Do you ever regret being a brony?

[XrosOver 613]

Nope. Nada. Not even a little bit. So far this has been the greatest little more than a year of my life. Being a brony brought me and my family closer together. It has helped me get some great friends and that is more than I could have hoped for when I started immersing myself in the fandom. 

[Ihei 713]

Yeah, I was tempted to leave the fandom a couple of times. It was times when the whole fandom was about to collapse about Twilicorn, and I felt really sad about that situation. Luckily it got situated and it was peaceful again, then I decided to stay.

[Capt. Snuggle Gruff 101]

At first I couldn't believe that I was a brony.  I even said "I'm not a brony, I just watch the show", I soon realized that was not possible.  I joined the forums and posted a thing here and there then left.  After a while I got back into the swing of MLP when I bought the trading cards and decided to go crazy on here!

[Scootaloodle 1,622]

I don’t regret becoming a brony one bit: I got a great show to get excited about and watch, fun song’s from the show to enjoy, great people to meet and lots of fun discussions to have on MLP forums as well as tons of other stuff  In the words of Edith Piaf: I regret nothing (as far as becoming a brony anyways)

 

http://youtu.be/Q3Kvu6Kgp88

Edited July 15, 2013 by Asherdangerdash

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Are you sure you're not just feeling restless since the new season doesn't premiere until the winter? A lot of bronies get conflicted feelings whenever there is a huge wait.

 

I don't think you should leave the fandom. Leaving the fandom because of trolls insulting you seems like you're giving up on yourself and being ashamed that you like such an amazing show.

 

We bronies will always have another ponies back. Just ignore the parasprites. They'll never be anything, while we're getting national attention. We've even made charity groups to prove how awesome bronies can be.

[Inactive01 5,299]

No regrets being a brony here. People are here have learned to be accepting of differences from other people so long as you don't shove it down them all the time. As such, if I don't overdo my bronyness, then they're fine. Besides, I've convinced two people to join the herd because I was nice enough not to shove MLP down their throats. 

[Dark Horn 430]

Sometimes, during parts of the show, I ask myself: Am I really watching a show called My Little Pony... and enjoying it this much?

 

But then those moments pass and I go back to being a faithful brony.

[Nightmare Night 151]

Ive dealt with a lot of hate from other people about being a brony, I even get teased by some of my friends this doesn't bother me) but no I don't regret being a brony. Ever since I started watching MLP and participating in the community I have become more outgoing and open minded I even have more confidence in myself. The hate I may receive is well out weighed by the positive effects MLP has on me.

[Shanks 10,816]

But then those moments pass and I go back to being a faithful brony.

I had those moments alot when I first started watching but then they kept going down until they are now a thing of the past. I don't think it was so much shame that motivated me to feel that way but more like disbelief and confusion.

[Ms Mercer 24]

I don't think that I've ever regretted it. It's taught me so many important lessons, and I have become a better person since watching it.

[Golurk 468]

Admittedly, the thought crosses my mind from time to time. Putting it as simply as possible, the show has had a few notable impacts on my mentality that I can't seem to filter. Most of these are positive, such as Pinkie's antics nearly always cheering me up. However, the recent AliTwi ordeal actually made me pretty depressed, arguably the most I've ever been in my relatively sheltered life. It was to the point where I'd commonly question why I allowed my friends to "drag me into this." There were a few times in there that I sincerely wished I'd never cared in the past, just so that I wouldn't care in the present. As of late, it's been a while since that's happened. I'm not saying it won't again, but the frequency has died off considerably.

 

Do I regret it from time to time? Yes, I'll admit that I do. But it's never been a constant feeling. Most of what I've seen here has been positive, with at least enough to counteract the negative. And that's a win in my book. 

[Valormos 262]

Do I regret being a brony no cause every day I walk being proud of being a brony this is coolest and nicest clan ever

I say the worlds best people are brony cause we are nice and we dont make fun of others or bully

[~SadisticFluttershy~ 779]

So, in short, you're having doubts because people might hate you for what you like?

 

Screw 'em. I've heard countless times "Real men don't watch cartoons about ponies!"

 

Well, you know what? That's bull.

 

Real men enjoy whatever they damn well please and do not have to justify it to anybody.

 

And as for being constantly reminded of how different you are...Great! Sameness is boring. Blind conformity is stagnation. Difference is a fine trait to have provided you're not just being contrary for its own sake.

 

On the other hand, I've got palsy and autism so I've spent my entire existence as an unfairly-judged outcast. Probably bothers me less than it would a normal person since I'm used to it.

 

That's like saying real men don't wear pink!!!!

 

But I'm going to post my reply in the same thing.

 

Do I regret becoming a brony? Hell to the NO! This fandom has done alot of things for me. It's given me something to look forward to everyday other than family, friends etc. This fandom is like a family. We are all part of it and we always will be. It's inspired me to do several things like.. my Pony drawings, Inspired me to create a MLP Video Game by RPG Game Maker VX Ace and so many different things. So I will never regret becoming a brony.. EVER

[Super Derpy 535]

My answer is no. I never have regretted being a brony and I don't think I ever will. Yes sometimes I ask myself "You watch a show about ponies isn't that a little weird?" and my answer to that is yes, it is a little weird but I don't mind because its what I like and even if it is a bit weird that is not going to stop me from liking it.

[Princess Periwinkle 3,775]

You know what I think a lot?

 

"You're never going to see this person again, so who cares what they think of you?" So yeah, if I ever meet a hater I'd like to think I'd keep a level head, but in the end it doesn't matter to me too much.

 

Ok, that out of the way, it's friends/family/acquaintances you should be more worried about. If one of them hates you for being a brony, you're in for a tough time. I would tend to try to make light of it: "It's just a cartoon I watch, it's not a big deal." If they don't think that MLP is your defining characteristic, they may just hush up about it.

 

To answer the question, no, I have never regretted being a brony.

[Gigapony 650]

Well, this thread has really served to make me feel better about it all. I've read every one of the replies, and I'm relieved to see that I'm not the only one who's felt this way, but I'm also relieved to see that some people haven't felt this way, which shows me that it is possible to not let the negatives affect one's happiness or pride.

 

You've given me a lot to think about, and some sound advice to try to put into practise. The more I think about it, the more I try to see this doubt I feel as a potential blessing in disguise the fandom's given me, as it's going to force me to break this habit of self-consciousness and self-devaluation, and it's going to challenge me to be proud of myself and what I do, which has always been an alien concept to me.

 

I'm happy to see that this fandom has once again lived up to its reputation and proven itself to be a supportive, friendly place. Cheers, all.

[Fluttering High 55]

Though I'm never ashamed of posting pony stuff online, I do get a bit embarrassed when I use ponified words in normal conversation. Even though I still do. No one has ever laughed at me for being a brony, but my solution if they did would be to laugh, and then whip Pinkie Pie toys at them.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I don't regret it at all. The only time, I would regret it is if something bad happened to me because of me being a brony but, I wouldn't worry about it all. I just get over it.

[Thrashy 2,800]

You’re not being silly. Truth is, it’s exceedingly rare to come across a person who genuinely doesn’t mind being hated, or outright thrives off of it (Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, etc.). Most of us just want to get through life with our dignity intact, and unfortunately there are just so many people in the world whose only joy in life seems to be attacking other people’s sense of self-worth. It’s an outright despicable way to behave, yet it’s so very common…kind of like how you see all these anti-bullying ads everywhere, but in spite of that, no progress seems to be getting made in preventing it. Personally, I think it’s because society isn’t being nearly heavy-handed enough in enforcing anti-bullying measures, but I digress.

 

If I can be forward with you for just a moment, Giga, it’s easy for me to tell that you’ve always been the outcast type, even without you telling us; despite the fact that you’ve been nothing but kind and friendly to everyone on the forums (from what I’ve seen), you’ve also been very hard on yourself – a very telling sign of someone who has taken a lot of shit in life. I would know, I’ve been there too. The younger me was constantly ridiculed for being…well, me. It truly messed me up, as I developed a strong loathing for both society and, more devastatingly, for myself. It wasn’t till maybe a year ago that I began digging myself out of that hole and began to love and accept myself for all that I am. Again, I digress, but I feel you should know that I, too, am no stranger to the extreme discomfort associated with being hated for no good reason.

 

That said, I do find your sentiment more than relatable, even though it’s not exactly how I feel on the matter at this point in time. When I first got involved with the fandom, I did have moments where I’d ask myself, “Why the hell am I here? Is this really who I am?” But then I was struck with the realization that, no, this isn’t who I am. It’s a small part of who I am, but I am not to be defined, as a whole, by the type of TV shows and movies I watch. Nor by the games I play, nor by the books I read, nor by the music I listen to. I can listen to Slayer without being a Satanist. I can maintain my love for nostalgic old games and movies without being some out-of-touch curmudgeon who fears giving new things a try.

 

And I can watch a show marketed towards young girls without forsaking my masculinity.

 

Frankly, anyone who’d try to tell me otherwise isn’t worth my time of day. After all, I’m a busy man, and my time is valuable to me. Is time spent worrying about what some know-nothing jagoff thinks about my interests really time well spent? I’d submit a wholehearted “Fuck no.” Let me just say that I, too, am awaiting the day some dickweed decides to pipe up and tries to start something with me for wearing a pony tee or whatever. Perhaps that day will never come, because as I’ve said before, I’m a pretty scary-looking dude. But if it does, I’m not the least bit worried, because at the end of the day, no one can tell me who I am. Only I know who I am, and only you know who you are.

 

So although I completely understand where you’re coming from, I encourage you never to let an instance of someone trying to tell you who you are bother you too much. Easier said than done, I know. But the more you let it get to you, the higher the danger is of you actually starting to believe the things they say. It’s a trap that’s not worth falling into. Continue to enjoy what you enjoy, express yourself without shame (just don't be overbearing about it, like some bronies), and just try to feel sympathy for anyone who’d try to make you feel bad about it, for clearly, their insecurities must run much, much deeper than any insecurities you could ever harbor.

[Moon Rat 4,772]

Honestly, I don't regret being bring at all. Most of the people in this fandom are too nice to ever regret being a part of

Not to mention the fact that quite a few people in the fandom that make some really awesome media that I really enjoy quite a bit :3

[Zygen 6,066]

This bit right here brings up one of the things that's got me feeling off. You're absolutely right about the male norms being outdated and silly and whatnot. You know that, and I know that, and I'm sure most bronies know it too, but the rest of the world doesn't, and that's what gets me.

 

The majority opinion on what a bloke "should and shouldn't" do is ridiculous, but it is the majority, and that's not set to change any time soon, and I don't even think us bronies are going to make a dent in it. So what bugs me the most is the fact I'm going to keep being reminded how "wrong" I am, and how different I am, and how much of an outsider I am, and that's something that I fear could really damage how much I enjoy this fandom.

Very true, the world can be really dumb about stereotypes, some people don't care about them, but some follow them, and unfortunately the majority follow.

 

I personally think stereotypes are stupid, all of them really. I've always thought this way, it wasn't a feeling I inheriented from being a brony, I've always hated stereotypes, particularly male ones.

 

People will outcast and bully and tell you how wrong you are for many things, but who cares, I think the "Norm" is dumb. If people think of someone as weird, they simply don't realize that that person is just different.

 

That said, as much as I say all this, I remain a closet brony, of course for other reasons not totally related to people thinking i'm weird and stuff, but yeah.

 

It sucks being rejected for anything, feeling outcasted as a human who are social creatures is a truly devastating and depressing feeling.

[Seiji Matsuri 19]

I get the feeling of regret for being associated with the fandom more often than not when I see members of it post. More often than not, usually here. As old as I am combined with the time served an interest in Friendship is Magic leaves me feeling quite like a boss surrounded by employees that... Well... Here. I'll let Doug do the explaining. 

 

 

Edit: Spelling errors due to tablet AutoCorrect.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Seiji Matsuri

[PonyBoy15 428]

Nope, not at all. The show is entertaining to watch and it actually calms me down a bit after a long stressful day at the office. I am a brony, but its certainly not something i'd brag to people about or be very open about it. Thats just me though, other people think otherwise.

[Jokuc 8,173]

I have never had any downsides with being a brony actually. Everything has just been awesome for me since I became a brony.

 

It's really sad to hear this. I have actually heard it from many other people too and I can imagine how you all must feel

[POW 384]

I wish I could just say FUCK NO. and be done but obviously I have to write more than 2 words due to the letter limit. I never though once about leaving. I still hum the songs to myself. I still love ponies. So what if I get made fun of? I.Don't.Give.A.Fuck. if someone makes fun of me they are just wasting their breath. Because I know I am who I am and no one is gonna change that. Case.closed. budda boom.