Did we truly take the show's lessons to heart?

[Raiko 43]

So, I've been all over the fandom in the time that it's been around. I'm talking back in season 1 here. Since then, I find it actually near impossible to get along with people in the fandom due to a number of things. I honestly don't care who someone is and try to let bygones be bygones, but be it a differences in personality (such as my brash and aggressive nature), philosophy, beliefs, or whatever, it seems many fans never took the shows lessons to heart and in fact act as if they would probably hate characters from the show if they met them in real life. We all have lines of how much we'll allow to be sure, but it seems some people have that line drawn right outside their own personalities.

 

So my question to you is, did the fandom actually try to learn anything or has this just been another fandom people place themselves in, no different than Doctor Who or Sherlock or whatever.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Raiko

[Hive King 2,001]

I for one don't watch the show for the lessons and in fact usually skip the letters to the Princess. So no, I just watch the show for story

[Legacy Dash 439]

Nah, it's just a great show!

 

All the lessons are aimed at younger children, and most of us here aren't young children (<7).

[ReverseFaller 2,484]

The fandom seems to be very accepting, but we still have our issues. I've seen way too many people on this forum getting negative feedback simply for having a different opinion. I also agree about drawing the lines outside your own personality, I've noticed that myself as well.

 

Sure, the lessons are meant for children, but that's not to say that we're all perfect simply for being older. I think it could do a lot of us good to take certain lessons from the show to heart. Everybody has room for improvement. Anyways, I don't think this is just a fandom people put themselves in. I'd like to think it's bigger than that.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Mikami

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

Honestly, I believe that the whole "love and tolerate" mantra was just that, an empty phrase that people liked to spew out. While there are nice people out there, that probably actually do practice and put meaning into it, there are a whole lot more who just completely ignore it, and do whatever the hell they want to, regardless of other people's feelings. Granted, you get idiots like that in every fandom.

[Klopp 2,050]

Considering the fact that all the lessons in the show are things that I learned when I was less than ten years old, yes, in some ways.

 

But at the same time, no. Cause unlike the show, not everyone real life ends up being all super friendly and likable. Friendship is a glorious thing and all, but hatred is a very necessary thing if only for the fact that it's impossible for everyone to get along with everyone else. Especially with so many thieves, liars, cheats and just plain uncaring bastards around.

 

Humans are simply not built to be a giant all-friendly supercommunity. Not for at least another 100 million years more evolution. :3

[Raiko 43]

Even though they wrap up the obvious lessons in the show, I still think there's something to be gained. I mean, if it weren't for their different personalities and traits half the stuff in the show wouldn't get done. In fact, pretty sure they'd all be dead lol.

[Unikitty 1,212]

I for one don't watch the show for the lessons and in fact usually skip the letters to the Princess. So no, I just watch the show for story

This makes no sense. Considering that the episodes are tailored towards teaching a specific positive life lesson, the lessons are in fact the story itself. By removing that key point, you're removing all aspect of the actual story. Take this away, and you're only watching it for the one off events within each individual episode.

[Hive King 2,001]

@, 

They aren't in your face about it....much, so I just watch it for entertainment, not to get any morals out of it

[Wayzer 1,418]

I dunno about other fandoms, but some people I know here are the nicest I know. They are really kind, and try to relly take the lessons by heart. I've met some awesome friends here, and I think this really is a different kind of fandom

[Raiko 43]

@, 

They aren't in your face about it....much, so I just watch it for entertainment, not to get any morals out of it

 

I don't think anyone is in it for the morals. I'm just saying there seems to be a lot of people who claim to like the show and characters, and will then turn immediately around and contradict it by acting like an asshole or hating those very same personalities.

[Unikitty 1,212]

@, 

They aren't in your face about it....much, so I just watch it for entertainment, not to get any morals out of it

That's fair enough. However, that element of the show is not a contributor to the overall story. Perhaps it can be regarded to the specific events in each confined episode - but not the show as a whole.

I understand what you mean, though.

[IDontExistAnymore 74]

I try my best to take the lessons to heart, and be a better person. But I usually just forget them. I will start writing them down! <3 Thx.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

I usually try to take them to heart. They really are excellent life lessons.

[Unikitty 1,212]

As for me, personally, I quite like their quaint support of positive morals. I like that it is a reminder to myself and others that we as people should not be selfish and arrogant, and that there is no true benefit in being a bad person.
It is a pity that even those who watch this show ignore such, regardless of whether or not that is why they watch the show.

 

[Shanks 10,816]

Some people do, some people don't but even those that do screw up every now and then because nobody is perfect. What matters though is that we all at least try to be the best people we can, we are all going to make mistakes even the ponies themselves do but the key is to learn from them. I realize that I can come as a bit more harsh than I intend to sometimes, and tact is not always easy for me but I am getting better. I used to have a really nasty temper and though I have improved can still slip up sometimes, I recently let my own anger control me by going into a rant on a recent blog post by   in response to this user I have had a disagreement with.
 
After she removed it and PM'd me about it my response was to make excuses to save face, and it wasn't only until later that I realized that I acted like a complete asshole. Even though I couldn't hear her speak since it was text, I could literally feel the heartbreak and anguish of what I had done and wish I could take it back. The blogpost was very personal to her and I cheapened it by bringing my own personal issues with someone else into it. I may have had my reasons to be angry at him and some other users involved in that matter as I honestly felt that they insulted not only me but a good friend of mine and I am protective of people I care about but I should have simply left my own rant in my own blog. I have been through the exact same situation she has been in many times myself with other forums I have been on with needless drama and bickering and I was even a moderator on one of them (not here) so I completely understand but realized after that exchange that I can still do a bit better than I have been doing.

 

On my own blogpost on the matter something unexpected happened the other day when  who was one the people I was angry at actually apologized and after that all of that anger I had just went away and I felt a lot better. It really meant a lot to hear that from him, it really did and it also made me realize just how stupid and petty I was to hold a grudge over one argument when we have all made mistakes. I keep hearing people say that "this place is not the same" and other things like that and I have noticed certain trends that I do not like either but although alot of these peoples concerns are valid the questions we should all be asking ourselves is what are we doing to improve the situation?

[Raiko 43]

@ EarthbendingProdigy

 

 

I think you might have derailed a bit there but I get what you're saying overall. The basic life lessons seem trivial to the adult in the modern day society, but all in all they still are very much true. You basically learn what you need to right from the get go.

[Shanks 10,816]

You basically learn what you need to right from the get go.

Yes and no, you learn the basics from the get go but learning is a continuous process which takes a lot of reinforcement. You get the basic building blocks as a kid but as a teen and adult with how complicated things can sometimes get it is easy to forget those simple lessons especially because people can over complicate certain matters. 

[Raiko 43]

Yes and no, you learn the basics from the get go but learning is a continuous process which takes a lot of reinforcement. You get the basic building blocks as a kid but as a teen and adult with how complicated things can sometimes get it is easy to forget those simple lessons especially because people can over complicate certain matters. 

 

 

Yeah, but have you also thought that maybe some things aren't as complicated as we make them out to be and we just let our worries and woes cloud our judgement? You'd be surprised how all the wisdom in the world will still provide you with the simplest of answers.

[Lunatic Cake 1,618]

Most lessons that are taught within the show are really common things, yet there are some lessons included sometimes that even surprise me.

 

 

Simply have to love AJ for that xD

 

Uhh, back on topic. Some lessons are not only for children but also aimed at people of all age groups really, I'm too lazy to find examples atm tho but most of them are lessons, everyone should already know.

[Scootalove 10,689]

Most of the lessons from the show I use as an example, to learn from so I can think of the morals as something that I can live by. Sometimes there are morals that just confuse me.

[Remi 1,309]

No, a large part of the fandom never takes the lessons in the show to heart, nor apply it on a regular day basis, which is why I left the fandom, due to the large amount of hypocrisy from the brones. Even more particularly, the hardcore bronies. Egh. They are the people who most commonly use the term 'love and tolerate', claim to accept everyone's opinion on the show, and wont judge the opposing party based on such. But of course, they are the most aggressive and shaming part of the fandom when someone gives a negative opinion on the show or one of its characters, or when someone claims the show is awful, or is for little girls. They throw all of the lessons out the window continue to bark and insult the opposing party.

 

I learned a lot from the show, and apply its lessons in real life, but I discontinued being part of the fandom for their hypocrisy.

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

To be honest, I listen closely at the lessons that they learn and try to take them into heart, that way if I were to come aross a situation, I can use these lessons to make myself a better person than I am,  and save my friendship. :3

[Raiko 43]

Uhh, back on topic. Some lessons are not only for children but also aimed at people of all age groups really, I'm too lazy to find examples atm tho but most of them are lessons, everyone should already know.

 

And yet it seems everyone forgets them, and as I said earlier it's strange that a fandom of a show based around friendship can be so radically different lol.

 

I'm by no means saying we should all join hands or some load of bull like that (seriously that would make me sick), and by no means everyone should just 'tolerate' everyone else, but I think there's a lot of head butting over slight different personalities or quirks that shouldn't be going on and yet happens constantly lol.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Raiko

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

No, a large part of the fandom never takes the lessons in the show to heart, nor apply it on a regular day basis, which is why I left the fandom, due to the large amount of hypocrisy from the brones. Even more particularly, the hardcore bronies. Egh. They are the people who most commonly use the term 'love and tolerate', claim to accept everyone's opinion on the show, and wont judge the opposing party based on such. But of course, they are the most aggressive and shaming part of the fandom when someone gives a negative opinion on the show or one of its characters, or when someone claims the show is awful, or is for little girls. They throw all of the lessons out the window continue to bark and insult the opposing party.

 

I learned a lot from the show, and apply its lessons in real life, but I discontinued being part of the fandom for their hypocrisy.

 

Maybe I'm being rude or defensive(I sometimes have trouble telling if I'm over-stepping lines) but isn't leaving because of a few assholes and holding people's mistakes and misspoken words against them the same kind of hypocrisy?

 

On topic, I think we should and fact so many do is makes this fandom feel special to me. I've been around the block when it comes to the internet and the brony related places I've been(with the exception of /MLP/, but that''s a 4Chan thing in general instead of a brony thing) have been some of the nicest places I've been. 

And yet it seems everyone forgets them, and as I said earlier it's strange that a fandom of a show based around friendship can be so radically different lol.

 

I'm by no means saying we should all join hands or some load of bull like that (seriously that would make me sick), and by no means everyone should just 'tolerate' everyone else, but I think there's a lot of head butting over slight different personalities or quirks that shouldn't be going on and yet happens constantly lol.

 

But you also have to remember that we are all human and no one is perfect, we all make mistakes and say things we regret when things get heated.