Kapol wrote:Mr. Doctor Matt, How would you define a 'brony?' There is a reason I ask this.
I don't hate or love the show myself. To use my go-to definition of how I feel about it, I like it enough where I want to watch the rest but not enough to ever bring myself to do so. But one of the most annoying things is some of the fandom. It's not like I look down at people for liking the show. But, for myself, I think of 'bronies' as being the more 'bad example' members rather then anyone who like the show. I just consider those people who like the show, which I belong to as well. Hence why I'm curious as to how you personally define what a 'brony' is.
I consider a brony to be any person who actively participates in the fandom and/or considers their enjoyment of the show/participation in the fandom to be an important or defining part of their identity.
(And don't think I'm not aware of the irony inherent in using a RD avatar and
as my phone background while simultaneously implying that I don't consider the show an important part of my identity)
I tend to passively consume certain elements of the fandom (memes and reaction images mostly), but find myself so skeezed out by so much of the more core elements of the fandom (art/fanfic/clop) as well as the continued casual bigotry introduced by the 4chan element, and I just feel like I have to distance myself from it.
Maybe it's unfair to the other fans, but I hear the word "brony" I think of a 20-something unwashed manchild neckbeard in a fedora and a black trenchcoat jerking it to rarity/twilight fanart, and that isn't something I want to be associated with. at all.
And in truth, the "well-adjusted" portion of the fanbase (though I know they exist) aren't nearly visible enough to offset this negative stereotype. I look at pictures from bronycon, or various brony meetups and just think to myself, "I don't want anything to do with that."
Which is a shame.
-m