed us a new side of him, which reinforces my point about redeemability.