A message to the brony community

[Amethyst Star 73]

These 'forum is full of meanies' topics always manage to rack up the brohooves and it always confuses me. We have blunt people, we have jerks, and we have people who are all of the above and more, but they are the book-definition of 'minority', unlike, I may say, many places found out there on the Everfreenet. Those who don't end up getting themselves banned for being a twit usually don't cause too much trouble, and certainly not to a point where one should feel the need to make a topic addressing the entire community.

But eh, what do I know. I'm probably talking from a perspective where moderation needs to get involved, whereas you may be coming from a simpler point on why people feel the need to argue, blame and bitch at each other about everything. To which, I simply say, 'Welcome to the internet/teens and preteens/fandoms, enjoy your stay.'

Like I've said before. I was not adressing this to make it hurt anyone or to cause a massive flame war, I've started this to get my point across and to have what people think about it in a okay fashion, this was not my intention on sparking an argument.

Just someone lock this thread because I see no good of having it open since I pretty sure arguments are just going to happen here. So, if an mod or Administrator could look it then I would appreciate it.

[Moonlight 7,288]

Bronies have gotten a really bad reputation because of all those trolls lurking in the deep dark corners of the internet

 

Bronies have gotten a bad reputation simply because some of the more vocal ones (and even some not-so-vocal ones) act like idiots. I don't think it necessarily has to do with trolls, a good majority of the time. 

[Mephala 2,633]

You know, we can't expect everyone to be nice all the time. People have bad days and people change. However, I don't think the actions are enough to warrant people getting as upset as some are unless there is a form of bullying going on in PM. Some people (myself included) can be kinda blunt, yeah, but no one as I've seen means real harm.

If you're uncomfortable with the site members, here's what I say to anyone like that on any site; switch it off. Beating yourself up by sticking around is a stupid idea if you feel you're being bullied, so don't be as stupid as them.

That last bit was a little off topic but tl;dr there are always going to be asshats in every fandom ever so don't feed them.

[Remi 1,309]

Bronies have gotten a really bad reputation because of all those trolls lurking in the deep dark corners of the internet

Actually, bronies have driven themselves to their own peril. It's their own fault for falling for the bait the 'trolls' leave for some brony who takes the fandom way too seriously, will immediately bite. Other than that, a large amount of bronies act very hypocritical.

 

"Let us all love and tolerate one another, regardless of our seperate opinions."

 

"But, I don't like MLP."

 

"WHAT YOU DON'T LIKE MLP? THEN GET OUT OF MY PRESENCE HATER."

 

"I just don't like it, that's all. I don't mind you watchi-"

 

"HATERS GONNA HATE LOL. YOU SUCK TROLL GET A LIFE."

 

Other than that, the bronies also try to force people to watch it, which is another reason why the bronies have a bad reputation.

[Twilight Circuits 603]

Well... Can't point the finger at me pony. Since day one here Oct 17, 2012 on my introductory post I said "You're special. You're so special you don't know how special you really are." Cause, if you're going to ask me (which no one asks me anything... :*(     ) "What would you do for the one's you love?" Well... that's what I said, and here is where I started. But... people have trouble giving me so much as 10 minutes. What the hell are you guys going to do when I need your attention for a couple hours, and it STILL would barely even begin to touch what i could share you all. Cause, I know what all of you say about love, which is pretty much summed up in one word. Nothing. Well... If you want to know what I said about love... I'm sure you'll find it since day one. But if I were to ask you a question today, the question is... What haven't I done yet....? Some Captain Obvious out there would probably say lots. To which I'm out of hero biscuits pony. Now if somepony wanted to ask; what direction am I taking...? Well, you're only just getting started....

[MelancholicMemory 2,025]

(This will include some strong language so be prepared for it)

This is a note on how I feel about how everyone treats each other on the forums here, because I’ve noticed that people aren’t being treated well at all. I mean come on, didn’t MLP:FIM teach us something and that thing being  accepting others differences and tolerate everypony, because what I’m seeing here is contradicting itself.  I could care less if this is the internet. We are all human and we should all be treated equally unless proven otherwise. I think this needs to be said more often because the only thing I deal with day in and day out is negativity and rudeness, insults, and racial slurs, constantly pulling away at me sanity.  I thought everypony knew better.  But for the ones that have been helping anypony out then I salute you with my greatest honor, you are the kind of people we need more in this world to make it more friendly and tolerable. That’s all, I hope you guys can think about this more, because this issue needs to be addressed more.

-Amethyst Star

I cannot agree with you more. Kudos to you! Though I would like to strongly emphasize that one's affiliation with colorful marshmallow horses has nothing to do with one's level of kindness, I do think this community has really gone downhill. This is true of the brony community and, especially, the community on this site in particular. I have seen lots of bad behavior. People can really be awful sometimes. Though I fear I greatly contribute to this problem, I do wish people acknowledged it and worked to make the community half-way decent again.

 

I also would like to call out the multitudes of people who praise the community (and by proxy, themselves and their own social group) for kindness, helpfulness, caring, and tolerance, while practicing the opposite. This is very prominent.

 

I also think the community has gotten very shallow and immature.

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

I... honestly can't say that I've seen this.  Maybe that's because I'm not exceptionally active/I don't interact with others very much other than the occasional brohoof or comment, but I found this thread surprising.  I've seen tempers flare and sometimes rudeness, but that's sort of what happens when you bring together a few hundred people hiding behind anonymous usernames.  I didn't think that it had gotten to the point where it was a problem.  Again though, that could stem from the way I use the forums.

 

Just someone lock this thread because I see no good of having it open since I pretty sure arguments are just going to happen here. So, if an mod or Administrator could look it then I would appreciate it.

 

If you really want this locked I believe that usually the best way (or at least the one with the fastest response) to do so is to report your original post and explain it there.

[Moss 95]

Yeah,I feel like I come off as a cynist and  somewhat of an asshole most of the time on these forums when I don't mean to come off like that.

[Passion 3,484]

I will honestly admit that I dislike the whole "Love and Tolerate" concept in form it exists today. Of course, it's a beautiful thing, but it should be more as a guideline rather than iron rule. Who will be there to set the borders of what an individual can love or tolerate? Will others dictate him what he can tolerate and what he can't? For each one of us border lies somewhere else, it's elastic. And in my eyes, while this stance is admirable, it sometimes creates more issues than it solves.

 

I've seen, and participated in, numerous conversations which soon turned into offense/defense. One person was directly, or indirectly, attacking other one's views and beliefs, while another one was simply trying to defend them. And if things gone wrong, and the defendant couldn't take it anymore and moved to offense, he got shot down by the whole "Love and Tolerate, dude, Love and Tolerate" talk from the one who was at offense initially. And he/she was believing that he "Loved and Tolerated" everything, all he was doing was responding to other's arguments...

 

Let's face it, the show doesn't teach us how to tolerate everything, but raises our awareness and broadens horizons as for what we can tolerate actually. It should NOT be our codex or rule book to which we abide blindly, but it should help us IMPROVE, not become perfect. Because perfection is unachievable.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

I agree that the negativity and cynicism on the forums can at times be overbearing, but we try everything we can to make it the friendliest possible. Even with strict measures, no system is perfect for preventing such anger/hate and it's just not possible to catch everything.

 

So I think it goes without saying that it's everybody here's responsibility to make sure they're being courteous to their fellow users. What annoys me is when I see people just doing what the rules require and nothing more. Simply looking out for and doing things to help out/cheer up your fellow members does go a long way. 

 

Respecting your fellow users is important, and going beyond that, genuinely caring for and about them. As in certain ways, this forum is more than just a community, it's a kind of family unit, and when somebody is not doing what they're supposed to, we all suffer for it. And on the inverse, when somebody goes above and beyond to be kind and courteous, we all benefit from it.

 

I just hope we can continue improving the forum experience for everybody involved. I love this community dearly.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Harmonic Revelations

[Cygnus 60]

While admirable, asking any section of the Internet to chill out is like asking a fish to walk. Sometimes the aggression, bitterness, and anger grate on me because it reaches a level I can only call gratuitous, but then I just go talk to people who don't thrive on being critical, offended, holier-than-thou, and victorious in petty squabbles. We have a good time and get on with life.

[)O( Scarlet )O( 1,259]

@@Amethyst Star, While there is some controversy, contradiction and just plain not very nice people on here, this forum is hardly the worst forum there is.

If you want a Brony forum where people are treated like sh*t, especially by the moderators/administrators/owner(s) then go check out Bronies Australia, I am one of the oldest members on there, and am constantly treated like dirt and as if I was like 11 years old or something, so I ended up leaving. Also, if you're going to accuse people of what you have, it would help if you could give examples of said things happening.

[Nightmare Night 151]

Im not super active on the forums, but I have yet to see any negativity or hate towards other bronies. But I do agree with you and everypony should treat eachother with kindness.

[Sir Wulfington 276]

Love and tolerate will be there it's just people need to start following it. I mean even us bronies have our limits to how much we can tolerate until we lash out at someone or something. 

 

None of us "need" to love and tolerate, it was a stupid troll meme that someone turned into the holy creed of bronies, and bronies only blindly follow it because they're told by other bronies that we all have to because we're bronies. I get so mad whenever I hear or read "love and tolerate" in relation to this show and or fandom, because of it's absurdity as a moral and lack of relevance to the show this fandom is about.

 

If someone (here or elsewhere) is being a fucking jerk I'm gonna treat them in a similar manner as they treat others, because that's what they deserve for their behavior, not "love" or "tolerance".

 

But that said, for the most part, I haven't encountered unappealing posters on this forum, this is probably the most pleasant site I've posted on in my lifetime.

Edited November 9, 2013 by Sir Wulfington

[NocturnalRainbow 248]

I haven't really noticed many people being treated poorly on the forums, maybe one or two times. Honestly we have it pretty good on these forums compared to the other forums the internet coughs out every two minutes. But as for the fandom as a whole, yeah I can see it slipping elsewhere... a lot. I've seen bronies sinking down to levels I never thought this fandom would get to. I've seen bronies spewing out the classic mantra of anti-bronies, "gay" and "faggot" like it was nothing. I've seen bronies turn around after being called a fag by an anti-brony and simply spew out an immature stream of curses. I would be fine if it was just a few occurrences but I've seen this HUNDREDS maybe even THOUSANDS of times. I know "Love and Tolerate" was just a thing created to troll people and that it really shouldn't hold any meaning in the brony community, but really, why shouldn't it?

 

Love and Tolerance,as it should be used by the fandom, is not simply accepting everyone and everything, it's just being kinder than the other, kinder than the average person. It's rising above social-stereotypes and refusing to sink to the level of the majority of today's internet society. It's not about being unnecessarily kind, it's about being better than the standards the internet has set. Through this fandoms huge struggles with hate we should have learned that hate and cursing and being just as terrible as those people who are ridiculing us will get us nowhere.   

Edited November 9, 2013 by NocturnalRainbow

[Renon Strike 67]

I too have rarely seen maybe just one or 2 things except for the debate section that i might need to address, but because we all have different beliefs that all clash and becomes something bigger than they should be. Even if the love and tolerate thing was originally a troll's idea, it became something huge and in a way for many of us it real or else we would not be here, i joined on a notion that we actually take care and get along much better than some others, it's alright to disagree but we need to be careful not to attack each other to a point of personal offense or else we lose the thing that makes the community special.

Edited November 10, 2013 by Renon Strike

[Suitaloo 743]

Honestly I've seen some of the stuff directed at people in the threads about certain sexualities. It was few and far-between, but there was some pretty trans-phobic stuff in that one transgender thread.