Thoughts on "dying" interest

[skysweep 541]

 I thought i might put  something out there to the way i see things.

 

The way i see this, is in an analogy. So bear with me, and picture a hospital. One with, a wide and spacious garden behind it belonging to the hospital. People come and go, for all manner of reasons.

 

There are those who come, shattered and injured, seeking a place of solace. A place in which they can recover, without the tumult of the world billowing around them.

 

There are those who visit them. Be it peer pressure or simple compassion, they arrive to brighten them with all manner of skills. They support them, offer comfort, and simply make sure they feel happy.

 

Then there are many, who arrive for the sanctity of the garden. A place where they meet new friends, reconcile with old ones. A place where they too, can feel the solace the place provides. They too try to visit the injured, or just simply turn up for the shows others put on. A community that is both consoling and compassionate.

 

There are those who feel they outgrew these comforts, and leave thinking they will never need the place again.

 

And then there are those who seethe with distaste, flinging rocks and insults from over the garden walls. They think of those inside to be "weak", "not ready to face the world outside". As such, some inside return the favour.

 

But most important of all, are the doctors who run the place. They indeed enjoy the comforts this rustic place brings, but have to mind the business they run.

 

And so i will use this to explain the many things that supposedly plague us today.

 

Twilicorn is like a change in hospital policy. the doctors think its something they stand by, but some will disagree and leave.

 

The gap between seasons is like the changing of the four seasons. Few would find the garden comforting in the dead of winter, but they all come back to enjoy the fresh blooms of spring.

 

Those that leave thinking they outgrew the place, let them go. For when they suffer another injury in the harsh world outside, they will turn to the hospital they knew best. The hospital that would never turn them away.

 

And when a leader leaves, like Lauren Faust did, respect their decisions. Choose instead to thank them for creating the place you now enjoy and treasure. A hospital does not burn to the ground the day after its boss leaves.

 

And as for those who look in hatred, give them no consideration. For all they can do behind that garden wall, is to throw rocks and insults. And if we keep fighting back, it is our peace to lose, which is the goal they are trying to achieve.

 

For those who read it and gave this analogy of mine some thought, i thank you sincerely. I hope this will be a way to look at things, and to not give up hope.

 

EDIT: just cutting out the "interest is waning" part, it seems to be giving the wrong idea.

Edited May 31, 2013 by skysweep

[mycarhasaMoustache 449]

Im loosing interest in the fandom, not the show and that is because of constant over reaction over every single little thing.

The biggest thing that pissed me off and made me question my place in this fandom was the people sending death threats to DHX over Equestria girls, There is no need for that sort of behavior EVER and especially when they are threatening the awesome animators who brought us 3 awesome seasons of mlp with a 4th on the way.

People need to have a little faith in the writers an animators and other people just need to shut up sit down and be quiet. 

 

I like your analogy its a very cleaver way of looking at things I just with people would think before they get angry and if they are worried about something in the show they should google it to check if it is even true before they post hateful things.

[~Master~ Button Mash 2,307]

That was...

 

That was...

 

 

Bravo, sir, that was extremely elegant. A perfect analogy for the kind of soul our community has developed. We're more than just a bunch of people who love ponies, we're a family, bound by the emotional attachment to the magical world we all share. Bound by the lessons it shares, bound by love, bound by struggles, bound by courage, and bound by victory. Some come, some go, we evolve. 

 

Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. Times change and we change with them.

 

But our strong roots, our values, are what see us through, and as long as we have that, our legacy will live on for as long as there are bronies out there who wish to keep it alive. And there will always be bronies who will be there to keep it alive, and bronies who are willing to have enough faith to see through to the clear skies on the other side of the storm.

Edited May 29, 2013 by AtomicBassCannon

[Freewave 1,145]

Meh, i think everytime someone starts a thread on the subject they keep the discource and drama alive rather then letting it die out. Honestly if you see MLP as a hospital than you're making it sound like people should get better AND then move on. It shouldn't be a place that people camp out at (as Rdash found out when trying to read that book).  It's only right that people should be upset when Hasbro makes bad decisions (making equestria girls fit the gender stereotypes that Lauren was purposely avoiding and having a season 3 that was missing in quantity and quality). So i understand why people are upset. They aren't people trying to ruin the community, they are likely very concerned about its survival and want to voice that.

 

It really comes down to the only way to keep things positive is to avoid talking about the negative all the time tho (the drama). If all we talk about IS the problem and we have nothing else to do, it's really not that helpful. I understand why people make these positive spin and negative spin threads but it would be nice just to stop seeing them as they extend the problem.

[Lupus 127]

Well, my disillusionment was primarily due to the last episode of series 3 which I thought was complete bollocks. I certainly don't put it past the writers/animators to create something great for series 4, but as thiings hang in the intervening period I am depressed about the show, which is depressing because the show usually helped alleviate my depression about the rest of reality

[skysweep 541]

Meh, i think everytime someone starts a thread on the subject they keep the discource and drama alive rather then letting it die out. Honestly if you see MLP as a hospital than you're making it sound like people should get better AND then move on. It shouldn't be a place that people camp out at (as Rdash found out when trying to read that book).  It's only right that people should be upset when Hasbro makes bad decisions (making equestria girls fit the gender stereotypes that Lauren was purposely avoiding and having a season 3 that was missing in quantity and quality). So i understand why people are upset. They aren't people trying to ruin the community, they are likely very concerned about its survival and want to voice that.

 

It really comes down to the only way to keep things positive is to avoid talking about the negative all the time tho (the drama). If all we talk about IS the problem and we have nothing else to do, it's really not that helpful. I understand why people make these positive spin and negative spin threads but it would be nice just to stop seeing them as they extend the problem.

well, i was thinking more of a hospice kind of medical center. And the whole point of the analogy was to sum it all up, so people dont have to keep arguing. FYI, i was thinking exactly along your lines when i wrote this.(basic point: the community is like this in a nutshell. Accept differences and move on) 

Edited May 29, 2013 by skysweep

[MrHaru 217]

My thoughts on the matter is that this is what people usually kneejerk into every. single. time. a season. ends.

 

It's always the same BS over and over again up until a new season arrives because then there's fresh content and new things to talk about. When there's nothing happening the fandom just festers and then you get a -lot- of people getting extremely complacent.

 

Me? I'm actually happy I'm a part of ANY franchise that's actually growing as I'm a part of it: I've never taken part in anything that has seasons or a movie that's being made that I eagerly wait for, so this is is a first.

[Argumedies 1,748]

Im loosing interest in the fandom, not the show and that is because of constant over reaction over every single little thing.

The biggest thing that pissed me off and made me question my place in this fandom was the people sending death threats to DHX over Equestria girls, There is no need for that sort of behavior EVER and especially when they are threatening the awesome animators who brought us 3 awesome seasons of mlp with a 4th on the way.

People need to have a little faith in the writers an animators and other people just need to shut up sit down and be quiet.

 

I like your analogy its a very cleaver way of looking at things I just with people would think before they get angry and if they are worried about something in the show they should google it to check if it is even true before they post hateful things.

(Why did I just read this in Rainbow Dash's voice)( must be the AV)

 

Anyway. I agree. While I make no bones about my distain for Equestria Girls. There is absolutely no reason for some of the things some people do.

[Mzukiller 233]

I will never stop loving the show, but my opinion on the fandom goes in and out. I really, really think someone, whether it's a big name fan or someone on the staff needs to come out and tell them to get a grip. Stop reacting so fiercely to EVERY. LITTLE. THING!

 

Recently though, I've developed quite the disdain for the portion of the fandom that screams non stop about Twilicorn or how Hasbro is evil and actively trying to kill us off. Ju-just stop. Seriously, there is no huge conspiracy going on trying to destroy us and don't treat change as though it's evil. I saw Twilight becoming an Alicorn from season 1. So again, I was not surprised, no one should be surprised. And honestly, I'm more than pissed off right now because of the recent events with Lauren, so thinking straight is out of the question.

[skysweep 541]

everyone, if you like my writing style, then please tell me so i can write more of these stories, analogies and other stuff. I hope this analogy has not created a stir in the wrong direction, i just wanted to give a neutral way to analyse things. I hope i can get some ideas on what to write next from you guys. Cheers.

[Thrashy 2,800]

Magnificently put, sir.

 

Like so many others, my only point of growing disinterest isn't in the show itself, but rather the fandom at large, for the exact reason everypony else has stated: Knee-jerk overreactions to every. Damn. Thing. It's really getting old, people. Is reservation of judgment really such a foreign concept to so many? Speculation is one thing, but what's going on isn't so much speculation as it is premature condemnation. I, for one, have no opinion on EqG (nor the as-of-yet unmade season 4) one way or another, and I won't have an opinion on it until I've actually seen it with my own two eyes. Simple as that.

 

...Well, apparently it's not as simple as that, as far as many are concerned.

 

It's just depressing to see somepony's passion for the show crash and burn just as quickly as it arrived simply because a certain writer left, or a spinoff's getting made, or the plot's going in a direction they don't like, or some bitchy soccer mom complained about a "retarded" pony, or whatever. I don't know if anypony here is familiar with the Internet personality known as CR, but he did a great thing by "coming out of the stable" and making his retrospective on the MLP franchise as a whole...and then he disowned the show because of AliTwi and became a raging douchebag on the subject. What the hell, man?

 

Bottom line, everypony's entitled to their opinions, but when your opinions start ripping the fandom apart?

 

[MrHaru 217]

I will never stop loving the show, but my opinion on the fandom goes in and out. I really, really think someone, whether it's a big name fan or someone on the staff needs to come out and tell them to get a grip. Stop reacting so fiercely to EVERY. LITTLE. THING!

 

Recently though, I've developed quite the disdain for the portion of the fandom that screams non stop about Twilicorn or how Hasbro is evil and actively trying to kill us off. Ju-just stop. Seriously, there is no huge conspiracy going on trying to destroy us and don't treat change as though it's evil. I saw Twilight becoming an Alicorn from season 1. So again, I was not surprised, no one should be surprised. And honestly, I'm more than pissed off right now because of the recent events with Lauren, so thinking straight is out of the question.

 

I don't know if he's 'big name' or anything but a brony named Saberspark on Youtube often puts out reaction videos to this sort of thing. He did one for Twilicorn and Equestria Girls.

[Grtxkkyz 388]

I love being part of the fandom,but i hate it whenever they overreact to thinks like Twilicorn and EG. It is time to wake up,to realize the mistakes of our ways and truly Love and Tolerate for real. I loved the Hospital Analogy.The way you wrote it is quite beautiful

[hawkflame 3,310]

I'm not losing interest per se, but there are times when my patience for some of the fandom wears thin.  All of this drama sometimes makes my head spin. 

 

Now I'm not saying you can't be critical of the show.  Hell, I've been pretty critical myself, mostly of some of the events in Season 3 and Alicorn Twilight.  But you can be critical and maintain a tone that allows for civility and genuine discussion, rather than knee jerk reactions and chicken little style panic.  There's a difference between being critical but fair and being pissed off because things aren't going the way you wanted them to.  Being critical but fair leads to a rational sharing of ideas and maybe some enlightenment on both sides.  Being pissed off does nothing but stress you out and raise your blood pressure.  I've seen so much of this ragequit mentality from some in the fandom, and really, it's quite childish.

[Shymantic 48]

I love this show.

 

And when it's over, I'll still love it for what it was.

 

Losing interest is impossible if you love everything about something.

[Kamil 315]

Not bad, though I don't know what you're talking about with the seasons thing; gardens are beautiful in the Winter.

 

... Or maybe I have a different idea of what you mean by garden and winter, does this garden have a large number of both deciduous and coniferous trees, and is it situated far enough from the equator to reliably get snow?

 

(By the way, I suck at dealing with figurative language. Just in case that's relevant.)

[skysweep 541]

Not bad, though I don't know what you're talking about with the seasons thing; gardens are beautiful in the Winter.

 

... Or maybe I have a different idea of what you mean by garden and winter, does this garden have a large number of both deciduous and coniferous trees, and is it situated far enough from the equator to reliably get snow?

 

(By the way, I suck at dealing with figurative language. Just in case that's relevant.)

Hence one of the points of using an analogy. People will interpret it in different ways. i quote myself, "few would find the garden comforting in the dead of winter." i never actually said everyone abandons it, some (like you) would find it beautiful, and insist on staying. It is meant to represent people like us, who stay strong to the show in between seasons and overreacting sensitive people.

[NavelColt 22,881]

'Leaving the fandom' is ironically not something that common in most fandoms. Just a stupid mindset born from this fandom's drama tendencies. If you're a fan of something you're typically a fan of that something for a long time. You may gain new interests that set that one to the back burner, but that doesn't mean you've left the fandom, and are no longer a fan. I've been a Sonic fan since I was 10, and until ponies, all I did online was Sonic forums and such. Eight years :3 But now that I'm not gung-ho about Sonic anymore, due to ponies taking a larger interest, does that mean I'm no longer a Sonic fan?

 

No.

 

You don't need to stop participating with a fandom just because you're losing your full-speed-ahead steam. I'm still on a Sonic forum or two, and I still casually go on them now and then. I didn't go 'K GUYZ, I'M NOT REALLY 'INTO' SONIC ANYMORE, AH'M LEAVIN' then left. I just silently realized my interests shifted, as they do naturally, and adapted my posting activity accordingly.

 

People need to stop making it a big deal. Furthermore, people who 'lose interest' just because there are no episodes out at the moment, need to learn how to participate in a fandom more :3 Ours is the biggest and most creative one out there, and yet I see tons of people sitting on the curb complaining how they're losing interest because they have to wait for the next season. To be a bit blunt...boohoo, god forbid you have to wait. Go read a fanfiction, listen to some music, post in some threads or look at some art. It's all endless. I say it once, I say it again. The show is the roots for which the entire fandom tree springs forth. Don't ignore or not find joy in the fruits of the rich community that the show created.

[Mutemutt 773]

I'm not too keen on the hospital/hospice analogy, I'll be honest. It makes it sound like everyone here is ill or injured, like victims of some sort. I'm just here because I like to be here.

 

Now, I'm not bothered that there is dissent among the fandom, that's totally normal, but let's not get overly dramatic. I swear, some people react as if it's the end of the world over Twilicorn and EqG, and then they don't have much of an argument to back up their points. I have no qualms with those that can defend their stance with reasonable points. That's the kind of topics/blogs/posts I like to see. I'll tell you what I'm against: nonsensical arguments (positive or negative), ridiculous conspiracy theories that aren't just for laughs, overly dramatic and emotional posts, any post/topic/etc that suggests or states outright that others have no right to disagree with their view.

 

I hold both sides to this. We may not be a hive mind, but let's keep things civil and reasonable... or at least try to.

[Fhaolan 4,484]

'Leaving the fandom' is ironically not something that common in most fandoms. Just a stupid mindset born from this fandom's drama tendencies.

 

Actually, it's not that uncommon. It's just that most big fandoms have already passed this phase of development prior to the internet. It showed up in the general sci-fandom in the early sixties, and lasted a few years. Trekkies went through this when the animated series showed up, and again each time a new feature film was released. Whoovians had this happen every time the Doctor regenerated. Each time getting a bit weaker and weaker as the fandom realized that the changes really weren't that big of a deal in the bigger scheme of things. Oh, and in MMO forums this is called the 'DOOOOOOOM!' posts, where someone says the game is dying because of X.

 

The internet's tendency to become an echo-chamber is just amplifying the volume of this so that it's more noticeable than it has been in the past, and increasing the speed of response so that individual 'crises' are overlapping, furthering the amplification.

 

It'll pass.

[skysweep 541]

Just want to back up what Fhaolan has said, i think he really hit the nail on the head. It is just a natural thing that people will overreact to change, as they think it will change what they loved for so long. It also does not help that as a fandom(not trying to stereotype here) We are scientifically proven to be more introverted, which in turn means we are way more sensitive and receptive to other's emotions. So let's not argue about these people. We're just making some others feel bad, and i never wished to start this kind of argument here in the first place. Let's just leave it at that.

[Sleeping_Warrior 25]

I might treat this place as some sorta hospital, but I wanna say that not all part of the real world is acceptable for somepony likes me(FYI, I'm not a crime XD).

 

I need a shelter for sure, but I know I'd never insult or do sth intolerable while I leave.

 

If those insulter really enjoy the show and learned sth, they'd be thankful. At least I think I'll be thankful.

 

This is a magical place where 3 soldiers from different country meet and treat each other as a friend.

As a PLA of China,it's pretty weird that an U.S.Forces guy taught me a lot and a British soldier said he'll always be there to back me up (mentally).

Man...I was speechless that time.

 

I'll never forget this place.

 

Edit: sorry for my English

Edited June 1, 2013 by Sleeping_Warrior