This was one of those web cults that popped up on my WTF radar back in the day, but which I eventually banished to the LMFAO drawer with Furries and other weird, pedo-adjacent monsters. To my detriment, it seems, because I think you might be on to something here.
As far as the mystery of female fixation with riding horses, perhaps it's impolite to point out that the reason riding "side saddle" became a thing had something to do with biology (OTOH, not being a woman or a biologist, maybe I should shut up about it).
But, yeah, something uniquely weird was happening in the early 10's, and it seems bound up in the revival of weird toy commercials. Not being involved in any of these subcultures, I'm looking forward to your reporting and insights on the subject.
Well, I think we all had that inclination at the time, but as I fill out the second part and do more research, I think you're right - there is something here, and the more I see, the more I'm convinced of it. Even as someone who was there at the ground floor of it, so much is clicking in ways I never connected until now, but I suppose the old saying about hindsight is very, very true, which is part of why I decided to write on the topic and investigate it more.
Even more interesting is that I've been talking with my friends and other connections in anticipation for another article on other pieces of fandom from the 2010's and there really is this uniquely strange but incredibly robust creative energy, just the raw, unfiltered passion being channeled into creative endeavors, flowing through the internet at the time. It isn't just the bronies, but you had so many other colossal fandoms at the time that were churning out fan content at a level you just don't see today, and it really begs the question... what the hell was in the air then? Where did it go? Why did everything become so sterile , boring, and ossified? These are the questions that haunt me...
But thank you for the kind words and support. It's truly appreciated.
But, also, yeah, I definitely see what you mean about the whole side saddle thing. I'm neither a woman nor a biologist so I can't say you're on to something... but you might be.
I don't think I'll surprise you when I say that I didn't see the movie, so I'll have to take your word for it, but I think one of the show's stronger points, upon revisiting it, is the music. I'm not sure how well it would stand up to several hundred repeats if I had a kid who was really into MLP and wanted to listen to the songs ad nauseam, but every song I heard was pleasant, or at worst, inoffensive. And, for as harsh as I have been (and will be) on the community, I will admit that one of their better outputs was fan music, as well. There were songs coming out of the scene that still hold up pretty well.
In awe at the size of the arms on the lad in the boater hat in that Brony con photo. The women there, surprisingly enough, are not fat and all of them have arms larger than that man. I would think it would take hard effort to self-starve to get that skinny as a man.
Yes, I believe the term I've seen used to describe it before is "hungry skeleton", which is apropos in more ways than one. A lot of guys that thin, I think, have to have some sort of glandular issue, or just plain don't consume much outside of the occasional fast food meal or oven-cooked pizza. I used to live with a guy with such a build in college, and he was really only that thin for a lack of eating.
This was one of those web cults that popped up on my WTF radar back in the day, but which I eventually banished to the LMFAO drawer with Furries and other weird, pedo-adjacent monsters. To my detriment, it seems, because I think you might be on to something here.
As far as the mystery of female fixation with riding horses, perhaps it's impolite to point out that the reason riding "side saddle" became a thing had something to do with biology (OTOH, not being a woman or a biologist, maybe I should shut up about it).
But, yeah, something uniquely weird was happening in the early 10's, and it seems bound up in the revival of weird toy commercials. Not being involved in any of these subcultures, I'm looking forward to your reporting and insights on the subject.
Well, I think we all had that inclination at the time, but as I fill out the second part and do more research, I think you're right - there is something here, and the more I see, the more I'm convinced of it. Even as someone who was there at the ground floor of it, so much is clicking in ways I never connected until now, but I suppose the old saying about hindsight is very, very true, which is part of why I decided to write on the topic and investigate it more.
Even more interesting is that I've been talking with my friends and other connections in anticipation for another article on other pieces of fandom from the 2010's and there really is this uniquely strange but incredibly robust creative energy, just the raw, unfiltered passion being channeled into creative endeavors, flowing through the internet at the time. It isn't just the bronies, but you had so many other colossal fandoms at the time that were churning out fan content at a level you just don't see today, and it really begs the question... what the hell was in the air then? Where did it go? Why did everything become so sterile , boring, and ossified? These are the questions that haunt me...
But thank you for the kind words and support. It's truly appreciated.
But, also, yeah, I definitely see what you mean about the whole side saddle thing. I'm neither a woman nor a biologist so I can't say you're on to something... but you might be.
I'm pretty sure we all died in sin in 2012 and are all sharing a collective hell/purgatory.
That's my explanation for all this, at least.
A fascinating intro. Very excited to read the rest. IK must say I thought the movie from 2017 was really good, with excellent music.
I don't think I'll surprise you when I say that I didn't see the movie, so I'll have to take your word for it, but I think one of the show's stronger points, upon revisiting it, is the music. I'm not sure how well it would stand up to several hundred repeats if I had a kid who was really into MLP and wanted to listen to the songs ad nauseam, but every song I heard was pleasant, or at worst, inoffensive. And, for as harsh as I have been (and will be) on the community, I will admit that one of their better outputs was fan music, as well. There were songs coming out of the scene that still hold up pretty well.
"Cormac McCarthy, this is not."
Now my brain is trying to remix MLP into a McCarthy-style horror story. This is an upsetting development.
In awe at the size of the arms on the lad in the boater hat in that Brony con photo. The women there, surprisingly enough, are not fat and all of them have arms larger than that man. I would think it would take hard effort to self-starve to get that skinny as a man.
Yes, I believe the term I've seen used to describe it before is "hungry skeleton", which is apropos in more ways than one. A lot of guys that thin, I think, have to have some sort of glandular issue, or just plain don't consume much outside of the occasional fast food meal or oven-cooked pizza. I used to live with a guy with such a build in college, and he was really only that thin for a lack of eating.
That gif of the ponies being cast down to the lake of fire... ice skating is an evil act in equestria?