I'd say fursuiting would be something that warrants further consideration. :) Though I know it creeps your brother out (don't know why, Lauren is friendly, and a pony!) but I'm not sure what misconceptions are there in the first place. ;)

I do wonder what the MLP fandom sees insofar as its future. I know you guys mentioned how the bronies have something to center around, but that strength is also their flaw. Eventually, as all things do, MLP will drop off hasbro's radar again. When it does, the primary source for material goes away. There is no danger of that in furry, where we are vastly spread out. What does the brony fandom see five years down the road, assuming MLP lasts a few more seasons at least?

I'd like to see a little more consideration on fursuits, as many people who hear about the furry community see them as a sexual thing only, a fetish and nothing more, when really a majority of fursuiters make/or wear them for the enjoyment of others. And as a similarity, I've seen a lot of pony fursuits and such as well, but they aren't viewed as something gross or whatever. Just an idea.

Some have tried to claim that MLP has animal characters, therefore bronies are furries. I disagree. I've expressed the opinion elsewhere that being a fan of just one show, or one movie, or whatever, that includes furry characters, does not make one a furry. If one is a fan of enough such works to say, 'I'm seeing a pattern here', then chances are yes they are a furry, but lacking that, one show such as MLP does not a furry make. There are too many reasons why someone might like an individual work, which may or may not have anything to do with its use of animal characters. Therefore, being a brony does not automatically make one a furry.

I'd be interested in your brother's reaction to that viewpoint.

By a lucky coincidence, Mwalimu, our 2nd collab video focuses on just that point. :)