Have Bronies gotten too big for their britches?

[QuickLime]

I have noticed a trend with the fandom of late, and wanted to share my thoughts on it, to my knowledge one documentary is enough, two is pushing it, and it's starting to seem excessive, this fandom does have a way of making itself the center of attention , be it negative or positive (with more and more focus on the negative)

I recall a podcast once where Zecora's voice actor was being interviewed by two bronies (which sounds pretty awesome) However instead of really talking about HER, they asked her stuff like "What do you think of Bronies, were you aware of bronies?" and it was really a turn off! I can understand being proud to be a part of a group bit IMO this is getting a little ridiculous?

Then again I could be a touch bitter about that one documentary where they ended up tackling the female fans on last second

What are your thoughts on the fandom (as a collective whole, not individuals) at the moment?

[SunlightHeart]

Honestly, this fandom is the most invasive fandom i've ever been a part of. Bronies have made so much noise that ponies are starting to appear everywhere, all the time. On youtube looking up Kill Bill clips? Please enjoy Colgate's (the toothpaste company) commercial staring Colgate (the pony). Watching Transformers? Don't mind while we sneak this Nanomachine built Rainbow Dash plushie into one of the characters hands...

Bronies have big britches because everyone seems to be encouraging the ego trip, In my opinion.

[MetalBronyATL]

What bothers me about the fandom right now is how spoiled they are. Whenever something big such as Canterlot Wedding, Twilicorn, EQG, or Twilight's new castle happens, they freak out and whine about it and say they're leaving the fandom (which they never do) and say horrible things about the writers and so on. They expect the show staff to satisfy THEIR wants instead of progressing and trying new things. I admit I don't agree with everything MLP does, and everybody is allowed an opinion, but please try and remember that this show was never made specifically for "bronies" in the first place.

I also agree with you're point as well.

[RarityDash]

Yep. Don't really think it's a new development either. The fandom is full of people who are overly-invested and self-obsessed and it shows when anything happens that they don't agree with in regards to the show and the brand. They're so set into thinking that FIM is specifically their thing that they forget that it isn't and has never been made "for" them directly.

[QuickLime]

Yes, and honestly I've even been told a few times that I cant be a "brony" or anything b/c I'm a girl and the show's not meant for me

[MetalBronyATL]

For a fandom that uses "love and tolerance" as a motto, the amount of bronies that I see showing hostillity towards other bronies is kinda astounding. I remember a brony telling me that I'm a terrible person and should never watch the show and not a true fan and blah blah blah because I have best friends who occasionally poke fun at me (not in a malicious way, but a friends messing with each other way) for liking the show.

[ShadowWalking18]

Like with any fandom, especially one I guess is still relatively young in its creation. There is always going to be moments where we see things like this.

However that should not distract or cast a negative glance on us Bronies and the My little pony fandom entirely. There will always be dissenters who act in ways that don't match up to what the fandom should be, we just have to be there to call out those types of people and show the world and people that we aren't all like that.

[QuickLime]

Like with any fandom, especially one I guess is still relatively young in its creation. There is always going to be moments where we see things like this.

However that should not distract or cast a negative glance on us Bronies and the My little pony fandom entirely. There will always be dissenters who act in ways that don't match up to what the fandom should be, we just have to be there to call out those types of people and show the world and people that we aren't all like that.

4 years is not "Young" anymore sorry.

[Blueblood]

4 years is not "Young" anymore sorry.

Compared with what, exactly? The Internet age gives an accelerated sense of time, but most of the major fandoms that I could name have been around for a good few years longer than that.

Still, the phrase "too big for their britches" is a particularly apt one; it gives the sense of an absurd pace of growth. And that, I think, is what it boils down to. Going from a minority that turns heads and invites mockery to a major presence in a short time is not psychologically healthy for any community. The spotlight is addictive, and there's always the temptation to settle scores...

Honestly, though, my own negative experiences have overall been minimal, when objectively looking at them. The way our brains work tends to prioritize negative experiences in memory over positive ones in any case, especially when we feel them confirm suspicions, or find them to be patently absurd. Most of us, frankly, would prefer not to make a fuss, as the whole fandom thing isn't centrally important, which leaves the public forum open to those who do. And so the cycle continues, and things kind of really do get worse.

Sigh... I hate it when topics like this depress me.

[Rosewind]

Ardent bronyism is nothing new, but I suppose it's more relevant and present than it may seem because the initial wave of FiM excitement has worn off. I just ignore it and like whatever I'm going to like regardless of what others have to say about it. Some pony things people come up with are insanely clever, so it's worth while to skim fan-made content.

[smileyface1010]

Do I think the bronies are too big for their britches? Not really. They just need to checked every once in a while. I comepletely agree with what Metal said, about the bronies freaking out about the episodes because a certain character magically grows wings... I mean, why do we watch the show in the first place? Because it's fun and entertaining and enjoyable. When it gets to not be like that, that's when I'll leave the fandom, not because Twilights house got blown up. I mean, you can tell the writers are trying new things, and I appreciate that. But it seems like the bronies are holding them back sometimes

EDIT: When I say 'not really' I really mean it. This fandom really isn't that bad at all. In fact, they're really accepting. But you know, nothing's perfect...

Also, when people say you can't be a brony because your a girl say "well I'm not not a bro, I'm a brony," them walk away

[Blueblood]

My go-to response to anything in the fandom opposed to the real theme of friendship is "Gilda, you're making Fluttershy cry again."

[Lux]

With interviews with voice actors or staff of the show I do hear the question often asked about when did they know about the fandom and what their reaction was to it initially. This I consider inevitable as this fandom is a rarity with taking off so quickly that it surprised many. So I don't think that alone is a sign of the fandom getting too big for its own good. Nor do I think two documentaries are a sign either as I personally am not one to judge what people do especially if its creative. Want to make a documentary or a video or a song? Go for it!

The main problem with the fandom I see can be summed up into one word: entitlement. There are some bronies (not all mind you as most I've met are rational enough) that feel that Hasbro owes them something because there is such a big fanbase around the show. When certain people see things in the show that they don't like, they go into Tantrum Toddler mode and complain to the point that there have been so many threats of leaving the fandom or even threats to Hasbro. This same mentality also applies to fan made creations like art, writing, movies and songs.

But entitlement sadly isn't just a fandom thing but a societal thing in my opinion. Why do we have so much greed, corruption, robberies and even murders? Entitlement! People feel like they deserve something even without working for it and in seeing others get away with it they feel that this is accceptable so they follow suit. And when they are denied their slice of the pie they will seek other means, going even as far as to break the laws. Couple that with people starving for attention, their fifteen minutes of fame. But I digress.

For me I largely ignore these entitled people in the fandom as the come in waves and then disappear as fast as they appear. As for the fandom as a whole, I don't think that everyone is spoiled like this nor do i want to throw out the whole idea of identifying with a fandom just because a few people choose to kick up a fuss. Most fandom members I've seen are actually humble and well-meaning.

nd in response to the idea of bronies only being males, personally I consider it a catch all term for all genders not just the guys.

[SteelEagle]

Most of the new documentaries are not made by fans but by those involved with the show. Of course, that doesn't change that there are self-entitled people in the fandom, not too different from most others. There are always people that make me go

[Harv0kz]

In my opinion, the fandom has turned from a community of people who watched the show purely for entertainment, and to seek content to "remix", discuss, and in the slightly more extreme case, embrace, to a band of over-zealous kids who look up to Hasbro and the team of of My Little Pony as a pantheon of based gods, but turn heretic when something doesn't go their way. (So yeah, similar to how some feel). The spark is not just there anymore for some of us "oldfolk" to the fandom, and when I look at these people trying to carry our short-reign legacy, sometimes I wish I never did.

Documentaries? One is fine, and another in a few years of real time as a comparison to our growth, but two within such a short span of time? Excessive. It just seems that we've gone to seeking attention when we don't need it. It used to be that people turn heads wondering why I'm wearing a T-shirt with Fluttershy on it, nowadays, people go "Is that a brony?". As much as I feel satisfied from showing off my pride and liking of the show, like with many other shows (some of my printed T-shirts and goodies drop references or are just outright identifiers), there's also a feeling of reluctance to accept that I'm being classed the same as xyz stereotyped brony: Male guy, usually zero social life, bar a fandom group, unkempt appearance, etc, etc.

Which raises another thing I'd like to add my voice to. IMHO, "Brony" is a gender neutral term, and "Pegasister" is up to the other half of the fandom if they want to use it or not. I know a few who have identified themselves as such, and some who just use Brony.

Also, in the modern day and age where internet reigns supreme, "Four Years" is no longer considered long, it's consider short. Very short. To bring a unrelated example in, we've gone from using desktops for everything, to using mobile devices everywhere in the span of a decade. It took pretty much a century for us to perfect flying, and we're still working on it. If technology can hop that fast, why can't a fanbase for a show? Although, just because it grows fast, doesn't mean it will mature, and that is what I think the fandom faces now, the issue of telling people to look before they leap into the pits of Tartarus. Remember, just because we've lost that spark, doesn't mean a newbie hasn't.

That's my opinion on the matter.

Nb: I've used "some" and not "most", because the later might imply me addressing a majority of the fandom. I haven't been in deep in the loop in a while, so my opinions may be skewed from general observations and short dives.

[FrankT]

It's almost totally corrupt.

[SunsetSombra]

It's almost totally corrupt.

That's so adorably hyperbolic it's hilarious - but just you carry on! :3

[MetalBronyATL]

Another thing is that I feel like most bronies think that this fandom has some sort of trancendence that other fandoms don't have. They think that this fandom is some sort of world-changing, groundbreaking phenomenon that everybody should look at with awe and wonder.

It's not. At all.

It's just another fandom. An unusual fandom yes, but still just a fandom.

[Glesando]

Well, when you say too big, that's kinda subjective to what you mean. The fandom itself is in my opinion, making a mountain out of a molehill. I mean, MLP RPing is fun and all, but nreally? Did this come from about 20 hours of programmes? The fandom is emmence, and is in the millions, even thought I hate to say the show's quality is depleting. It it depends on what type of bronies you mean.

You have your full closet bronies, that just watch MLP secretly, and that's that. You have your active bronies, which is most of us, since we talk and play about in the fandom. You have your contributing bronies, that make art and music for the fandom, and then you have... The stereotypical bronies. If you minus the stereotypical bronies and radicalist bronies, then we're really no different than any other fandom. I mean, Spongebob's fandom is over twice our size and nobody cares about that.

As long as we don't start stalking Lauren Faust demanding more MLP, we'll be fine.

[QuickLime]

Well, when you say too big, that's kinda subjective to what you mean. The fandom itself is in my opinion, making a mountain out of a molehill. I mean, MLP RPing is fun and all, but nreally? Did this come from about 20 hours of programmes? The fandom is emmence, and is in the millions, even thought I hate to say the show's quality is depleting. It it depends on what type of bronies you mean.

You have your full closet bronies, that just watch MLP secretly, and that's that. You have your active bronies, which is most of us, since we talk and play about in the fandom. You have your contributing bronies, that make art and music for the fandom, and then you have... The stereotypical bronies. If you minus the stereotypical bronies and radicalist bronies, then we're really no different than any other fandom. I mean, Spongebob's fandom is over twice our size and nobody cares about that.

As long as we don't start stalking Lauren Faust demanding more MLP, we'll be fine.

This fandom sends death threats to authors over disliking episodes I'm not sure the line is at "Stalking Lauren Faust" XD

[QuickLime]

Another thing is that I feel like most bronies think that this fandom has some sort of trancendence that other fandoms don't have. They think that this fandom is some sort of world-changing, groundbreaking phenomenon that everybody should look at with awe and wonder.

It's not. At all.

It's just another fandom. An unusual fandom yes, but still just a fandom.

Yes, that's one issue I'v had with this fandom recently (in general not as a whole) That they think they are some big, shining beacon of change, but they arn't ! They really REALLY arent..

[SteelEagle]

I think the weakest point I've seen brought up in this thread are the recent documentaries. These are documentaries made by show staff, yet in here they are getting attributed to attention hogging fans? There are plenty of reasons to be upset at some bronies. Let us not start getting super hipster.

[QuickLime]

It's mostly just, like one was enough por que two?

Though if the newest one doesn't treat female fans as a half flanked tackle on at the last second sorta thing I'd be cool with it !

[Ashton]

Another thing is that I feel like most bronies think that this fandom has some sort of trancendence that other fandoms don't have. They think that this fandom is some sort of world-changing, groundbreaking phenomenon that everybody should look at with awe and wonder.

It's not. At all.

It's just another fandom. An unusual fandom yes, but still just a fandom.

I somewhat agree and somewhat disagree with this.

This fandom *IS* unique, and it's forcing social change, slow and minor as it is. People are being to reconsider gender roles and equality again. Would this have happened even if FiM had never been produced? Inevitably, but perhaps not this soon. I will argue that the bronies are important in the large scheme of things, but I also agree that I feel at times that they are pushing too hard and they are ushering in their own destruction.

Someone above talked about the show not being for us and will never be for us. I also somewhat dissagree with that. Yes, it started out as a children's show, but it's evolving. The animators, writers, even hasbro itself is starting to pander more and more to us, slowly, but surely. While they are balancing both the bronies and the core demographic wonderfully - far better than any before have been able to, there will come a tipping point. Sooner or later something will happen that will decisively say either "This show is for kids, we've had enough, we're through with you" or "The bronies won, we're going to give up on making this a kids show at all and feature what THEY want" Neither one will end well because it will destroy either the fandom or the company. While it's clear from any search on DA, Youtube, or just Google itself, this fandom can survive even if cut off from Hasbro now (There are so many talented writers, animators, artists... we could take up the torch ourselves with but a little organization) hasbro cannot survive if it swings too far in our favor - they are a company that produces content and products for children, and parents will react if the show swings too far. We already saw this more than once. Ultimately I think G4 will be pushed aside for a new "just for kids" G5, but when it happens I dont know...

Of course, there is the possibility that they will manage to continue balancing - and I have no doubt they will for some time - but as bronies demand more, eventually they will slip. I worry this is a case of Mutually Assured Destruction.

On a more positive note...

This fandom is one of the most amazing that there has been, the sheer amount of content that it produces makes others pale in comparison, even my core fandom, the Furries, cannot compare anymore. The acceptance and encouragement that the fandom provides, emotionally, intellectually, financially, any possible way, is beyond anything seen before. Yes, there is a VERY vocal minority that is causing problems, as there will always be. Dig back as far as you want, every fandom has it's trouble-makers. The internet just gave them a place to voice their opinions. What was the opinion of the Tolkien fans before the internet? They were a bunch of dreamers with their heads in the clouds who could not face with reality and kept themselves locked in books in their homes. What about HG Wells? Asimov? (And mind you these two in particular ultimately ushered in new ages of scientific advancement) What happened when films began being produced decades ago? There will always be trouble - the populous as a whole will reject anything different, and the fandoms will push back, ultimately proving that they were wrong.

There are two sides to every coin. The bronies may feel entitled, and they may have their bad apples, but they also do a lot of good, both on a small, personal level by helping individuals, and on a global scale by forcing society to think differently about people.

We may not change the world right now, but we are forcing the ball to start rolling. Will some "internet historian" look back from ten, twenty, even a hundred years in the future and say we were something special? No, at least not in the grand scheme of things. But, will the social changes we are forcing occur because of what we start today? That I am confident in. Whether we destroy ourselves, the company that "created" us, or we just slowly fade into the sunset, we will still leave behind a legacy. Not a legacy of magical pastel ponies staring in bad fanfics, but a legacy of social change, forcing society to begin, ever to slowly, to move forward.

For that legacy, if nothing else, I say this fandom *IS* something special, and even with it's dark side, we should all be proud to be a part of it while it still exists, and remember it for what it changed once it's gone.

[SteelEagle]

It's mostly just, like one was enough por que two?

Though if the newest one doesn't treat female fans as a half flanked tackle on at the last second sorta thing I'd be cool with it !

My only point is that the newest documentaries don't really support the idea that bronies are getting too big for their britches/full of themselves because they aren't being made by bronies. They are being made by show staff.