How did Bronies get lumped into the "nice guy" neckbeard stereotype?

[Page.Turner 940]

Might I ask what they did to cause you to come to this decision? I respect your decision as it is yours to make on whether you take on a title or not, but other than some minor annoyances here and there, I have never encounter something from this fandom that would cause me to feel uncomfortable with the title. But I admit that is me, to each their own I guess.

 

The majority of encounters I've had with bronies have been negative, unfortunately. And there is a lot of negativity and misogynistic views as well as pro-rape culture.

 

I find it's a very backwards fandom that preaches kindness but spews hate

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

To be honest I have to agree with Tinker, more than a fair share of the bronies I meet IRL at meetups give off that sort of ultra creepy vibe. I think a lot of detritus and debris from older fandoms has been absorbed into bronydom, and it leads to some very diverse crowds. In both a good and a bad way. 

 

At the end of the day, we're an exaggerated caricature of a typical fandom. A good amount of normal people, but some really weird shit too.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

Why bother with what others may say about us? We should not let what the mainstream media, and people outside the fandom who do not understand (nor want to understand) us dictate where our place is in society.

 

as far as stereotypes go, I am way out of the loop, because I don't fit into any stereotypes that are common among females, let alone female bronies....(no, I am not a pegasister)

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

The majority of encounters I've had with bronies have been negative, unfortunately. And there is a lot of negativity and misogynistic views as well as pro-rape culture.

 

I find it's a very backwards fandom that preaches kindness but spews hate

 

To be fair, that seems to be something that's a problem with the internet(and things that were born of it) rather than specificity a brony thing. You also can't really call someone supporting "rape culture" unless they're actually out there defending real-life rape and victim blaming real victims. I think that's a line we need to draw when discussing such issues so they can be taken seriously and not look like a Social-Justice warrior-esq mockery of social activism.

 

 

Victim blaming and defending rapists = rape culture

 

Rape jokes = possiblly distasteful and sometimes made be made by people that would condone rape, but not rape culture in and of itself. Can be funny in the right context, like me saying I hope my sisters idiot pedophile husband(who has been trying to get fresh with my niece) shares a prison cell with a 300lb gorilla of a man named Bubba. 

 

 

I agree I've seen some scummy bronies, but in the end the good far outweighs the bad and we don't have a disproportionate amount of assholes in comparison to any other fandom(in truth, some groups are far worse. Just sit down and play CoD online for a couple hours while keeping a tally.). We're also one of the few fandoms that have actually done good real world things like charities, raising awareness for social issues, and even challenging gender stereotypes in some cases.

 

This old post from one the brony analyzers about sums up my view on things. 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Shoboni

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

There's a point I'd like to try to produce from Shoboni's thorough analysis of the idea. First, I'm not even gonna touch the rape part with a ten foot pole, I get enough of that debate on Tumblr. As I've already said in different words, the brony fandom has a lot of crossover with other fandoms. Heck, some of those CoD kids with the raeg problems are probably bronies themselves. We're a diverse fandom with a lot of different kinds of people (one thing that's pretty certain is that it's a male dominated fandom, which may lend to the 'nice guy' stereotype). Sort of like a microcosm of the real world distilled into a fandom, because so many different kinds of guys watch the show from collage age athletes to widowers in their forties and everything in between.

 

That's why I honestly have to say that, as a fandom, we're really not that special or different. We're essentially a cross-section of an average population boiled down into a group with a specific interest. We do what any sample of the population with some diversity in selection would do. Good things like charity and tolerance, bad things like intolerance and witch hunting. The reason there is hate and stereotypes is simple: because every group of whatever gets hate and stereotypes from some other group of people. I'm Asian, I'm a Homestuck fan, I'm genderqueer, among other groups with stereotypes you could possibly throw me into. I know what it's like to be on multiple sides of the fence, and truth be told, the only difference between said sides is the subject at hand. Other than that, they all discriminate and do good in roughly equal measure.

 

I don't agree with the idea of openly rallying around bronydom as a flag or whatever. In the end, it's just another facet of yourself as a person. Not the whole.
 

Edited March 3, 2014 by deuxshy

[Page.Turner 940]

To be fair, that seems to be something that's a problem with the internet(and things that were born of it) rather than specificity a brony thing. You also can't really call some supporting "rape culture" unless they're actually out there defending real-life rape and victim blaming real victims. I that's a line we need to draw when discussing such issues so they can be taken seriously and not look like a Social-Justice warrior-esq mockery of social activism.

 

 

Victim blaming and defending rapists = rape culture

 

Rape jokes = possiblly distasteful and sometimes made be made by people that would condone rape, but not rape culture in and of itself. Can be funny in the right context, like me saying I hope my sisters idiot pedophile husband(who has been trying to get fresh with my niece) shares a prison cell with a 300lb gorilla of a man named Bubba. 

 

 

I agree I've seen some scummy bronies, but in the end the good far outweighs the bad and we don't have a disproportionate amount of assholes in comparison to any other fandom(in truth, some groups are far worse. Just sit down and play CoD online for a couple hours while keeping a tally.). We're also one of the few fandoms that have actually done good real world things like charities, raising awareness for social issues, and even challenging gender stereotypes in some cases.

 

This old post from one the brony analyzers about sums up my view on things. 

Don't get me wrong, when I say "bronies who perpetuate rape culture", I actually mean bronies I have seen/met who have the opinion of rape victims ask for it and rapists are not to blame in any case. As much as I personally hate rape jokes, I've come to terms with them. They offend me to no end, but I don't think any longer that they advocate rape. I realize that and I get it. I just don't get why people think they're funny in the first place. I would go on, but thinking about it? I'm probably going to severely offend someone soon so that's all I will say XD

 

Anywho! In my own experience, I have not had the pleasure of seeing the good in this fandom overcome the bad. I have only ever witnessed good brony things on this site and Deviantart (and even then, it's just good art XD). However, compared to other fandoms, we can't say we are or are not better/worse than fandoms in general. Unless we gather an accurate consensus of every single fandom, it will be impossible XD But that doesn't mean we can't compare to some of the most well-known. Furries, for example, are a popular one that bronies are compared to when it's actually a really bad comparison. Furries are considered less of a fandom now and more of a sub-culture. Just as well, furries have been around a lot longer than bronies so it's like trying to compare 2013 as a year to 0-2012 as a lifetime XD

 

I do agree bronies have done good things! it's great! But it still doesn't change my mind and it's not going to make me think that I should shoulder any of the burden for the better of the fandom. D: At the end of the day, it's just a fandom and I don't need it anymore than it needs me.

[LordDiscord 289]

The majority of encounters I've had with bronies have been negative, unfortunately. And there is a lot of negativity and misogynistic views as well as pro-rape culture.

 

I find it's a very backwards fandom that preaches kindness but spews hate

I sorry you feel that way. Again as I have said I have never really encountered this side of the fandom, atleast not to a degree that would make me turn a blind eye to it. My new question is how often did this negativity accrue, and how recent, I'm not meaning to pry I am just curious as I may have been fortunate to have joined this fandom at a time when the negativity had died down. 

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

Don't get me wrong, when I say "bronies who perpetuate rape culture", I actually mean bronies I have seen/met who have the opinion of rape victims ask for it and rapists are not to blame in any case. As much as I personally hate rape jokes, I've come to terms with them. They offend me to no end, but I don't think any longer that they advocate rape. I realize that and I get it. I just don't get why people think they're funny in the first place. I would go on, but thinking about it? I'm probably going to severely offend someone soon so that's all I will say XD

 

Anywho! In my own experience, I have not had the pleasure of seeing the good in this fandom overcome the bad. I have only ever witnessed good brony things on this site and Deviantart (and even then, it's just good art XD). However, compared to other fandoms, we can't say we are or are not better/worse than fandoms in general. Unless we gather an accurate consensus of every single fandom, it will be impossible XD But that doesn't mean we can't compare to some of the most well-known. Furries, for example, are a popular one that bronies are compared to when it's actually a really bad comparison. Furries are considered less of a fandom now and more of a sub-culture. Just as well, furries have been around a lot longer than bronies so it's like trying to compare 2013 as a year to 0-2012 as a lifetime XD

 

I do agree bronies have done good things! it's great! But it still doesn't change my mind and it's not going to make me think that I should shoulder any of the burden for the better of the fandom. D: At the end of the day, it's just a fandom and I don't need it anymore than it needs me.

 

I think that's all the better to reason to wear the brony badge pride and set a good example with it. We can't the let the assholes take something we love and are proud of from us and monopolize it the same why people that like furry stuff have let the label go to the dogs via shying away form it. We should stand behind the other bronies we want to support and tell the assholes that his is OUR fandom and if someone is going to back down and wear a new label it's going be them.

 

I propose we start calling them PonyPricks or /MLPers/.  

T

 

I don't agree with the idea of openly rallying around bronydom as a flag or whatever. In the end, it's just another facet of yourself as a person. Not the whole.

 

 

Humans are pack animals, we want acceptance and to be part of something bigger than us. That's the reason we wear fandom labels with pride to show show we have found some place we belong, even if it's only temporary. That, and something just feels special about this fandom that I can't put my finger on. I've never quite found as many places online I felt welcome in as I have brony and pony-related ones. Here, have a couple "old by good" songs from the early days. 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Shoboni

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

I think that's all the better to reason to wear the brony badge pride and set a good example with it. We can't the let the assholes take something we love and are proud of from us and monopolize it the same why people that like furry stuff have let the label go to the dogs via shying away form it. We should stand behind the other bronies we want to support and tell the asshole that his is OUR fandom and if someone is going to back down and wear a new label it's going be them.

 

I propose we start calling them PonyPricks or /MLPers/.  

 

Humans are pack animals, we want acceptance and to be part of something bigger than us. That's the reason we wear fandom labels with pride to show show we have found some place we belong, even if it's only temporary. That, and something just feels special about this fandom that I can't put my finger on. I've never quite found as many places online I felt welcome in as I have brony and pony-related ones. Here, have a couple "old by good" songs from the early days. 

 

 

 

/MLP/ may be largely shit but at least they're honest about it, lol. A witch hunt isn't going to work (how the hell do you define what a 'good brony' is anyways?) and it will just draw more attention to our fandom being dumb and overreacting to crap.

 

And to be honest this fandom has clicked with me to a larger degree than a lot of others, I agree. Treat it however you want, but I'm just going to say that so strongly investing into a single label is part of the reason other people look down on us. Think of whatever fandom you abhor and you probably wonder 'how the hell could people do that so willingly?'. Then flip that around and that's us. In my opinion it's better to be a bit detached than drowning yourself in pony. But that's just the way I think.

 

As an aside, I'd rather use these as 'good old songs':

 

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

/MLP/ may be largely shit but at least they're honest about it, lol. A witch hunt isn't going to work (how the hell do you define what a 'good brony' is anyways?) and it will just draw more attention to our fandom being dumb and overreacting to crap.

 

And to be honest this fandom has clicked with me to a larger degree than a lot of others, I agree. Treat it however you want, but I'm just going to say that so strongly investing into a single label is part of the reason other people look down on us. Think of whatever fandom you abhor and you probably wonder 'how the hell could people do that so willingly?'. Then flip that around and that's us. In my opinion it's better to be a bit detached than drowning yourself in pony. But that's just the way I think.

 

As an aside, I'd rather use these as 'good old songs':

 

 

Just remember, admitting to being an asshole doesn't make you any less of one if you don't want to make the effort to change. 

 

and when I say bad I mean bad. I mean the assholes, the sexists, the racists, the homophobes. I also say we shouldn't care about looking down on us unless it's valid reasons about flaws we need to work on.

 

You have your taste, I have mine and I really like those two songs. 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Shoboni

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,671]

By the looks of it, this thread seems to have wounded some brony pride. Of course, being a brony shouldn't be something to be ashamed of but I don't see it as something to be proud of either or something nearly as self-defining as one's sexual orientation.

 

As for the topic at hand... Well so what? I go about my business and this isn't something I even bump into. Goes to show just how far outside of my concern this is and I'm not about to take matters into my own hands either. 

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

By the looks of it, this thread seems to have wounded some brony pride. Of course, being a brony shouldn't be something to be ashamed of but I don't see it as something to be proud of either or something nearly as self-defining as one's sexual orientation.

 

As for the topic at hand... Well so what? I go about my business and this isn't something I even bump into. Goes to show just how far outside of my concern this is and I'm not about to take matters into my own hands either. 

 

I do agree some people take to far. It needs to be a fun kind of pride and showing your love for it(like the song I posted on the last page)

 

In other news. Admins, please fix whatever went wrong with the avatars. Broken. Images. Everywhere.

[LordDiscord 289]

/MLP/ may be largely shit but at least they're honest about it, lol. A witch hunt isn't going to work (how the hell do you define what a 'good brony' is anyways?) and it will just draw more attention to our fandom being dumb and overreacting to crap.

 

And to be honest this fandom has clicked with me to a larger degree than a lot of others, I agree. Treat it however you want, but I'm just going to say that so strongly investing into a single label is part of the reason other people look down on us. Think of whatever fandom you abhor and you probably wonder 'how the hell could people do that so willingly?'. Then flip that around and that's us. In my opinion it's better to be a bit detached than drowning yourself in pony. But that's just the way I think.

 

As an aside, I'd rather use these as 'good old songs':

 

While I will agree that there are those that will take the fandom a little too seriously, I however disagree that adorning a title automatically means '' You are worshiping your pony plush in your basement''. A title is a title, nothing more, it doesn't matter what some use the title for, what matters is how you use it. Taking on the title ''Brony'' does not mean you automatic become something you are not, however sitting back and letting those that misuse the title and ruin it is not helping the problem. We should not be shunning the title as much as we should be restoring it to what it was meant to be. 

 

Also why the hell am I a Butterfly... I prefered my Parasprite badge more, it suited me better.

Edited March 4, 2014 by LordDiscord

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

The thing I question is swearing by having the title in the first place. But I've already given the full of my argument, I'll leave it at that.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

While I will agree that there are those that will take the fandom a little too seriously, I however disagree that adorning a title automatically means '' You are worshiping your pony plush in your basement''. A title is a title, nothing more, it doesn't matter what some use the title for, what matters is how you use it. Taking on the title ''Brony'' does not mean you automatic become something you are not, however sitting back and letting those that misuse the title and ruin it is not helping the problem. We should not be shunning the title as much as we should be restoring it to what it was meant to be. 

 

^This.

 

The title was original coined by /b/ to mean any fan of the show outside of the target audience but now it's take on all kinds of baggage and arbitrary amendments to the definition that make hard to pin down what any given person means when they use it.    

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

The stereotype of the fat, neckbearded brony came from the fact that if you look at group pictures of them, from group meet ups and the smaller cons, that most of them do look like that. A stereotype is not just made up, it is a straw man based on the most common and general elements of that group. So they got lumped into the "nice guy" corner, because enough of them do look and act like that to form a common enough element to produce a straw man. 

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Tumblr be hatin' more than usual these days.

 

It's a little irritating.

 

I mean I do understand the stereotype (although it is basically a general nerd stereotype being placed specifically on bronies) but you would think that general Internet culture would get that not everything is as it seems.

 

Oh but, you know, everything is sexist and bronies take MLP away from little girls and wear fedoras and blah blah blah. No one wants to listen to the fans of the show that aren't total douchebags because they don't want to hear about how non-douchebags are fans of a show.

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

Tumblr

 

And therein lies the problem. And I wish I could be kidding completely about that as well. Tumblr's become a very toxic site as of late if you look in the right places. Quite a few generalizations which are true to some extent, but majorly overblown.

[Page.Turner 940]

I sorry you feel that way. Again as I have said I have never really encountered this side of the fandom, atleast not to a degree that would make me turn a blind eye to it. My new question is how often did this negativity accrue, and how recent, I'm not meaning to pry I am just curious as I may have been fortunate to have joined this fandom at a time when the negativity had died down. 

It was way more prevalent during all of season 3, however, I will say it has died down quite a bit during all this season 4 stuff. Mostly because people are now complaining about actual show stuff and have stopped hating each other XD;;

 

It's just... it was enough for me that I don't think I can ever "recover" my views on it. I mean, I've even gotten my own hate from other bronies to the point where (in this fandom) I refuse to reveal my gender and age.

[RockinRarity 1,605]

And therein lies the problem. And I wish I could be kidding completely about that as well. Tumblr's become a very toxic site as of late if you look in the right places. Quite a few generalizations which are true to some extent, but majorly overblown.

 

I know... the thing is that it can be very influential. I did my part the other day by typing a long-ass response to the "how come they make a documentary praising adult men for hijacking a little girls' show but when a woman plays on Xbox Live she gets dick pictures shoved in her face and gets cussed out" and it's just... ugh.

 

I hope people took the time to read it. And I do hope that it's spread at least a little bit. That thing was reblogged in agreement so many times it just makes me sad.

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

I know... the thing is that it can be very influential. I did my part the other day by typing a long-ass response to the "how come they make a documentary praising adult men for hijacking a little girls' show but when a woman plays on Xbox Live she gets dick pictures shoved in her face and gets cussed out" and it's just... ugh.

 

I hope people took the time to read it. And I do hope that it's spread at least a little bit. That thing was reblogged in agreement so many times it just makes me sad.

 

Sounds like an interesting read, do you have a link? I don't have an active Tumblr, I just lurk, so unfortunately I can't reblog it along myself.

[RockinRarity 1,605]

Sounds like an interesting read, do you have a link? I don't have an active Tumblr, I just lurk, so unfortunately I can't reblog it along myself.

 

Yeah. http://rockinraritysally.tumblr.com/post/78207525383/megfo-isnt-it-amazing-how-a-group-of-adult-men

 

It was reblogged by another page called poniesforparents that is intended to educate parents on how to keep their kids safe online. http://poniesforparents.tumblr.com/post/78219149455/rockinraritysally-megfo-isnt-it-amazing-how

 

Perhaps there are others on here with Tumblr who can spread the word?

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

Yeah. http://rockinraritysally.tumblr.com/post/78207525383/megfo-isnt-it-amazing-how-a-group-of-adult-men

 

It was reblogged by another page called poniesforparents that is intended to educate parents on how to keep their kids safe online. http://poniesforparents.tumblr.com/post/78219149455/rockinraritysally-megfo-isnt-it-amazing-how

 

Perhaps there are others on here with Tumblr who can spread the word?

 

The sad part is, if you sit down and watch it with an open mind the Brony Doc is downright amazing and heartwarming. 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Shoboni

[RockinRarity 1,605]

The sad part is, if you sit down and watch it with an open mind the Brony Doc is downright amazing and heartwarming. 

 

I really liked it! It gave me fuzzies. :3

 

I can see how someone in general society can still think it's weird/off-putting but I do think that other geeks/nerds can at least appreciate it exactly for what it is if they sat down with an open mind. They don't have to be bronies, in fact I would never make someone who doesn't like the show try to be a part of the fandom. But I think non-bronies can learn to appreciate the good things that this show has done for people. Because at the end of the day, is it really all that different for how other fandoms have positively affected other people?

 

I used to roll my eyes at the people who made topics on the Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged forums about how the show saved their lives. I regret ever feeling that way. Because sometimes, all we need is something that makes us smile and laugh to get people out of a crazy depressing funk. And it's good for us to hear these stories. Because when we share these stories with each other, we remember that being human with one another without judgment is what makes the world a better place.

 

Thanks for the reblog btw.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

I really liked it! It gave me fuzzies. :3

 

I can see how someone in general society can still think it's weird/off-putting but I do think that other geeks/nerds can at least appreciate it exactly for what it is if they sat down with an open mind. They don't have to be bronies, in fact I would never make someone who doesn't like the show try to be a part of the fandom. But I think non-bronies can learn to appreciate the good things that this show has done for people. Because at the end of the day, is it really all that different for how other fandoms have positively affected other people?

 

I used to roll my eyes at the people who made topics on the Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged forums about how the show saved their lives. I regret ever feeling that way. Because sometimes, all we need is something that makes us smile and laugh to get people out of a crazy depressing funk. And it's good for us to hear these stories. Because when we share these stories with each other, we remember that being human with one another without judgment is what makes the world a better place.

 

Thanks for the reblog btw.

 

No prob.

 

I bought the complete edition with the extra interviews on Blu-Ray because I enjoyed it so much.