#4) Realize That Bronies Have More Than One Interest
Eventually, cultural commentators will figure out that watching one show and liking it doesn’t translate to “completely obsessed with it to an unhealthy degree.”
Of course there are people unhealthily obsessed with the show. But there are people unhealthily obsessed with any form of entertainment. Hell, in terms of unhealthy obsession, you can’t beat sports fans. When was the last time fans of any fictional TV show rioted? Why is nobody asking what the hell is wrong with them?
Step #5) Realize That You Don’t Understand These Guys Not Because Of Their Love of Cartoon Horses, But Because Being In Your Twenties is Way Different Now.
As we mentioned before, the bronies did a census and found that most bronies are single, male, and 15 to 29 is the largest age bracket.
For all the old people confused as to how a guy like this could find some joy in watching a bunch of talking horses, it’s not really that hard. Being in your twenties generally sucks. You’re probably broke, you’ve got between ten and thirty thousand dollars of debt to work off if you’re an average American, you’re dealing with relationships as an adult for the first time and likely making a miserable hash of it, and you’re probably working a job you hate that a monkey could do.
Escapism is the order of the day. I spent my early and mid twenties watching Mad Men, Sealab 2021, The X-Files, Bones, House, Burn Notice, The Venture Brothers… point is, you find something that makes your day-to-day a little easier, you get obsessed. And if you happen to be lonely and looking for friends, it’s just that much easier if the show has a subculture to get that much more into it.
In short, bronies are just people looking for a half-hour of fun. So cut them a break.
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Nope, sorry, bronies are weird ass people who wants to screw each other dressed up as horses.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are a few people out there like that, but… no.
That’s furries.
Hate to break it to you, but no. I’m a brony and find that a wholly disturbing statement.
I would argue with you, but you’re clearly too far up your ass to hear anything I say. Maybe if I write it down and stuff it down your esophagus, but that’s really improbable, seeing as I don’t know where you are, and the aforementioned head-ass-edness.
The only thing i understand is that those guys are, in the words of the immortal Patton Oswalt, gayer than 8 guys blowing 9 guys.
Ironically, most gay nerds I know aren’t into it.
so you’re saying it’s too gay even for gay people? wow.
Saw it on Netflix, figured my two year old daughter was a good enough excuse to watch it. It’s not bad. It’s not Futurama, but between that and my other options of wonder pets, and yo gabba gabba, I’d much rather watch the ponies.
Yo Gabba Gabba is one of those shows that really remind you the main difference between toddlers and stoners is that toddlers won’t eat all your Doritos.
Don’t bet on that, Dan.
The kids in my family can and will kill supersize meal with ease if you let ‘em.
Not that we let ‘em.
I buy Doritos in bulk. Ain’t no toddler alive that can eat my body-pillow sized bag of Doritos!
Gross.
and honestly,….[www.youtube.com]……sold me on it.
I love how cheap animation can be so easily cut together.
I was hoping this would provide me with some answers, but all I have now is more questions.
This is like the LOST of internet blog posts.
6) “Brony” is a dumb word invented by insecure guys who need to make their enjoyment of a cartoon targeted at little girls palatable to themselves. My 65-year-old mom is way past the age to be watching Hayden Panettiere cheerleader movies on ABC Family and she doesn’t give any fucks. Just accept that you’re watching a show for little girls and stop dressing it up as though you aren’t.
I’m sorry, you lost me somewhere around “Hayden Panettiere cheerleader movies”.
Yeah, sure, your *mom* is the one watching Hayden Panettiere cheerleader movies on ABC Family. Keep telling yourself that.
And that’s where you’re wrong. The herd started on an image board website called 4chan.org (extremely NSFW), where some guys watched the first few episodes of it to make fun of it, only to realize they liked it. It started to catch on amongst the 4chan boards, and as to call themselves something, they came up with /b/rony (/b/ is the random board), and /co/lts (/co/ being the comic and game board). Obviously, /b/rony won out. So, no, it is not to try to seem masculine for liking a show aimed at kids and their parents (Faust herself has said it is also aimed at parents), it’s just a little internet thing, almost like a meme, whereas it’s an inside joke. See you thought because it had “bro” in it, we cared what morons like you thought of our masculinity. But nope, there’s back story to it. Personally, I think you struggle with your masculinity, seeing as you’re attacking normal guys who just like a cartoon. I watch a talking pony cartoon, I freaking love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I’m not ashamed at all to admit that. I’m also an 18 year old USAF Combat Control poolee. Learn to educate yourself before you go off on a blind tangent. Good day to you sir.
When did our network become Pronie?
JOIN… USSSSSSSS….
In all seriousness, I’m mostly trying to stop the retarded think pieces in their tracks.
In my view, MLP has the bronies because of 4Chan. The hive mind that there can really support the brony culture.
That’s absolutely true.
Is there an Adventure Time Community I can join? (Besides Brandon’s Best and Worst posts, I mean?)
You know, how that show doesn’t have a massive adult fan base I’ll never understand.
It does. They just don’t call themselves by a nickname and pretend it’s a lifestyle.
Either way, I think that cartoon show with the cat and his fish-brother is the better of the three. (Just looked it up, Amazing World of Gumball).
My son got me into Gumball, Adventure Time and The Normal Show. All very well done.
There’s an avid fan following on 4chan’s /co/ board, the same place pony fandom started, as well as on Tumblr. But be warned, the hardcore Adventure Time fans in these places are at least as messed up as the pony fans there.
Ewwwwww… you watched Burn Notice?
What’s wrong with Burn Notice?
Yes. Yes, I did, with the full realization that every episode is exactly the same. Really it’s the cast that sold me.
You know that guy was in Blair Witch 2?
Redo some of the lead actors lines with a robot voice real quick… notice any difference? Also Gabrielle Anwar is now like 85% Leather.
Jeffrey Donovan actually has a pretty great range, in my opinion. Yeah, he was in Blair Witch 2, so what? It’s not like Bruce Campbell has nothing but a string of ingenious classics on his resume either.
My avatar notwithstanding, I don’t watch the show. But I do find the Youtube vidoes of the Ponies’ mental breakdowns very hilarious.
My opinion? If the Bronies love the show, let them. There’s a lot worse crap on television nowadays.
A very level and fair article. Though it seems quite a few of your commenters are still pretty determined to hate on it. I wrote my own article about why being a brony is perfectly natural if you’d care to check it out: [www.thegeekprofessor.com]
everything in this article is spot on. I only feel the need to add one thing. why are things such as rainbows and ponies considered by many to be girly? because those just happened to be things that were involved in the everyday lives of little girls for some period of time. but really that’s the only reason. people got set on that idea. but if let’s say teenage and twenty year-old males started enjoying some show and involved themselves in a fandom based on that show which both just happened to use those concepts, then it’s no longer just girly. when little girls watch it, it’s girly in one respect. but if teenagers and 20 year old men watch it, then it’s at the same time something else entirely.
What people forget is that things are called girly or manly depending on who’s associated with it. These are constantly changing definitions that we define. there’s no solid right or wrong, or girly or manly. If men watch a show, it’s manly. if women watch a show it’s womanly. if teenage boys watch a show it’s for teenage boys. if teenage girls watch a show, it’s for teenage girls. if little girls watch a show, it’s for little girls. but if men, women, teenage boys and girls, and little girls and boys all watch a show, then it is manly, womanly, girly, for teenage boys, for teenage girls, for little girls, and for little boys. is there a point in naming things based on who associates with them if people’s interest is constantly changing? I don’t see one. Just let people watch what they want. and if they want to express and celebrate a common interest, let them. there’s no rulebook on the subject. and no one’s hurting anyone else. everyone’s different. if people can be happy doing something different, let them be happy.
Good article. I think the pony thing has reached its peak if not gone past it already… but I guess that’s when the mainstream media shows up.
One little correction, Dr. Whooves was actually inserted by the staff before the fan memes started. There are lots of Dr. Who references in Lauren Faust’s previous show, Foster’s home for imaginary fans. They are doing lots of other fan memes like Derpy and Lyra/Bon-Bon pairing, though.
Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, I mean. My brain isn’t in gear today.
Haters gonna hate but that won’t stop me from loving this show