Ever disliked yourself for enjoying this show?

[TheOldskooler 23]

I went through a phase of intensely disliking myself, thinking I was some sort of screwed up manchild with serious psychological problems. Infact it got to the point where I'd refuse to watch the show for weeks on end to prove to myself I was "normal."

 

However, all that did was make me feel isolated, depressed, and made me hate myself even more. It's only recently I've gotten over myself and started watching it again, and it does make me happy. There's just something comforting about it.

 

And honestly, what is wrong with comfort? This show does bring me alot of happiness, and makes me feel safe. It's not exactly age appropriate, it's not exactly the most normal show for a 19 year old to watch, but as a vulnerable young adult living in a very hostile world, things like this are what help keep me sane and stop me thinking of the terrifying aspects to life...

 

My future, finding a job, whether I'll be able to support my partner, a government that is slowly getting more authoritarian and having more influence on our lives, and a beautiful natural world that is slowly being killed by corporations. (Sorry for the leftie rant but I really care about nature)

 

Watching MLP makes me feel safe.

 

But the question is, did you ever think yourself weird for liking the show, at any point? Did you get over it? Do you still feel it?

Edited July 29, 2013 by TheOldskooler

[Teh Silly Luna 45]

Well, I'd have to say that I didn't ever hate myself for becoming apart of another fandom. More the merrier, brings the barrier of comfort on your soul.

 

Your story was quite sad though.

 

Even though I didn't do anything, sorry.

[Flying wub 48]

I have disliked myself for being a brony,

most of my friends is talking about call of duty, tf2 and battlefield and everyone likes first person shooters but me and 2 other friends,

i also dislike myself that only bronies know that I´m a bronie i feel like a coward that i can´t tell enyone that I´m a brony.

[Teh Silly Luna 45]

Well, it really didn't take much for me to stand up and tell my parents and friends that I was a brony. I still like rpgs, and other things, but that doesn't stop me from going into some random persons server on TF2 and spray something on their server that is pony related.

 

But of course, that is me...

[sunne 659]

No... not really. I've wondered if it's weird, but then i realize that my social standing isn't that great in the first place(in the modified program because of visual impairment and autism, and very clumsy. I'm rarely seen outside the lunchroom for our group at lunchtimes. Oh, and there's the fact that I don't talk to people. ) So who the hay is gonna know about it, much less think i'm any weirder? Anyways, if it's something you enjoy watching, then it's fine.

[sunset_sprint 190]

Not at all, I'm 27 and I love watching shows like MLP:FiM. I grew up in the late 80s and early 90s watching the classic shows like My little Pony, care bears, transformers, etc. I still watch some of these shows in their current forms. To go back to the question, no disliking myself for watching a television show, regardless of what it is, would not be something I've even considered. No reason.

Edited July 29, 2013 by sunset_sprint

[Messershmitt 289]

At first, when i started to watch the show i thought "Why am i watching a little kids show but yet i enjoy it so much" i started to put little References into my daily life, Like one of the questions was What is Half of 80, then Divide it by 2 (I know, Stupidly easy) I put next to the Answer "It's 20% cooler" and there was this one time where my friend tld me abut something really happy and i went "Yay"

 

Or this one time My Friend was really upset and i sung the Smile Smile Smile song but replaced Pinkie pie With Ryan :3

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

When I began it, I sort of did. I mean, granted, this was meant a little girl's show, and I still sort it think it's a little weird that grown men in their twenties are watching it. But that quickly phased.

[sunne 659]

@, 

That is pure awesome. Lol

I've been trying to put references in but yeah. Not very good at it. Especially since mostly the only people I talk to know i'm a brony(my grandparents, mom and Pegasister friend), so it's weird

[Matt20 17]

 

 

I don't dislike myself I was able to admit I was a brony to some of my friends. the only problem is i don't know anyone else who are bronies so I feel alone in there

[Valormos 262]

I never disliked my self for watching this show Im proud to be a brony

I dont know why its just every time I watch mlp or thing about being a brony I get all warm inside and happy

being a brony is nothing to be a shamed of it just means you like a sweet happy cute cartoon

[Limey 524]

Yes I did. In a very small way (and only occasionally) I still do. I went through this stupid phase where I isolated myself from the show, but as you said, that only made me more depressed. So in the end I gave in and just went with the flow. I still haven't told anyone outside the internet, but a do consider myself a proper brony now, rather than being 'in denial'.

 

I know it sounds stupid, but when I first got intrested in the show I used to type in MLP related searches into google really slowly, and was really paranoid, feeling as if someone was watching me, judging me. I guess I felt like it was some sort of guilty pleasure. I still clear my search history when someone else needs to use my computer, more out out of habit now though.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Spess

[Princess Snowwie 126]

Like literally i was feeling bad about watching this show last night! my parents were talking to my BROTHER about stuff and being mature and it made me take a moment to step outside of myself to see that i seem pathetic as an 18 year old young lady who watches ponies. I didn't want to let my parents down but i thought i wasnt mature. so i was broken down sad about that. Many other times i have felt bad for watching the show but I seem to always crawl back to watching the show everyday after my sad breakdown. I mean all of my friends know i am a brony but its weird that I feel like I need to accept myself for being one because I am afraid that people will judge me for watching my little pony and going into college. So thats my story... also sometimes i bag about myself calling myself pathetic for watching the show and buying merch like build a bear is coming out with Twilight Sparkle and Spike and I plan to buy them (and Equestria Girls) with my money that I will get from my job on campus at school. For some reason, it doesn't register that I can still watch and be apart of the fandom and still be an adult. In the end I really am proud to be a brony and i am glad my parents understand that (the only reason i would be going to Bronycon 2013 in Baltimare) xD   

Edited July 29, 2013 by Princess Snowwie

[Ihei 713]

When I first became a pegasister, I was majorly embarrassed that I liked MLP. I kept telling myself that it was a show for little kids, until I started to socialize with the fandom and watch more of the episodes, ending the phase.

[IamSanchO 19]

At first I was a little embarrassed, a 23 year old man who watches a show about cartoon horses. I would not say that I "disliked my self" for watching the show, it was more of a guilty pleasure. Most of my friends have heard of the show and the fandom, among them there was one who watched the show. 

 

I am perfectly content with it now and do not hide what I enjoy. Life is too short to hide what lies inside.

[DashPony 359]

Nope. I have never disliked myself for watching the show. Sure, grown men watching MLP isn't considered "normal". But being normal is overrated anyway. I'm proud to be different

 

The only thing that bothers me is all the hate I get for being a brony. All of my friends hate the show, and constantly harass me about it. Because of that, I don't ever talk about the show or the fandom when i'm in public.

[GrimCW 658]

Nope, i gave up caring about what the world thinks of me a LONG time ago.
And anyone who'd judge me wrongly for liking the show wasn't worth having as a friend anyways.

 

I just know what i like, and what peaks my interests, and this show is one of them.

Many in the closet people out there though hide what they like from the world, and even themselves simply over the worry you mentioned there, and because they feel they'll be ostracized for liking something outside the unwritten "norm".

I say challenge the false norm and be an individual.

Sure you may fall into similarities with others, but its on your own accord, not someone elses.

[Shanks 10,816]

Though I haven't gone so far as to dislike myself for it there were some moments in the beginning where I kept asking myself "what the hell am I doing watching this?" It took a few months or so but eventually those moments for the most part became a thing of the past and only resurfaced in the season 3 finale which to put it as kindly as I can I wasn't exactly a fan of. I have done way way worse things than something as harmless as watching a cartoon that is outside my "target demographic" so I didn't see why it was necessary to be hard on myself for it.

[Sylentmana 271]

I actually like myself more for watching the show.  It reminds me that I have feeling and I'm not dead inside.  I also like to think that I'm mature enough to know not to be afraid of being immature.  No matter how old you get you will always have a little immaturity in you.  I also like the idea of breaking gender stereotypes.

[Thrashy 2,800]

there were some moments in the beginning where I kept asking myself "what the hell am I doing watching this?"

 

^What he said.

 

I guess in some way I've always guarded myself against overly cutesy things, so when I first start watching shows like MLP of my own free will, I start to feel like I've gone...peculiar. I wouldn't go as far as to say I disliked myself, but I've definitely thought "Man, I'm weirder than I thought I was."

 

There were even some points during my viewing of the first few episodes where I had to pause and step away to do something "manly" like play guitar before finishing the episode. I don't need to do this anymore, since I've come to peace with the fact that watching this show has no effect on my inherent sense of masculinity, but it seems to be a recurring thing; in 2011 when I first started watching the anime Princess Tutu on a recommendation, I found myself doing the same thing. And I'm sure the next "girly" show I start watching is going to do the same thing to me at first, but like always, I'll end up getting over it.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Lowline Thrash

[TheOldskooler 23]

Nowadays I really am more relaxed about the whole thing. I mean, I have Pinkie Pie and two blind bag ponies on my speakers, a Twily poster on my wall, stickers everywhere, a pony ball plushie and some prints I got at an anime convention I went to. I'm really less bothered about people seeing it. My parents wander in and out of my room all the time and they don't seem to care at all, which is a big relief for me.

 

At the start of liking MLP I wanted to get a Pinkie Pie plushie, and the least expensive one I could find was like - £35 (minus shipping D:) and when I asked for it, my mum was like "have you lost your mind? Paying that much for a ball of pink fluff?" And that kinda turned me away from liking ponies for a while because I thought it was making me desperate for merch. She even told me she found it "odd" that I wanted to buy it, that didn't help either.

 

Now I think they're more understanding about it.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

Actually, to some extent, I still do, except instead of actually being mad at myself, I lash out against anybody who questions how I could like such a show. So I am prone to fits of rage when provoked, which isn't healthy, I know. Actually it's only really extreme haters who make me lash out like that, normal haters who actually argue with logic I don't mind, but those who refer to derogatory terms for their entire argument make my blood boil.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Harmonic Revelations

[Wonderbolt_Spitfire 235]

No I don't think I'm weird for liking the show.

 

The only time I think I'm weird is when I talk to my plushies or figurines as if they were alive. Or when I use them to act out scenes from the show. The good thing is that I do this when no one else is around because I know for sure I would get some strange looks from people.

[verycreativeusername 1,800]

No, not at all. Why should I dislike myself for liking something? I do somewhat dislike myself, but it's for different reasons.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I usually do, since I knew from the first moment that I became a brony that I would get made fun of so I was able to take all of the insults.