(no subject)
This was posted on Tumblr, a bit long but very good:
For awhile now, there has been a very “us vs them” vibe to the pony fandom as collectors and bronies clash on all kinds of things. Before, I used to side 100% with the collectors side, and thought bronies were kind of annoying. But lately, the forums have been showing me a different side to all of this….I’m noticing more and more how blind the collectors are. They have blind devotion to hasbro- and that’s it. They don’t like fan made product and will (for the most part) only buy hasbro official merch. They complain about everything. “the bronies are too annoying. and stupid” “the quality of this toy is so bad” “I want more non mane 6” “why isn’t hasbro listening to us?” “why do the bronies get all the attention?” and so on. Now, I agree with some of their arguments. Pony collectors have been loyal to hasbro for a long time, and yet they hardly get any recognition or shout outs. And here is a new group of fans suddenly getting all kinds of attention? It does feel wrong.(and hasbro really does need to branch out and make more characters. The core 7 was a failure for a reason. But I don’t see a need to make every single merch thread a bitchfest about how they are only making mane 6 toys)
Then there are the bronies. Collectors will be quick to point out how they support rule 34, use ‘clop fics’ and do all kinds of ungodly things. This isn’t right either. In every group there are a few bad apples (I see this in the collector community as well) and it’s really not fair to judge an entire group on the few who speak and act out. Another common complaint is their disrespect for the older generations. Now, I know there are bronies who leave “kill it with fire!” comments on anything not G4, and yes, there are a bit of them who loathe the older gens for some reason, I have seen the insults that g1 are “hideous” etc. But I have also seen respect for these generations as well. Whenever I mention that I collect the older gens, I have been shown nothing but respect. Hell, even interest as to why I like them so much. It may not be their thing, but they respect that it is MY thing. Bronies are kind of taking over the fandom though, which has me a little sad. I fear for future ‘non brony’ pony conventions, like the fair. I also fear hasbro will stop catering to their main target market (little girls) and focus on the bronies instead. which is again, not right. A company needs to remember who it stands for.
Of course, there are problems with both groups. There are ignorant and rude people in both groups. No one is innocent in this, or any fandom. There will always be people who’s minds you cannot change. But it’s also important to see that there are good people there too. Group generalizations are not ok. And it’s not ok to judge someone instantly because of whatever camp they fall into.
In short, I now see the good and the bad in BOTH sides to this story.
Source: http://ponytoday.tumblr.com/post/35490665726/observations-on-the-pony-fandom
And a big fat neener to anyone who disagrees. Because ultimately, fighting about plastic, talking cartoon horses has to be one of the greatest exercises in futility.
For awhile now, there has been a very “us vs them” vibe to the pony fandom as collectors and bronies clash on all kinds of things. Before, I used to side 100% with the collectors side, and thought bronies were kind of annoying. But lately, the forums have been showing me a different side to all of this….I’m noticing more and more how blind the collectors are. They have blind devotion to hasbro- and that’s it. They don’t like fan made product and will (for the most part) only buy hasbro official merch. They complain about everything. “the bronies are too annoying. and stupid” “the quality of this toy is so bad” “I want more non mane 6” “why isn’t hasbro listening to us?” “why do the bronies get all the attention?” and so on. Now, I agree with some of their arguments. Pony collectors have been loyal to hasbro for a long time, and yet they hardly get any recognition or shout outs. And here is a new group of fans suddenly getting all kinds of attention? It does feel wrong.(and hasbro really does need to branch out and make more characters. The core 7 was a failure for a reason. But I don’t see a need to make every single merch thread a bitchfest about how they are only making mane 6 toys)
Then there are the bronies. Collectors will be quick to point out how they support rule 34, use ‘clop fics’ and do all kinds of ungodly things. This isn’t right either. In every group there are a few bad apples (I see this in the collector community as well) and it’s really not fair to judge an entire group on the few who speak and act out. Another common complaint is their disrespect for the older generations. Now, I know there are bronies who leave “kill it with fire!” comments on anything not G4, and yes, there are a bit of them who loathe the older gens for some reason, I have seen the insults that g1 are “hideous” etc. But I have also seen respect for these generations as well. Whenever I mention that I collect the older gens, I have been shown nothing but respect. Hell, even interest as to why I like them so much. It may not be their thing, but they respect that it is MY thing. Bronies are kind of taking over the fandom though, which has me a little sad. I fear for future ‘non brony’ pony conventions, like the fair. I also fear hasbro will stop catering to their main target market (little girls) and focus on the bronies instead. which is again, not right. A company needs to remember who it stands for.
Of course, there are problems with both groups. There are ignorant and rude people in both groups. No one is innocent in this, or any fandom. There will always be people who’s minds you cannot change. But it’s also important to see that there are good people there too. Group generalizations are not ok. And it’s not ok to judge someone instantly because of whatever camp they fall into.
In short, I now see the good and the bad in BOTH sides to this story.
Source: http://ponytoday.tumblr.com/post/35490665726/observations-on-the-pony-fandom
And a big fat neener to anyone who disagrees. Because ultimately, fighting about plastic, talking cartoon horses has to be one of the greatest exercises in futility.