What will take it for you to actually leave the fandom?

[MadPointer 75]

Let’s consider these hypothetical scenarios even if you can’t imagine that it will ever happen.  People believed that some people were overreacting over nothing, only to find themselves in the same situation later on. They're going to be more dramas in the future which will claim new victims who wasn't affected before.

 

Scenarios:
1) You realize that the show isn't as good as it used to be or some sudden change deeply upsets. Latter you find it difficult to filter out the things which constantly rubs you the wrong way.
2) You’re deeply disappointed in some fan made content and it start affects your enjoyment of other fan made content. Eventually you don’t like any fan made content.
3) You’re no longer feel yourself in tune with the fandom because your opinions are different from the people who are staying loyal to the fandom.

 

I understand that It might never happen to some people because they don’t have high expectations for quality, consistency or would rather find ways to explain faults to keep positive attitude. I think that if they let themselves believe in negative opinions, they’ll likely lose interest. Which is why they prefer to shield themselves from negativity. For the sake of this poll, let's assume that negativity took over you.

 

EDIT: the show refers to both MLP:FIM and EqG.

Edited May 14, 2013 by MadPointer

[Friendship_Cannon 1,676]

I will be honest...

I really do love this fandom, for the most different reasons. The most important ones are the community, and the amazing/ kind-hearted and open-minded people I can talk to as well as the show itself, which to me is wonderfully drawn and narrated. I don´t have to be completely in love with every kind of fanart, the variety is way too big, but I don´t hate on anything, if I start to dislike something I don´t look at it, it´s this easy. Seriously, I didn´t come here with high expectations, but what I found here (creativity, artists, friendly people, and, not at least, friends) blew my mind, kinda.

To get to the "changes":

Some people said they´d leave the fandom because Twilight became and Alicorn, others said so because of EqG...

Well, I´m not to judge those people, but it´s just very pointless to turn down the entire fandom for those things, they just don´t matter this much for me...

[GeneralDirection 977]

I think the only way you could get me to leave the fandom is if a number of people really took a genuine hatred to my fanfiction and went out of their way to make me feel bad about my work. But given the overall nature of the MLP community, I don't see that happening anytime soon. As long as there's still fellow bronies to converse, share, and create with out there, I'm happy.

[Jammo 986]

Our enemies getting a time machine and convincing Lauren Faust to reboot Strawberry Shortcake.

Then I would likely not a be a brony anymore. Damn good Strawberry Shortcake cartoon would have me hooked though.

[Godspeed Edge 34]

I will be honest...

I really do love this fandom, for the most different reasons. The most important ones are the community, and the amazing/ kind-hearted and open-minded people I can talk to as well as the show itself, which to me is wonderfully drawn and narrated. I don´t have to be completely in love with every kind of fanart, the variety is way too big, but I don´t hate on anything, if I start to dislike something I don´t look at it, it´s this easy. Seriously, I didn´t come here with high expectations, but what I found here (creativity, artists, friendly people, and, not at least, friends) blew my mind, kinda.

To get to the "changes":

Some people said they´d leave the fandom because Twilight became and Alicorn, others said so because of EqG...

Well, I´m not to judge those people, but it´s just very pointless to turn down the entire fandom for those things, they just don´t matter this much for me...

I agree 120 percent with this. If I told you guys that I was morbidly depressed since I was 15 years old and the only thing that genuinely makes me forget my worries and pains is having friends in this great community would you believe me?

 

Genuine article Bronies and Pegasisters have an odd air about them. They never ever judge anyone unless pushed to very strong limits, they always want the best for people at all costs, they're willing to let their inner-child flourish by all means, they never mind sharing laughter with others and are so lovingly kind they'll even share tears with you. 

 

I've been parts of other fandoms before and have never felt such a strong emotional connection to fellow fans. 

 

I don't care if the series jumps a million sharks along the way, gets cancelled prematurely, the worst fanfiction ever is made and ends up on national television embarrassing all of us severely, or Jay-Z becomes the executive producer even.

 

As long as the fanbase has as many great souls partaking in the community as it has right now, I'll never leave. 

Edited May 14, 2013 by Godspeed Edge

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

I won't.

 

Simple as that.

 

@Friendship_Cannon hit the nail on the head. I came for the ponies, I stayed here for the community. Becoming a brony, I've made more friends, and had more self-discovery than at any other single time in my life. The memories I've made and the lessons I've learned I wouldn't give up for anything. And that's only since last November when I first became a brony. I sometimes wonder what it would've been like had I became a brony back in the early days, and I kinda kick myself for never taking the chances to join the herd when they first presented themselves. 

But either way, I'm here now, I'm on this journey, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let it all slip away over a pair of wings and a portal to an alternate universe, or anything else that pales in comparison to all the good the community has given me.

 

We're a dynamic bunch. Even if there's canon we hate we'll find a way to fanon-ize our way around it, if need be. I know it's not ideal, but if the choice is to run on fanon vs. letting all we've built fall apart...then give me thy fanon! 

 

In a way the community has transcended the concept of ponies above-and-beyond FiM. It has become something much bigger than the show itself, and something that could probably survive on it's own regardless of what happens to the show. And that gives me some piece of mind.

Edited May 14, 2013 by AtomicBassCannon

[Nohbdy 4,108]

Honestly, the community is the primary link between me and My Little Pony. I like the show, no doubt about that, but that's not why I'm a brony. The show is no longer the reason I'm a fan (in fact, it took me a while before I actually caught up on Season 3). It can go to complete shit, but I'll stick around for my fellow bronies. However, there are limits to how much crap I can tolerate; I'm not going to blindly stay in the fandom. If the community were to change in such a negative way that it no longer bears resemblance to the one I fell in love with, then I will have reason to break away. 

[Godspeed Edge 34]

... I came for the ponies, I stayed here for the community. Becoming a brony, I've made more friends, and had more self-discovery than at any other single time in my life. The memories I've made and the lessons I've learned I wouldn't give up for anything. And that's only since last November when I first became a brony. I sometimes wonder what it would've been like had I became a brony back in the early days, and I kinda kick myself for never taking the chances to join the herd when they first presented themselves. 

But either way, I'm here now, I'm on this journey, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let it all slip away...

I've only been involved a few months myself, and I wish I would have taken up the offer way back in 2010 to watch MLP and become a brony. I feel like it would have saved me some heartache with my relationships with other people. I may have not even had any heartache with people if I came earlier. 

Edited May 14, 2013 by Godspeed Edge

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,505]

At first, there was nothing at all that could possibly make me do this and really, it is ALMOST still that way. I love this show. I love this fandom (to a lesser extent), so I do not want to leave it. However, there is one thing now that would be very close to breaking the show for me. I am basically echoing AnY Pony here but that particular thing is if, for some reason or another, they decide to somehow change Twilight back. I have many, many reasons for my position on this and it is probably getting tiresome for some that I keep bringing it up, but I am a HUGE fan of the Twilicorn change and a major supporter of it. 

 

The good thing is, I really do not think I need to keep worrying about this (As weird as it may sound, it has been worrying me for a while now). It seems many people are starting to come to terms with the whole thing and the drama of it all is starting to die down. That, and I think the writers are comfortable with this character advancement and can make it all work just fine within the show. 

 

There have been many things that I do not like about the fandom itself, but this show is such a big part of my life now, that nothing so simple like those things could drive me away. The reason that I mentioned though, could get very, VERY close, if not doing so. Again, I think I need to stop worrying about it so much. I think that is why I am so vocal on it, it is because of my love for it but also my worry about that tiny possibility. I think Twilicorn is here to stay though and I should look forward to the future of the show, because I believe that it is very bright.

 

Other than that, nothing else could do so. I feel inferior to the rest of the fandom a lot of the time and certain things can bug me, but in the end, there are many great people that do great things in the fandom and honestly, I should just appreciate that more. 

[Hazel-Beam 88]

I think this is an interesting topic, and worth discussing.

 

For me, I think I'll always like the show. There will come a point when I get bored with it and move on to another show, sure, but I'd never leave the fandom because I thought there was anything wrong with the show itself. After three seasons, it has remained more or less the same show with great music and funny one-liners and awesome background ponies that I know and love. 

 

If I ever left the fandom it would be because of fan-made content. I'd continue to watch the show, but if I start paying too much attention to fan-made content that I may find offensive, I start feeling reluctant to interact with the community and become more of a "solo brony". I enjoy participating in forums and I'd love to go to a pony convention someday, so I have to be careful to steer clear of the fanmade stuff that I dislike. I'm not saying those people don't have a right to express their love of the show however they want, I'm just saying there are some things I'd rather not see. But that's with any fandom - you don't have to pay attention to the weird stuff if you don't want to. You only have to decide if it's still worth it to you to interact with the community or not, despite everyone's differences in opinions.

 

It's kind of like using the internet in the first place. I saw a great YouTube video once about internet debates that said, "If it bothers you that other people have different opinions than yours, get off the internet and only hang out with people that agree with you. Problem solved!"

 

Here's the video if anyone's interested: 

 

Great topic, by the way. It's interesting to see what other people have to say about it.

[Rainbow Dash Loyalty 1,274]

As long as the fandom is here to stay, then so am I. I've never met such nice, friendly, and interesting people in my life before and it's such a great feeling to become friends with heaps of people just because they all like one thing in common.

The creativity in this fandom is ridiculous, it's basically a never-ending flood of entertainment and joy of MLP. I hope everyone will still stay for what's still up to come.

[zerosonicdrive 27]

really, the only reason i would leave the fandom is if friendship is magic was replaced with equestia girls or something similar. other wise i'd stay with the fandom even if the show was cancelled or ended.

[MrHaru 217]

Let me put it this way...

 

I was into Naruto (the anime/manga) since before it ever got dubbed and licensed over here in the states. I was a consistent fan with being up-to-date with the manga's story (I had a few movies and up to 30-ish manga volumes) online up until chapter 600.

 

Prior to that point I felt the story had been going COMPLETELY bonkers and terrible, but once I hit chapter 600 I just walked away from my computer and said "That's it. I'm done." and cut all ties with Naruto. Not ONLY did I do this, but one of my friends who has a son who's into Naruto (and needed some reading material to help him read) I just flat out gave all of my Naruto merchandise to him. I figured if I couldn't enjoy the series anymore because of how horribly soiled it was now to me, I'd at least give it to someone else who can probably love it more than I did.

 

I doubt MLP is going to ever get that terrible, and Equestria Girls is -far- from the hellspawn ponypocalypse that so many people are needlessly whining about. I basically don't think I'm ever going to leave the fandom because my connection with everything (the show, the fan content, and the community) is far too strong for me to ever WANT to leave.

[Unique Pinkie Pie 173]

one,word, death

 

but really if the show was ruined and the fandom dead (which i doubt)

i will stay as long as i can. i guess that answers that question

[Brony182 48]

Only when cloppers and other freaky minded bronies will kill my faith in this fandom. But even after that I would probably stay loyal to the show just No longer would I consider myself a part of the fandom. (sorry for my english)

[Orablanco Account 3,706]

If the show starts sucking, I won't watch it, but like Spongebob, I will never stop being a fan of the first three seasons, despite how things eventually turn out.

 

I'll probably still be a community goer, too. It'll take something pretty horrendous to make me leave the fandom itself. Like, if we became a death cult or something.

[Enemy Stand 446]

I've already left the fandom once, temporarily at least. I never began thinking that the show was not good, although after being a brony for a few months (last March-July) and seeing every episode that had been aired so far, combined with it becoming increasingly harder to hide, (I'm not open about my love for the show), I stopped being involved.

I watched some S3 episodes around December-January and was back in by February, and luckily this site and a few others have allowed me to maintain my interest a little easier.

I don't think I could ever leave permanently or stop supporting the show and its fans.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Orangejack

[Zygen 6,065]

I don't think I'll be leaving nearly ever, the fandom would have to warp into quite a dirty place full of not awesome people for me to leave.

 

Currently though I'm very attached to the fandom here and the people I've met here, so I don't think I'd leave until they all left and everyone else became really bitter.

 

Even if the show stops being good I'll still rewatch older seasons. discuss it with others, and talk about other things here. Although for someone like me to hate the show its gonna have to be pretty crappy since I don't get very critical typically about things and most of the time just sit back and enjoy it .

 

The fan made content is awesome and I'm not sure if it'll die until the fandom is more or less dead, nor am i thinking it'll get crappy somehow randomly before the fandom collapses, but if it did again the fandom .

 

So basically unless the fandom turns into a much more rugged community I'm here to stay... FOREVERRRRR... . 

[Phoenix237 353]

I'll stay in the fandom for a long time.

Things like Alicorn Twilight and Equestria Irls arn't things that bother me.

In fact show wise it's hard make hate something. I don't "hate" anything unless there is a good reason. I do dislike things, but rarely "hate".

As long as I like the show I'll stay, I like what I like an that's enough. No more no less.

The only thing that could possibly make me leave is that everyone in the fandom became like a cult and started doing things I don't agree with.

Other then that I'm good.

[Starshine 16,330]

The only way to force me to leave the fandom is to permanently ban me from this forum. Which is... kinda easy to happen, actually, what with my erratic posting habit and all.

/derp

 

I've been a part of the furry community far longer than I could be bothered to remember, and I've learned to tune out the lesser parts of the community away from my sight. I highly doubt Hasbro or the fandom as a whole can do anything to deters me from my ponies.

[John 793]

As long as there is content to revere from the past why should we give up all that we have worked to build?  We're not just a group of nerds, we're a community and I believe that there is great value in retaining this.

 

 

 

[Fhaolan 4,468]

I have left fandoms before, without stopping being a fan. What would drive me away is the fan community. If it changed to such an extent that I felt no commonality with the majority of the fandom, for example.

 

Bronies, specifically those on this forum, are at the moment a good group. If there was an influx of 'bronies' who were more interested in churning up controversy and the like than discussions and fun, then I would likely leave the forum. If I couldn't find another place to land, then likely I would 'leave the fandom' simply because nobody would see me anymore.

 

I wouldn't stop being a brony, but I wouldn't be contributing in any way to the fandom.

[Guest]

Nothing that I think of having a plausible chance of occurring could possibly ruin the show for me. Even if the show degraded in quality over the seasons which is a distinct possibility that wouldn't be enough.

[hawkflame 3,310]

I think that one choice that the OP left out is really the most realistic one, and that's that once new material cease (i.e. the show ends) a lot of the cases the fandom just gradually goes away.  The original audience grows older, there's less time to devote to the fandom, etc.  I know because I've been part of groups like that before. 

 

That said, if there's any one thing other than the simple passage of time and life's curveballs that will deter me from the fandom, it will be when the assholes outnumber the nice people.  That's pretty far from happening, though I think some people have shown a rather ugly side of themselves in the Equestria Girls reaction...

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

I kinda consider myself to have already left the fandom, to be honest.

 

It was mostly a conscious decision with a bit of loss of interest. 

 

Basically, I consider myself to be a more-or-less casual watcher of the show and not a particularly avid participant of the actual fandom. I still like to watch the show, of course. For... mild entertainment value. But the more time I've spent on these forums and other various pony places, the more I realize that many in the fandom are far too enthusiastic for me to have any sort of conversation with them about the show. I just don't care about it as much as they do. I don't care about brony music, brony artists, and definitely NOT fanfic. (As I don't care for any sort of fanfic in anything at all unless it is in audio or video form, or just REALLY well-done.) 

 

And I don't care to extensively look far too much into a kid's show. Sure, sometimes I want to say my piece on certain episodes and certain things, and I do enjoy looking at good fanart. (which, honestly, I can say for ANYTHING at all. I love finding good art to look at regardless of subject matter) And hell, I even find ponies fun to draw due to my vast enjoyment of the show's art style. But after that's all said and done, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Whether or not I go to a convention does not interest me. And meeting other fans? I could care less. Ponies are far from playing any largely significant role in my life other than the fact that they were the gateway to some important people in my life and I do mostly art of them these days, but that can happen with anything and really has in the past anyway. 

 

In fact, I find the super intense enthusiasm, that ridiculous pedestal the fandom tends to put itself on, all that love and tolerance nonsense, and the sheer panic at everything bad that happens has begun to grate on my nerves to the point where I just pretty much actively avoid it all and don't frequent forums like these all too often. That and I just am not really all that interested. There are many other things that I feel have more depth and find more interesting to discuss than a show that is lacking in content due to strict limitations. All the topics just kind of get repetitive quickly.

 

Pretty much, I feel completely out of place and like I don't really belong. And I don't, really. There's no place for me in this fandom. I'm just here to occasionally appear with some random opinion if I'm bored, and then disappear back to my actual life when I'm done with that silliness.

 

Then again, I'm like this about anything. I don't like to participate fandoms for one reason or another. (Mainly that the internet tends  to taint my enjoyment of things because I rarely seem to share the same thoughts as others on things like this) I just like to enjoy things on my own, and think about them in my own mind. MAYBE to discuss with like-minded friends too if they're about. The only fandom I've participated in that I found to be tolerable and even somewhat enjoyable was the Pokemon fandom and I suspect that was because the forum I went on had idiots brutally mocked out of them. (And thus, were mostly full of intelligent individuals) This one though? As far as I'm concerned, I'm content to steer clear of it for the sake of my easily annoyed nature and just general mehness about the whole thing. 

Edited May 15, 2013 by Arylett Dawnsborough