see you seem to be under the impression that people who surf FA have lives outside of the internet
this would be untrue.

so when even the tiniest thing changes and they don't like it
BY FUCKING GOD THEY WILL SCREAM AND SHOUT AND BANG THEIR HEADS AGAINST THE FLOOR TILL BLOOD COMES OUT OF THEIR EARS.

Oh. Right. That old chestnut. :(

and then in a week when it's gone, they'll say absolutely. fucking. nothing.

Children are starving in Africa. T_T

*pulls hair out*

yeah! my point exactly. there is so much shit out there that is better deserving of their ire and what do they focus on? the most trivial thing i can fucking think up.

logic is flawed here.

The big thing that people are mad about the banner over is because of the 100,000 pluss MLP submissions that are polluting their inbox's and the fact that people are freaking out about it. I feel that with all the MLP coming out in this torrent of content is what is making people angry about the banner. If the amount of MLP on the internet was not increasing at such a toxic rate people would have loved this.

people like shit
you can't tell them not to like it
and if you dont want to look at MLP fanart
dont
you'll have to wade through your submissions like the rest of us.

sorry bro
real world doesnt cater to your likes and dislikes, and neither will the internet.

You assumed that i am a hater. That is wrong. I greatly enjoyed the original MLP stuff. My grandparents had it when i was growing up. I rather enjoy MLP when it is done well and not just some silly template. Your avatar is an example of MLP that i enjoy because it is not the same pose spammed by 50k people just hoping on the content band wagon. There are several MLP items that are original:
http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&a.....ratos#/d2t5f2w is an excelent example of such content.

I used logic based on common reactions, amount of content, and locations of said continent to create a hypothesis about the perception of the community over the MLP banner.

I get all that, but I just wanted to highlight how I felt about the way it makes people behave.

I made this journal and tried to be polite about it, and I still got three REALLY bitchy, venmous responses. It just stuns me the vitriol that this whole thing brings to the surface. People go from decent to total jerkholes in 0.2 seconds the minute fads like this get brought up. It just really brings out the worst in people.

*venomous

I *AM* interested in your perspective on this, though. So you're saying it's really just a typical, knee-jerk "god why is this so popular" feeling that instills a sense of anger in people?

I felt that way about other fanbases in the past, for sure. I guess I just thought maybe this banner fallout ran deeper than that, since I don't really understand what's at the core of it.

It is a bit more the knee-jerking. The MLP fad has become a poison in the entire art world. Not just on FA. When there are millions of people MLP pics with out any consideration to whether or not people would actually find value in them. This breeds an environment of palatially justified hate. While i understand people do not care for MLP (modern), You have to remember that cute = viral on the internet, and when the source keeps pusing the "I'M CUTE BITCH" button billions of times an episode, it just gets worse and worse.

I gotcha. So it's sort of a "damn you conformity" situation that's compounded by the fact that it's not like, say, fashion or technology, but art, so it's drowning out other potential voices in a sea of sheepish following, which makes people angry?

Partially correct. Let us examine the evidence here:
MLP is one of the biggest mainstream fads on earth right now. Which means subcultures, like furry, who run from the mainstream despise it at a basic amount.
Art is used to express a point which the banner does very well. This means that people are reacting to the message that the art sent to them.
The intended message was, "MLP SUCKS! Take joy in this irony." but people saw , "WE are joining the MLP band wagon and forcing you to look at this shit all month"
There are 3.4 million MLP pics on da, fa, sofurry, and other various art sites, which means that people are being forced into viewing the content. THis causes more hate past the base
Finally, when the banner posted it set fire to the gas tanks of hate and it all exploded out wards.

Wow, that's incredibly astute. Thank you for explaining it -- I totally get it now.

But now I'm just left with a really sad feeling like... how the heck did so many people fail to get the actual message?

Don't be. It is not your fault they were idiots. Also sleeping for the first time in 4 days kind of helps a person think clearly!

Glad you're feeling better. >;3 I appreciate the discussion.

Oddly enough, I don't have an reccomendations for you. But I am curious on what you're reading. I might pick up some light reading in down times again and have no clue where to start.

Walking Dead, Locke & Key, and American Vampire are on my reading cycle ATM.

If by going by name alone, Locke & Key actually has my attention. It also is in the middle, and that's where my eyes started off at, actually.

Written by Joe Hill, Stephen King's son, and is Lovecraftian in nature. and great art. Check it out. ;3

I'm with you on this one. People make a far bigger deal out of the banners than they need to, and it's frustrating because it only takes a few clicks to block the image if one finds it that offensive.

A banner is a banner. Let them scream. We all have better things to do than to scream about ponies invading FA to the next level

Before you know it, one week will go by quick

I can't wait to see what people scream about next week.

The REVIVAL OF THE FAT BUNNIES!
lol

I just plainly ignore all the journals. Happy there is a Nuke button ^.^

And the best things is - you can click it without blowing up the planet

True XD

I don't get journals like that. :D

The masses.. Never happy!

To be honest, people seriously need to calm down over something so minor, its just a banner with the site mascot turned into a pony, its up for a week and it'll be gone. Its not like its going to be there forever or something. I'm also with you as well, even though I'm somewhat of a fan of the show.

Not to mention there's just no pleasing people >_>

I'm a huge fan of Lauren Faust and I think the show is really funny and has a lot of merit. I'm not a "brony" and I'm not really in touch with the online fanbase at all. I watched a few episodes and when I have kids in a few years, I'll be happy to let them watch it.

I guess I just don't get why there is even "drama" at all. It's so strange!

Likewise, I agree there.

Same here, it find it pretty strange there's so much heat over the banner.

On top of that, I tend to be quite wary of fans who are "Protective" over the show, I try to avoid to them as much as possible, but then again, I do see myself as a casual fan and not someone who eats, sleeps and breaths MLP. I guess that's just me.

If I were still in college, it would be excellent writing material! People who get protective over a fanbase to the point of writing heated diatribes really stun me.

Although I can't lie, I've gotten crabby before when something I liked blew up into popularity, but this seems like an altogether different animal (no pun intended).

Oh great. Another journal about the banner. I hate having to wade through these things!

XD Kidding, kidding! I agree with your whole-heartedly. I like the show and am using this week as a chance to post some stuff, but its just like that fat bunny week (which I despised but kept quiet about) or whatever comes up next.

And I never replied to the last journal. So sorry! IF you still have spots open I can note ya tomorrow?

Always open, but don't note, use my commission form. :) All the info's on my blog (there's a FAQ in my docket as well). http://holydust.wordpress.com

I don't understand the deal with fat bunny week, either. What's with the drama on that? They seemed cute. Yet I heard no end of bitching. I had no idea why.

I guess I'm just too old for this bidness.

Cool, will do when my eyes aren't burning. Getting waaaay late here.

I didn't mind it really, just always disliked bunnies in general is all. Its a personal thing and I was just put off. Don't know why others bitched so much. I like the idea of 'theme weeks' in general.

You ain't too old! If you be too old then I be ancient. -_-

Okay no but wait... you said you "despised it but kept quiet". You've "always disliked bunnies in general?"

Anya?

Indeed! She was my prophet and guide as to the true evil of the mindless furry virus that is bunnies. I <3 you for making that leap in logic! XD

Also, my cousin raised them. *shudder* And I had to carry, care for, and eventually kill one for a survival school. Twitchy little things, and the noises the make! You ever seen one open their mouth?! Bunnicula when I was a kid didn't help. Bah!

They scare me a little, and I've been bitten by one, and they don't seem to be very expressive (creepy), but I can't help but still not totally hate them, which is weird.

But yes. Anya is the shit.

I rarely read journals. One day goes by and there are 50 of them. I may do a quick sift through for names or subjects that I have interest in, but usually I just nuke them.

And I agree; it'll be something else a few weeks from now.
Oh, the irony that a site full of people who believe they are cartoon animals are so upset about a show full of cartoon animals. XD
Wait... is it irony? Every time I think I know what that word means, I realize that I've used it incorrectly.

I think this is a case where irony applies, yes, since it's the opposite of what would be expected.

This is exactly what I've been thinking. But I've seriously unwatched a couple of people because that was the last straw

I'm not going to lie, so have I. I just have a hard time not thinking: if someone is going to fly off the handle over something like this, do I really want to follow them at all?

Exactly. It's just not worth it.

kinda being hypocritical here. -I hate banner change day because everyone posts journals about it so im going to post a journal about it- <<

She's tired of seeing so many negative journals about it. She also said she does see the irony behind this journal she posted about it.

I get the indication you missed those two major points.

no i read them. doesn't stop the journal from being hypocritical. don't complain about seeing too many journals, be they positive or negative and then turn around and post a journal. Merely an observation...

Feel better now?

Thank you. I thinks some people just saw the title, skimmed the first sentence and immediately started pecking out bitchy responses.

i didnt notice the banner changed. i wouldnt care about this ' pony' bullshit if i didnt have to see these characters with floating vaginas and dicks attached to them somehow everyday i opened my submissions box. ive seen a couple episodes of the show. its retarded. dont get the hype.

This is pretty much the perfect description about why this MLP craze is so disturbing.

>.>

I had to think for a minute about what "floating vaginas and dicks" might mean. I actually pictured them like, hovering around their bodies like some kind of nightmarish version of a weapon that Dhalsim might use.

Yet you had to make a journal about it too.

Let me guess. You skimmed it, didn't you.

Simple solution, don't read journals, very rarely is there anything worth reading in them.

This journal is no exception.

Blanket statements make you look narrow-minded.

Props on the sneaky backhand, though.

at least they're finally figuring out that they can actually block the banner, so hopefully the bitching will ease up a bit

To be fair and honest...unless someone points out a banner change, I wouldn't even realize because firefox is set to cache and keep several gigs of webcontent because my net is horrible. I wouldn't think about hitting F5 randomly to see a difference in it XD
Still, pretty silly for people to take their oh-so-precious time to sit down and write a rant over a banner that's JUST THERE. It doesn't flash, it doesn't animate, it's just a little, innocent banner that doesn't annoy anyone unless that person dislikes MLP. My inbox has been having ponies and bronies in it for the past months, I don't care. The content is not really an issue if the art is well-done. And it's not hard to miss a pony in a thumbnail, so...easily skipped if need be.

>furries

EVERY JOURNAL SHOULD HAVE THIS ON IT


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdHuo1waI84

As for comics...

JTHM: Directors Cut (Because the JTHM comics in non-anthology form are harder to find and more expensive).
SQUEE's Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors

Both are by Jhonen Vasquez and are dark humor (but not disturbingly dark, content/environment dark, not "am I going to hell for laughing at this?" dark) and are in a very bold high-contrast black-and-white style.

The JTHM (Johnny: The Homicidal Maniac) anthology is more of a structured series and is complete with Happy Noodle Boy, where as SQUEE is mostly stand along pages. SQUEE also has some of his other works at the back (Meanwhile..., Wobbly Headed Bob, Filler Bunny).


Hope this helps!

It would, had I not already read both of those many years ago. :)

And I'm pretty sure I asked for "whimsical"... X3 I guess they're whimsical, but very dark. I'm thinking more... sparkly.

I totally Missed the "whimsical" part.

And so what if you read them years ago? I've read my JTHM so many times the binding is falling apart. >.>

I know, but I can quote them line-by-line. I'm looking for something new. :)

Pfft. I guess. :/

I find it aaalllll (the love -and- the hate) utterly hilarious. xD

I'm honestly really amused that I got three angry responses to this. People REALLY get upset when someone criticizes their vehement reactions to -- and I can't believe I'm saying this -- My Little Pony.

For the love of god, people are really fucking bizarre.

I know! I think its fantastic. All of it. ALL OF IT.
Like they can't.. not.. look at something. Its much too hard to avoid looking at something. No. Instead they make more of an effort to reach for their keyboard and type out a complaint. xD

I guess we all need something to be angry about. :( I just... I would have a really hard time not laughing if I realized that "My Little Pony" was at the core of any rant I was angrily composing.

I can't even say it without cracking up.

All this drama about it has been getting to the point of annoying rather then amusing.

I love the show, but I honestly do dislike most of the famdom for it. Why? Because they give everyone else a bad name. They force the show on others and go nuts if you don't like it. because of this, everyone hates everyone who likes the show. I don't appreciate being insulted just because I watch the show and if I draw mlps, I post it somewhere else :/

I just tend to be wary of rabid fanbases.

It's weird... maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I don't recall the Buffy fanbase having this kind of hate.

Twilight certainly does. MLP is the first one since Twilight that I've seen this big of a rift between the likes and the like-nots. I don't get it... I mean, yes, I hate on Twilight and I get why that makes people angry, but I also get why I dislike it. But I guess I see enough merit in MLP on its own that I don't understand why anyone hates it with the vengeance that they do. Maybe it's just a matter of perspective?

Is the rift in the MLP fanbase between the likes and the "likes way too much and makes the other fans look bad", and not actually between folks who simply like it or don't?

Is this an issue of "MY fandom! MIIINE!"? Is that all it is? Is the fury coming from the psychology of fanbase possessiveness?

It's hard to explain. I personally, don't consider myself part of the "pony fandom". Now, I love the show just as much and sometime I love doodling up some ponies. But I only talk about it to friends who also like the show.

I don't know why, but the fandom really sucks, especially considering it's supposed to be a happy show haha From what I've seen, most fans are: WAY too into it, will try to force ponies on you, start a witch hunt because you don't like ponies and throw bitch fits if you say you don't like, even when you say it politely. Honestly? I don't even like the art people do. It's very...unoriginal, even mine can be most of the time. There's a few I love but that's it.

Then of course you have that site that hates the whole thing with a passion. I guess it's from over exposure. There really is too much, and bad, pony art these days.

I've gotta hate before because I'm a fan of the newer ponies rather then the oldies. But why? I mean, it's kinda dumb to start foaming at the mouth because I like something you find annoying, when I personally don't do those annoying things. I find the banner funny, but I also feel meh about it. Every banner gets flack, just more so now.

Then another thing that's dumb: People are upset it's mlp week. But there's SO much art of it already, I doubt the amount is going to change.

Gosh, it just seems so silly that people waste so much energy being angry over something so trivial in the grand scheme of things. ._. It's not like this is anything new, this has been going on for a WHILE, hasn't it? Usually when FA staff jumps on something, it's a sign it's on its way out...

Exactly, at first it's entertaining, now it's just annoying and as soon as you say you like/don't like, no matter how normal and polite, you're jumped on.

And this is why if I ever doodle ponies, I post on tumblr.

I'm getting that now. It's clear that it's such a hot button issue that people are ready to leap down your throat without even hearing the rest of the sentence -- which would explain why a few here clearly did not read my full journal, or they'd have seen that I pointed out the irony in my posting the journal in the first place. :P "Oh, I did, but..." BS.

See, it's people like those -and the rabid-er fans- that make me feel ashamed to like FiM. I find the show great to watch, fun, and I love the animation and style.

But I have to hide it under a rock because people be crazy.

What this kind of stuff has taught me is that I just need to take certain steps in this situation:

1. Recognize that just because there have emerged crazy folks who like what I like doesn't make it a bad thing to still like it.
2. Realize that there are a lot more people out there just like me who now are probably keeping their appreciation for something quiet because they don't want to be judged as "one of THOSE people".
3. Find those people by any means necessary.
4. Continue to enjoy what I like, while poking fun at the late-comers and obsessees, because they aren't going to go away.

It's good to actually be able to figure all of this out, though. I feel badly for FiM fans who just want to enjoy it but have to pretend they don't.

Step three, ENGAGE.

But honestly, right now, I'm just laughing about how people on a site for anthropomorphic animals are bitching about a show full of anthropomorphic animals.

You are not the first to make this observation, but it still floors me every time I'm reminded.

It's just... really stupid, tbh. And makes NO sense. Then again... furries.

I will hang out here. YOU SEEM SANE. Can I hide under your umbrella? ;_;

You certainly may. It's a Blade Runner umbrella. *clicks on* This thing gets me so many stares in public. Too bad it hardly ever rains in Houston unless it's "oh god oh god we're all gonna die" season.

OOooh Blade Runner. Thumbs up :D You should move here, the UK is almosy always rainy. Then again your poor umbrella wouldn't know what hit it XD

I am the kind of person who would move to a rainy place just to get to use this umbrella, yes. >:D

Sweet. YOU CAN SHARE THE GAMESROOM.

haters gonna hate

I am actually keeping at tally on the number of journals I have read relating to banner change.

So far the count is...

6 journals expressing there dislike of the banner

10 journals commenting on the drama regarding the banner/that they don't care

All of these journals popped up in less then 24 hours.

Wow....

That's it? My total has been wayyy higher than that. X3

I guess I been watching the wrong people then. It is just an unusually high number I guess in my perspective.

People will bitch. It's what people do best. Other than kill each other.