It's not about the fact that we seem to show off pony everywhere we go, that's just an excuse they latch onto. It's really about the social gender dynamics that Western society has established. Once these dynamics are challenged, these people fear that (gasp!) their way of life is being challenged, and they resort to any insult and tactic they feel necessary in order to get us to convert to their way of thinking. In a way, THEY'RE the ones doing the advertising. It's eerily similar to devout religious practices, in fact. By saying you disagree with their mindset, they'll say you're going to hell or some similar metaphysical punishment.
Not to get too off-topic, but this kind of knee-jerking reaction people have when said dynamics are challenged showed itself quite beautifully when the Supreme Court ruled state bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. The narrative of the religious right shifted from "haha, no marriage for homos!" to "HOLY *squee!*, WE'RE BEING OPPRESSED!" in the blink of an eye. The mindset that people are somehow divinely entitled to dictate how other people live, what they enjoy, what they can aspire to etc. is one I will never understand. Is respecting autonomy really such a foreign concept to a lot of people?
I think there is a big difference between not liking something and telling other people they can't (not shouldn't) like something. That's all I am saying.
There are always going to be people who hate on others for real or perceived differences in lifestyle. To my mind, such behavior has always indicated deep insecurity on their part. Most people just shrug and go on with their lives. The bottom line has always been if you're not hurting anyone else with what you do, it's really no-one else's business, and besides-you don't live in their opinion so who cares?
To be quite honest, it doesn't matter whether or not the term 'brony' comes into play. The reason 'haters' hate so much is because, quite simply, they just want to. If it wasn't for watching a kids show about ponies it'd be about watching a kids show about dinosaurs or maybe even people who like Nutella. There's a secret rule I've come to find that really sheds new light on everything. For everything that exists, there's someone who hates it. Setting aside the majority of 'haters' who are really just trolls looking to cause a bit of madness, people just love to hate things. That's why there's a lot of bickering when it comes to fandoms. I've seen Supernatural fans and Sherlock fans duke it out. I've also seen them collaborate to make something amazing. It's why xBox and Playstation fans don't get along. It's a feeling of power or ... maybe power isn't the right word. When a 'hater' comments, they're really just trying to make themselves feel better. It's a ... I can't really describe the feeling. They do it because if you're wrong, then conversely that would make them right. Have you ever guessed on a math question when the teacher calls your name and you get it right? It's kind of like that. To be quite honest, I don't really care. I wouldn't label myself as a brony but I wont' say I'm not. I enjoy the show just like I do Gravity Falls or Adventure Time. If someone gets a feeling of accomplishment by saying I'm weird or perverse then I say have at it. The fact of the matter is, I know I'm not hurting anyone for liking the show. I don't force my interests on others and I don't want them forcing theirs on me. I don't go out and fight holy wars in the name of "Celestia the high and mighty". I don't even bring it up in conversation with my friends who aren't interested in the show ... unless I want to aggravate them but that's just because I'm an instigator when it comes to my friends. I have no reason to feel bad for something someone else says about me. If I do then I'd have to assume I actually believe what I'm doing is wrong. I'm happy being who I am. If someone doesn't like it, I can always scroll down the page or put my headphones in. TL;DR - Haters are everywhere. Be yourself and be proud of it. Don't get mad, just smile. -Nights
