How The Internet and Social Media Nurtures The Inception and Growth of The Brony Fandom and Their Implications Towards Modern-Age Views and Readings

A study on how the Internet and social
media nurtures the inception and growth

of the brony fandom and their implications
towards modern-age views and readings
A study conducted by M. Fadhil Anshar
Submitted as an Extended Essay (Subject: English A- Category III)
A course component of the IB Diploma Programme
Audience participation data last collected at July 31, 2014
Interview conducted and last performed September 13, 2014
Final Submission February 2015
Examined May 2015
Author contact: me@fadhilanshar.com
Public Release Version
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.
PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION
Disclaimer
This document is made available for public reading and referencing for free and is licensed under
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. Any member of
the general public is entitled to unrestricted and free access towards the electronic copy of this document.
The public may redistribute (share) this document free of charge in an electronic format. This
document must not be printed nor reproduced in large quantities unless with explicit written consent
from the author, nor is it allowed to be used in for-profit intentions. Educational or academic use of this
document is permitted with proper citation and/or acknowledgements, and any substantial academic use
(as a case study or as learning material) is permitted, and a written consent is not necessary for academic
use. The author recommends an initial advisory written document in a form of email if the document is
to be implemented, referenced or provided within a large-scale academic usage or citation of the
document, such as dissertations or thesis.
This extended essay was submitted for marking and moderation to the International Baccalaureate as
part of the core course requirement. This essay has been moderated and examined by abiding all the
rules of the International Baccalaureate that is independent to the release of this document.
Contents in the document has been amended to redact sensitive personal information of the author as
well as any respondents not wishing to be quoted by name. Alterations to this document may include
omission of certain examinable material or content that is insignificant to the public. This document is
made available to the public at a time where all examinable materials of the curriculum has been
finalized and reported back to the author.
Contents of this essay may contain authorized copyrights, trademarks or intellectual properties which
are acknowledged, such as public responses, interview responses as well as citation of brand names. All
public response entries respects each participants rights to intellectual property, and must not be
amended without consent of the original participants. My Little Pony and associated trademarks belongs
to Hasbro Incorporated, and no copyright violation is intended while referencing the franchise on this
document. Company and website trademarks such as Google Inc. and Facebook Inc are referenced as
sources without any intentions of copyright nor name usage violations. Any mention of intellectual
property, trademarks or copyrights respects the respective owners of the licenses.
This extended essay was submitted for marking and moderation to the International Baccalaureate as
part of the core course contents of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and is an examined
material that is wholly copyrighted to the student and granted use access and property rights to the
International Baccalaureate, as stated in Article 6 of the Diploma Program General Regulations, as cited
below:
Article 6: Property and copyright in materials produced by candidates

6.1 Candidates produce materials in a variety of forms that are submitted to the IB Organization as part of the assessment
requirements. These assessment materials (hereinafter materials) include all forms of written work, audio and visual
materials, computer programs and data and, in certain cases, may contain images or voices of the candidates.
6.2 Candidates retain copyright in all materials submitted for assessment purposes, but by submitting those materials,
subject to article 6.4, candidates and their legal guardians thereby grant the IB Organization a non-exclusive, chargefree, worldwide licence, for the duration of the applicable jurisdictions copyright protection, to reproduce submitted
materials, to use the image and voice of the candidate where they appear on audio or video materials and to reproduce
any musical performances in any medium for assessment, educational, training, commercial and/or promotional
purposes relating to the IB Organizations activities, or to those related activities of which it approves. Such licences
shall become effective from the date of submission to the IB Organization.
6.3 Where the IB Organization uses these materials for purposes other than assessment, it may modify, translate or
otherwise change them to meet particular needs and will, in most cases, anonymize them before publication in print
or in electronic form. If the purpose of the publication is to focus on work of a particularly high standard, then the
candidate and school may be identified. In such cases, the IB Organization shall inform the school beforehand and
the school shall inform the candidate.
6.4 Under exceptional circumstances a candidate and/or a candidates legal guardian may withdraw the aspects of the
licence relating to use of a candidates work outside of an assessment context as referred to in article 6.2 for a specific
piece of work. In such cases the IB Organization must be notified in accordance with the procedure described in the
handbook. The candidate must submit a written notification to the schools DP coordinator who has the duty to inform
the IB Organization by the 4 General Regulations: Diploma Programme due date set forth in the handbook. In these
cases the IB Organization will use the material only for assessment purposes as defined in article 6.5.
6.5 Under the licence granted upon submission for assessment purposes, the IB Organization can electronically scan,
store or reproduce submitted materials in any media in order to allow the materials to be communicated to examiners,
moderators and any other persons involved in the assessment process or any subsequent appeals (including thirdparty vendors and/or services providers). The materials may also be used in the training of examiners. Materials for
which a candidate has withdrawn the aspects of the licence relating to use of candidate work outside of an assessment
context will not be placed in any IB Organization publications or for any commercial or promotional purposes.
6.6 Materials submitted for assessment, or reproductions of them, are either internally assessed by teachers in the schools
(whose marks are moderated) or externally assessed by IB examiners. Wherever the materials or reproductions are
held during their assessment, for example, by the school or a third party, they are always held on behalf of the IB
Organization and in a manner that is compliant with applicable privacy regulations.
6.7 All materials submitted to the IB Organization for assessment, and reproductions of such materials, become the
property of the IB Organization. Once the materials have been assessed, the IB is entitled to retain the materials for
record-keeping purposes or to eventually destroy them according to its needs and legal obligations.
6.8 Candidates are entitled to request the return of their externally assessed work, including a copy of their examination
scripts, provided such application is made for a May session by 15 September in the same year and for a November
session by 15 March of the following year. In all cases, to be valid the application must be submitted to the IB
Organization by the schools DP coordinator according to the procedures stated in the handbook.
For the complete International Baccalureate Diploma Program General Regulations document, please
see here.
The author strongly suggests any member of the public that would like to cite or refer towards this
document to explicitly state this documents final submission date as the publication date to avoid
confusion and/or claims of academic dishonesty set forth by any third party due to improper citation or
referencing of this document.
The author advises other International Baccalaureate Diploma Program candidates to use this document
as a reference of stylization and structuring of their extended essays, and does not recommend any
candidates interested in studying a similar field of study to execute a research similar to the one outlined
in this document or attempt to derive similar works within the English A Category 3 scope following
the contexts/study area set forth by this document to avoid confusion and verdict of malpractice by the
International Baccalaureate. Proper citing of the document is allowed.
This document was awarded a grade of B by the professional judgement of authorized moderators of
the International Baccalaureate based on the 11 marking criteria set forth by the International
Baccalaureate. Specific criteria definitions are unavailable for public access.
Please address any questions and/or queries directly to the author at me@fadhilanshar.com.
English A: Category 3
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, this Extended Essay pays respect as well as a token appreciation towards
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, all the show staff and those involved within the creation
of such novel literature worthy of unlimited textual development, even beyond its primary
purpose.
And of course, a hand for the bronies themselves, from which this essay would not have been
possible without the involvement of many of the folks that I had mostly only crossed paths as
a username, but still people that I can call my friends.
Id like to thank all survey correspondents that I could not mention and thank personally one
by one. Id like to specially thank my friends and acquaintances that Ive met from the
Indonesian Bronies Society, Singapore Bronies Society, as well as the MLPLounge Subreddit,
for being a dear community and provide generous contribution towards this paper.
Id also like to personally thank Jed A. Blue, who had personally responded to my questions,
heavily used within this paper, and who is also still writing a great plethora of analytical essays
about the show and the fandom, which came into great use throughout this paper.
Of course, sincere gratitude is owed towards my family and friends, for being in my perimeter
(outer or inner) during the entire course of my life as well as during the Diploma Program, for
which I guarantee timeless thanks and regard.
Lastly, Id like to thank my supervisor and EE coordinator, ---REDACTED--- and --REDACTED--- respectively, for their continuous support and coping up with the atrocities
risen from this paper.
Abstract
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a television show aimed at young, female target
audience, however has attracted the interest of older male audience as well as culminating an
extensive eclectic community. The bronies, male fans of Friendship is Magic, is a fandom built
fundamentally through the internet, originally as a mindless quote in the internet forum 4chan
that ended up spreading through the internet significantly in the form of various texts. This
essay studies this effect, investigating how the internet and social media nurtures the
inception and growth of the brony fandom and their implications towards modern-age views
and readings.
A research is sent out to brony communities studying how they came to know the show as well
as how being in the brony fandom has affected ones media interaction as well as their readings
towards ideas, beliefs and literary texts. Primarily, respondents show their discovery of the
fandom through Youtube, Facebook and Memebase as well as respondents acquaintances.
Such websites are socially driven and propagate the show in form of developed texts, such as
memes, captioned images, edited videos, and the like. Propagation of such texts to social
networks arouses interest towards the show.
Nowadays, the bronies are an able community producing various texts on its own, inspired or
developed from the show itself. Artwork, music and fanfiction are not rare and are propagated through
the internet. Additionally, the internets accessibility and ease of communication of ideas aid the fandom
as fans could find each other online and create arts, making it their primary means of communications
Bronies serve as an example of changes in modern views and readings as they allow themselves to
tackle existing stereotypes and falsifications of media with open-minded insight and significantly broad
readings of ideologies or beliefs, well reflecting the open-ended, non-linear properties of the internet.
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 1
Body ................................................................................................................................................. 3
Part 1: Research Methodology and Respondents ............................................................................ 3
i.
Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 3
ii.
General Correspondence Overview .................................................................................... 5
Part 2: The Show, Social Media and Growth of the Fandom ........................................................... 6
i.
Discovering the Primary Text ............................................................................................. 6
ii.
Developed Text and the Primary Text ................................................................................ 7
iii. The Developed Text and the Fans ..................................................................................... 10

Part 3: Implications towards modern-age views and readings ....................................................... 12
i.
The Primary Text, The Brony Community and Acceptance of Ideologies ......................... 12
ii.
Developed Texts, Views and Readings ............................................................................. 15
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................... 18
Appendices...................................................................................................................................... 19
Appendix 1: Extended Response: Jed A Blue ............................................................................... 19
Appendix 2: Responses Used in the Essay and Recommended Responses for Further Reading ..... 23
Appendix 3: Insightify Questionnaire Sample and Explanation of Choices ................................... 29
Appendix 4: Survey Data Tabulation ........................................................................................... 33
iii
Introduction
Fandoms, a portmanteau for fan kingdoms or fan bases, is a name given to a large
magnitude of people with a common interest, most usually towards a specific media.1 Fandoms
are born for the ability to interact with the interest of others, establish communities, and create
fan labor - articles made by fans related to their fandom, physical and digital. With the growth
of the internet, it allows fans to congregate online as a method for creating a space wherein
they can cheaply consume, create, and share their culture, much as they had done prior to the
implementation of online media only with a greater connectivity and speed. 2
One such fandom born through the major involvement of digital media are the bronies3,
fans of the ongoing Hasbro-owned American television reboot My Little Pony: Friendship is
Magic. Since its inception, it was aired on US television channel The Hub, owned by Discovery
Networks and Hasbro Inc.4 Beginning October 2010, Friendship is Magic tells the tale of the
lives of six main characters which has to endeavor through adventures and conflicts as the
series progresses.5 It contains conventions found in the cartoon genre, such as light writing,
messages, humor, comedic relief as well as universal themes, being it originally addressed
towards young audience, despite of ex-director Lauren Fausts audience of little girls and their
parents to enjoy.6
"Urban Dictionary: fandom." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
"The Dynamics of Fandom: Exploring Fan Communities in Online Spaces | Myc Wiatrowski Academia.edu." Academia.edu - Share research. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
3
An informal internet portmanteau from the words brother and ponies.
4
"Hub Network : Discovery Communications." Discovery Communications. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 July 2014.
<http://corporate.discovery.com/brands/us/hub/>.
5
"My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (TV Series 2010 )." IMDb. N.p., 26 Apr. 2014. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1751105/>.
6
Lauren Faust is the original director of the show and has left the production team of the show after its first season.
An interview with her is available on the following documentary:
Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony. Dir. Laurent Malaquais. 2012. Big Focus
Television, 2013. Film.
2
Bronies is a fandom that is comprised of a larger body of men, usually teenagers to

young adults, and a smaller body of women. A study in the United States covering 21637 fans
has shown that 84.4% of correspondence identify as a male, while 15.1% identify as a female. 7
This fandom has grown entirely from the internet; originating from the infamous 4chan image
board8 and finding its way through other mass social media. The growth has been exponential,
to an international level, existing in any major online social networks. Fandoms have grown
and thriven through the means of social media, and the bronies are no exception.
Thus, this leads towards the research statement: A study on how the internet and social
media nurtures the inception and growth of the brony fandom and their implications towards
modern-age views and readings. Media itself is defined as the main means of mass
communication (especially television, radio, publications, and the Internet) regarded
collectively,9 and the term social media is the means of communication through digital,
internet-based social networks.
The essay uses various primary research which would bring forth discussions to cater
towards the research statement imposed, with the brony fandom as developed text, interpreting
and referring to that of the primary text, Friendship is Magic. The approach is simplified by
dividing the essay into three parts: An overview towards the primary resources and statistical
correspondence towards the research, discussion of social media and growth of the brony
fandom in relation toward the context of social media and media usage trends, and lastly, an
Taken from the 2013 study. Cited values does not include correspondence refusing to identify their gender. MLA:
Turner, James. "2014 State of the Herd Report." Herd Census and State of the Herd Report. N.p., 15 Feb.
2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
8
"The Unlikely Origins Of The Brony, Or Bros Who Like 'My Little Pony'."Jezebel. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
9
"media: definition of media in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)." Oxford Dictionaries. N.p., n.d.
Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/media>.
analysis of how treatment of the media allows implications towards modern-age views and
readings, within the context and as justified within the brony community.
Body
Part 1: Research Methodology and Respondents
i.
Methodology
This research is supplemented by direct input from primary sources; bronies
themselves, which would form most of the material discussed in this essay addressed in the
form of an online survey on a web service Insightify. Involvement of any bronies allows a
sample representation of the general populations internal view towards the fandom.
The survey is designed looks for the following qualities, formulated to relate to one
another:
General correspondence, providing a general background to show the majority

of correspondence in terms of the strict census specification of a brony (male
audiences of the show above tween age) or as part of the target audience.
Point of entry of to the fandom, showing which social media sites which
correspondents firstly encountered media pertaining towards Friendship is
Magic.
Personal outline of the effects of media interaction and engagement towards the
bronies.
The extent in which correspondents feel media has affected communication of

ideas, perception, thoughts and readings towards ideologies, beliefs, and other
texts.
Most of the analysis of bronies and their stance towards views and readings is primarily
developed from inputs of the survey, being it provided by those directly concerned within the
subject matter of the research. 10
Propagation of the survey utilizes the most prominent means known by the candidate through Facebook and Reddit. On Facebook, the survey was submitted to the domestic and
regional groups Indonesian Bronies Society and Singapore Bronies Society. The survey is also
published towards the Subreddit 11 r/mlplounge12. This is dubbed as the international division
of the survey, as visitors of the Subreddit are of varying nationalities and origin. 13
A published author, Jed A. Blue, contributed as a primary source towards this paper in
an email interview. He is a D.C.-based technical writer which also authors the blog My Little
Po-Mo, an assorted portfolio of critical analysis mainly focused within extrinsic analysis of
Friendship is Magic through multiple analytical literary approaches, postmodernism being a
prominent approach which is featured as the namesake of his works.14 Blue published a
collection of essays titled My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony
Friendship is Magic, with a second installment coming late 2014.15
10
A copy of the questionnaire is available in the Appendix 3. Please refer to the Appendix for further illustration
on how the survey works, and actual questions addressed to respondents.
11
Subreddits are best described as separate boards or topics in Reddit. In this case, MLPLounge is dedicated
towards social discussions and general communication platform outside the immediate topic of the show for fans
12
MLPLounge; Est: 1860." reddit. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. <reddit.com/r/mlplounge>.
13
Insightifys system registers any visits to the survey, regardless if the visitor finishes the survey or not. 127 is
the actual value of correspondents who has went through the survey, as calculated responses towards the last few
questions. See appendix 4 for a general outline of responses.
14
My Little Po-Mo. Jed A Blue, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://mlpomo.blogspot.com/>.
15
Blue, Jed A. My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Season
One. VA N.p., 2013. Print.
ii.
General Correspondence Overview

In practice, the survey was conducted between the months of June-July 2014, collecting
127 complete responses against 143 census-only responses across all three divisions. 16
Tabulated data below outlines the general correspondence of the survey in terms of gender and
age.
No. of Correspondents
Graph 1.1: Correspondence Age

Group
(n=143)
100
88
Graph 1.2: Gender

(n=143)
13.29%
80
60
34
40
86.71%
15
20
4
0
<10
11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40
1
40>
M
Age Group
General census correspondence indicates a greater range of correspondence stand

within the age range of 16-20 years old, with the younger target audience age of 11-15 and 10
and below being second and fourth most populous scales within the correspondent audience.
The involvement of the shows target audience was also reflected in this response as a small
amount of correspondence within the survey. Such correspondents are accepted, as female
consumers of the primary text does exist, albeit a minority in the census of the community. The
data is also conclusive towards the majority of those who responded: a greater percentage of
males indicates a stronger male presence within the premise of the survey.
16
Census responses are outlined as responses only to gender and age group, as Insightify saves any progress
any respondent inputted even without finishing the survey. For more information, see Appendix 3 and 4.
Part 2: The Show, Social Media and Growth of the Fandom

i.
Discovering the Primary Text
Friendship is Magic has its main means of propagation through The Hub and several
other pay-to-view services such as Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. The show has,
however, found its way to websites such as YouTube, propagated to other websites as it
circulates freely across the internet. The spread of the TV show to the internet has become a
great benefactor towards the recognition and discovery of the show for many. Statistical data is
collected within the general survey to outline from which medium correspondents initially
discovers Friendship is Magic.
1718
GRAPH 2.1: FIRST MEDIUM OF DISCOVERY17/18

Kaskus (domestic
Directly from The
Hub/Hasbro Other Internet only)
0.68%
Wikia (MLP Wikis, 1.35%
4chan
Forums
etc)
4.05%
7.09%
9gag
0.68%
3.04%
Acquaintances
3.38%
Reddit
6.08%
Facebook
13.18%
Family/Relatives
2.70%
Twitter
0.68%
Friend
15.54%
Imgur
3.04%
Google Plus
0.34%
Youtube
23.99%
17
18
Memebase/Chez
burger Network
8.78%
StumbleUpon
1.01%
Equestria Daily
4.39%
See Appendix 3 and 4 for statistical details

For brief information about each specific websites/sources, please Appendix 3.
It is shown that 78.38% of the correspondents proclaims their primary point of entry
directly social media sites. However, 21.62% of responses also shows the majority of
correspondents initially introduced to the fandom through information from an acquaintance or
a significant other. One correspondent stated that he took the novel idea of watching the first
few episodes to tease a friend who was interested in it, but ended up following the show
altogether.19
With YouTube as the statistical modal point of discovery, followed by friends and
Facebook, this shows the contribution of user-content within online media channels. In contrast,
few had actually discovered the show through its intended primary means of propagation
directly from the TV. Accessibility of digital content from websites and media services is
preferred instead. The TV still as the primary media of delivering the primary text, however the
process is made indirect by the participation of digital and social media.
ii.
Developed Text and the Primary Text
Developed text fan works, arent necessarily just any output that the bronies create
it is defined as media that is processed in reference to the primary text, be it memes, video, or
artworks as long as it conveys or shows a reference to the primary text, obvious or implicit,
contributing to development, creative or intellectual, of meaning in the text.
19
See Appendix 2, Question 2, International Regional, 11
A correspondent noted the following:

There were a few videos on Youtube that referenced the show, I think it was
like 3 different videos over several months. Eventually I had to see what the
fuss was all about...20
Other responses towards the question also show a similar trend which follows the initial
discovery of the show.21 The involvement of developed text in form of digital videos also helps
propagation of the show, and involvement of references in developed texts requires prior
knowledge towards the primary text. Through this lack of information, correspondents are
stimulated to infer more about the primary text, which is the general cause-effect which could
be detected in most survey responses addressing discovery of the fandom.
Correspondents also note that they have been engaged within a series of developed texts
which derived their interest towards examining the primary text through posts on Memebase,
Facebook posts, 4chan, and other sites.
Firstly, 4chan, an image board22, is the primary website in which bronies originate, in
which posts could remain anonymous, without screen name identification. Users can post
without providing their identity. The anonymity image boards such as 4chan delivers allows
the conversation of ideas in anonymous sense. Friendship is Magic was posted by an
anonymous user as a measure to mock the reboot without showing identity, although at the end
the community ended to embrace it 23. Several other exemplars of websites which delivers the
ability to share various types of internet-texts, include websites such as Reddit, as a place
20
See Appendix 2, Question 2, International General, 34

See Appendix 2 for further information.
22
An imageboard is a kind of forum that focuses around the posting of images. "Urban Dictionary:
imageboard." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2014. <http://www.urbandictionary. com
/define.php?term=imageboard>.
23
Chapter 30. Blue, Jed A. My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony: Friendship Is
Magic Season One. VA N.p., 2013. Print.
21
where users can share bookmarks of other websites and ranked by other users. So are other
instances such as Memebase, generally classified as a meme aggregation website. YouTube
serves as a bridge that delivers the contemporary audio visual media in forms of TV, movies,
and short clips towards the digital front, while Facebook is the aggregate social network where
users could interact with any type of digital media. Being places where anyone could post
anything, in which content is voted upon by fellow users, these user-oriented websites creates
the affinity of propagation of information in various texts to any viewer, in the broader context
of the most popular topics of the internet.
A recurring trend in survey responses shows the involvement of posts in forms of memes,
image macros, videos and discussions which implicitly or explicitly refer towards the primary
text. These are specific types of internet language style, jargon, syntax and conventions, found
anywhere on the internet. Specific style has been developed as a method of social
communication that breaks off from the literary conventions of social communication known
before the internet.
The ability to express within unconventional style led the transition of communication
within the plane of the internet, with text types being replaced by texts easily propagated and
consumed through the internet such as digital audiovisual files, which has been typical of casual
social interactions of the internet, providing a novel and lasting communication style
enabled by the internet. The reduced need of expression through words, in substitute of other
forms of media to communicate, show the significant changes in the methods of communication
within the internet and social media.
iii.
The Developed Text and the Fans

The primary text is perceived to have high literary value, which also plays a role of
building the interest of audiences directed from various sources. Correspondents statistically
chosen that some of the best values that attracted them towards the show includes the animation,
comedic value, characterization, and the messages it conveys24. Remarks also state that it is a
refreshment against the typical conventions of a girls cartoon, stereotypically outlined to be
inoffensive yet bland advertisements.25 It brings forth literary values embodied, which
embraces height of literary value of the primary text helped set a distinguishing margin of
Friendship is Magic.
The literary values and the ability of accessing the primary text online makes it easier
to develop fanonical26 interpretations and artistic outputs from the primary text, which may
convey to or alter conventions which are delivered within the primary text. The fandom
operates within the scope of the primary text, but it takes through the notions put forth by the
intrinsic context of the primary text characters, events, conflicts, settings, and the like to
create developed texts of all text types, which would require basic understanding of the primary
text.
Artistic work is a greatly appreciated developed text within the fandom. The website
fimfiction.net is a community-built repository of all fan fiction pertaining towards the primary
text with an extensive collection. Visual artists also share common ground within the
24
Please consult Appendix 4 for actual values and Appendix 3 for further details.
Chapter 3. Blue, Jed A. My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Season One. VA N.p., 2013. Print.
26
Fanonical/Fanon: An informal portmanteau of fan and canon, it is fan based ideas which is not evident in
the primary text. "Urban Dictionary: fanon." Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2014.
<http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fanon>.
25
10
development of the primary text. The art website DeviantArt is part of various websites in which
artists could submit their artworks, and is frequented by many pony artists. To a further
extent, several artists went to creating animations, such as Snowdrop by Silly Filly Studios,
which could be considered mimicking the style of Friendship is Magic in terms of animation
and conventional aspects.27 Independent musicians could be found on YouTube, SoundCloud
and Bandcamp, producing music consumption within the fandom. Blue commented in this
respect:
this democratization of art combines with the ability to form a community around a
relatively obscure work to create a sort of folk culturein which the Friendship Is Magic
show itself forms a sort of core myth-cycle, surrounded by music, art, animation, and fiction
created by the fan28
The trend that is visible in this sample of contributions towards the fandom is the heavy
involvement of social media. Websites such as DeviantArt, YouTube, FimFiction, SoundCloud
and Bandcamp are all user-based, showing how social media is highly essential in promoting
such developed texts. Even though some fanon works may be located outside of the context or
conventions of the primary text, components of the primary text is still a large influence on how
these fanon works are constructed all based on the qualities and interpretations derived or
inspired by the primary text, Friendship is Magic.
27
"Snowdrop." YouTube. Silly Filly Studios, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=do6RDSwaWek>.
28
See Appendix 1
11
Part 3: Implications towards modern-age views and readings

i.
The Primary Text, The Brony Community and Acceptance of Ideologies

Considering the conventions of the primary text as outlined in Part 2, the community is
mistakenly regarded due to the nature of the primary text. Friendship is Magics fuels
misconceptions for its antique fandoms properties, facing negative reactions through the
lenses of stereotypical judgment. Gender roles has been a repeated problem within the initial
perception of the bronies, being noted the contrast with those enjoying the media. The brony
community perseveres through accepting ideas in an open-minded stance, and the ease of doing
so is reinforced by the primary propagation medium that it uses. The internet, as a dynamically
evolving media, provides the suitable framework for the dynamically evolving fandom, without
the worry of being denounced by gender roles and stereotypes.
Benzley Lee, a survey correspondent, commented:
the brony fandom have challenged the gender stereotype that society had... Many
people have labelled individuals in fandoms to be escapists, homosexuals, or even
perverts. This may provide us, to some extent, a view of how a society may view such
people, be it with prejudice or not... 29
Survey opinion entries indicate where the extent of this stereotypical assumption is
heightened before correspondents curiously researched for the primary text, then promptly
dismissing any skepticism of the primary text. However, this dismissive method is not to be
read as a hostile treatment towards stereotypes by the fandom more of a different approach
towards perceiving this stereotypical thought in conjunction of reason.
The fundamental acceptance of open-minded perspectives within the fandom perseveres
to be the primary key towards understanding the primary text, and those engaged towards it.
29 29
. See Appendix 2, Question 7, International Regional, 5. Identified with permission.
12
Acceptance of ideologies within the fandom journeys further than the concept of openmindedness within the process of texts. Reconsidering the fact that the bronies are dominantly
internet-based in terms of social communication, the platform of the internet itself allows
exchange of distinctive ideas from multiple points of views.
This opinion was also strengthened by other correspondents within the survey divisions:
When you look at things from all sides, you get a better understanding of the situation
in whole The fandom has helped me see that someone can like something that I find
odd and still be a good person.30
The messages embedded within the primary text also encourage the community to do
just so. The primary text oftentimes inscribes messages incorporable within social interaction
in our daily lives, following its literary theme of companionship. Global values such as caring
for others, avoiding social disparities of any sort, good will, and the importance of community
respect are several of the many messages contained within Friendship is Magic.
Ironically, this does not alleviate the possibilities of creating internet groups even
under the overall arch of the brony community or, likewise, outside the context of fandoms
which are isolated in terms of thought and motivation. Even within the context of the fanbase,
discrepancies also occurs between a specified group of bronies to another, as those involved
may not realize that they have been bound into a specific area in their community in which
relational conflicts could be commonplace. Blue explains in the following:
On the one hand, it is an invaluable tool in terms of access to new ideas
and information. However, that ability to connect with likeminded
individuals means that the Internet also makes it very easy to shut oneself
away from the rest The result can be an echo-chamber effect, where
people become more polarized and set in their ways because so much of
their interaction is with people who think similarly. 31
30
31
See Appendix 2, Question 5, International General, 47.

See Appendix 1
13
A visit in brony groups is a good example of such conflict. As an administrator of the

Indonesian Bronies Society as well as member of other groups, the candidate has witnessed
collective buffering towards various changes brought upon of the primary text, such as
shipping32 or character development (such as the aftermath of Magical Mystery Cure33) in
which members could argue or even become hostile to one another due to conflicting ideologies
pertaining to show canon context or even towards general, non-text-related, structural
community problems, often causing disparities between members. Discrepancies like this
challenges the prided virtue of open-mindedness required which were generally foregrounded
as the primary property of the community in the first place.
An open mind is an indispensable tool within exploration of ideas roaming in the
internet, but this does not mean groupings of people with similar interest may not always
provide positive connotations towards open-mindedness. The dynamics of the internet allows
the fluid movements of whatevers propagating through it ideas, information, opinions,
moving at what Marshall McLuhan would consider electric speed 34. The dynamics of the
internet helps understanding of the dynamics of the bronies, their attitudes towards ideas and
the manipulation of the primary text as means of social communication across the community.
Internet vernacular: shorthand for relationship pairing, usually used to describe a persons favorite pairing,
be it romantic or platonic, of characters in the primary text.
33
Magical Mystery Cure: Season 3 Episode 13 (S3E13) of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. In this episode,
the main character, Twilight Sparkle, evolved from her original physical appearance of a unicorn to an
alicorn which, in the show canon, signifies her passing towards royalty as a princess. Dubbed as
Twilygate, this event stirred controversy on the fandom for or against the characters imminent
transformation.
34
MacLuhan, Marshall. The Medium Is the Message. Corte Madera: Gingko Pr, 2005. Print.
32
14
ii.
Developed Texts, Views and Readings

The primary text provides ample legroom for fanonical expansion of the existing realm
(as outlined in Part 2.) Within the derivation of developed texts, there are three roles emplaced
by the employment of various views and readings; The first being readings of the primary text
by individuals creating the developed text, the extent in which the internet and social media
affects the readings of primary and developed texts and lastly, form views expressed from the
developed texts towards the media within the texts and beyond it.
The communities built through social media creates friendships over distances
conversed into a specific medium of interaction. A correspondent remarked that the physical
divide between people could be symbolized as wall or abyss, where the internet is a metaphor
for the bridge or the wall that could help me draw a bridge that abyss or bypass that wall.35
Parallelism between the developments of the internet in relation towards the use of the social
media arises a contrast that highlights the evidence of digital citizenship or the net-generation,
allowing bronies to be connected and acquaint others which could be separated by literal
oceans. Blue highlights the application of the internet as a social media reflects a tendency of
the young to think of people as nodes in a vast network, distinct yet globally interconnected.
Secondly, bronies consider their virtue of open-mindedness and the rarity of developed
texts to be an important characterization of the social media, identifying with their qualities in
developing a larger scope of thought. Bronies decided to keep the novelty of their community,
and strengthen the bonds in which it identifies itself as a community of people under the
influence of one primary text. Benzley Lee noted the following:
35
See appendix 2. Question 6, Domestic, 57.
15
I believe that fandoms are a significant part of society As a way to connect people
with one another, to help people discover themselves, to help people make a positive
impact around them, that's what being in a fandom can do36
Even while considering the existence of parts of the fandom which had negative
attributions towards the macro perspective of the fandom from an outsiders point of view,
bronies do not neglect the importance of drawing the greater comparison before generalizing.
The addition of intrinsic values is also evident in the fashion bronies interpret themselves.
Revisiting open-mindedness, the community requires the subtlety of wide perception in order
to be fully gratified.
Lastly, bronies reflects the general transformation the media. The liberalization of
media from one-way communication protocols, from the printing press, to electronic radios,
TV, and interactive medium such as the internet, the gradual increasing hotness of media has
also drawn a relationship towards the liberation of the arts and human expression as an
extension of the nervous system, as Marshall McLuhan puts it.37 While it is always possible
for anyone with sufficient time to attempt creating art in all sorts of medium with the Internet
anyone can seek out an audience. 38 The internet has opened up pathways for people to share
their arts be it literal artworks, writings, opinions, and ideas all with the ease of
communicating and further developing their artistic renditions. The ability to do this brings the
liberation of thought within the realm of the internet. The bronies, who artfully found a liking
within the realm of fictional cartoons and development of developed texts, are one of the many
examples found within the scope of the medium.
36
See Appendix 2, Question 7, International Regional, 5. Identified with permission.

38
See Appendix 1
37
16
Conclusion
Through the growth and popularity of the internet and social media, the ability of
transmission of information, thoughts and ideas has been catalyzed by the ease of access and
wide consumption culture of current electronic media, changing the way information is
processed, read, and interpreted.
The brony community, serves as an example of how modern social media has nurtured
the way people can perceive, analyze and view texts. The non-linear, dynamic properties of the
internet and social media allows the propagation of ideas and distinction of readings from all
sorts of people from all sorts of places, creating unified communities of ideas and thoughts,
allowing the fandom to grow exponentially through the involvement of social media sites.
The propagation of Friendship is Magic extensively involves social media contribution
of developed texts relating towards it, and such developed texts, following the conventions of
internet jargon, terminology and style, arose interest and attention towards the primary text.
Distanced communications, linking cultures, countries, and people, under a range of
interest, has been made possible through this medium, helping suppress the involvement of
cultural, social or stereotypical ideologies.
Bronies, male fans of the TV show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, are a
community of net citizens born through the social media. Despite unavoidable negative aspects
of people and their beliefs, the community is a prime example on how the internet has affected
the growth and unification of people and involve within the changes the internet allows within
perceiving, reading and interpreting texts, sampling an open-minded society only the internet
could build with ease.
17
Bibliography
Blue, Jed A. My Little Po-Mo: Unauthorized Critical Essays on My Little Pony: Friendship Is
Magic Season One. VA N.p., 2013. Print.
Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony. Dir. Laurent
Malaquais. 2012. Big Focus Television, 2013. Film.
"The Dynamics of Fandom: Exploring Fan Communities in Online Spaces | Myc Wiatrowski
- Academia.edu." Academia.edu - Share research. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
<https://www.academia.edu /491940/The_Dynamics_ of_Fandom_ Exploring_ Fan _
Communities_in_Online_Spaces>.
"Hub Network : Discovery Communications." Discovery Communications. N.p., n.d. Web.
24 July 2014. <http://corporate.discovery.com/brands/us/hub/>.
"Media: definition of media in Oxford dictionary (British & World English)." Oxford
Dictionaries. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/
definition/english/media>.
"Memebase.com - Internet Meme Site Wiki." Internet Safety Project. N.p., n.d. Web.
24 Sept. 2014. <http://www.internetsafetyproject.org/wiki/memebasecom-internetmeme-site>.
"MLPLounge; Est: 1860." reddit. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. <reddit.com/r/mlplounge>.
My Little Po-Mo. Jed A Blue, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://mlpomo. blogspot .com/>.
"My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (TV Series 2010? )." IMDb. N.p., 26 Apr. 2014. Web.
23 Sept. 2014. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1751105/>.
"Snowdrop." YouTube. Silly Filly Studios, 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2014.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do6RDSwaWek>.
Turner, James. "2014 State of the Herd Report." Herd Census and State of the Herd Report.
N.p., 15 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Sept. 2014. <http://herdcensus.com/citing.shtml>.
"The Unlikely Origins Of The Brony, Or Bros Who Like 'My Little Pony'." Jezebel. N.p., n.d.
Web. 27 Apr. 2014. <http://jezebel.com/5827591/the-unlikely-origins-of-the-brony-ordudes-who-like-my-little-pony>.
Urban Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. <http://www.urbandictionary.com>.
18
Appendices
Appendix 1: Extended Response: Jed A Blue
Below is the original transcript of the email response which is sent by Jed A. Blue. No alterations are
made except for formatting.
Interview conducted September 13, 2014. No alterations of data was made.
1. How would you define media?

A medium is a substance through which information propagates, for example air is a medium
through which sound can propagate. In this case, as is usual when the term the media is used
without qualifier, the reference is to the communications, entertainment, and social media
through which popular culture is propagated. These include both the physical systems that
propagate the information, such as fiber-optic cables, satellite dishes, and movie projectors, and
the social or conceptual systems, such as corporate and government broadcasters, the Web, and
the press.
2. If anyone were to ask you why youve been analyzing Friendship is Magic through multiple
analytical points of view in your work, how would you respond?
My first answer would be that I enjoy it, and my second that its work done indoors, sitting
down, with no heavy lifting.
Less flippantly, I do it for a number of reasons. First, I believe that childrens entertainment is
very important. It is the first place where most children encounter popular culture, and can thus
shape an entire generations expectations for what popular culture can be and do. (A friend who
worked at the science fiction publishing imprint Del Rey once told me that if you want to know
which genres will be popular in ten to fifteen years among adults, look at what teenagers are
reading now.)
Second, I believe that childrens entertainment tells us a great deal about the culture that
produces it. Mass entertainment for children is often attended with a great deal of anxiety as
regards to what is appropriate content. What a culture chooses to depict in its childrens
entertainment, therefore, provides key insights into what a culture deems important to pass on
to its children, and what it believes they must be protected fromin other words, the cultures
values and anxieties..
Third, I do not believe in a distinction between high and low art. Everything a culture
produces is influenced by that culture, and thus can be used to analyze that culture.
Fourth, I find it fruitful. Analyzing episodes of Friendship Is Magic leads me to interesting
thoughts. For example, I am currently working on analyzing the fourth season, and discovering
that frequently the episodes resonate with Qabalah, and particularly with the Tree of Life and
Crowleys version of the Qlippoth. Other episodes can be viewed as postmodern collages of
19
disparate genres or works, such as sitcoms and slasher films, or Star Trek and the Pied Piper of
Hamlin (both these collages are episodes in the first season). At least two episodes in the second
season are readable as anti-capitalist screeds, the first arguing that business ethics are entirely
empty of any ethical content, and the second depiction a metaphor for corporations in the form
of a monster that grows larger, greedier, and less intelligent the more it acquires.
3. In your works, have you ever hypothesized the involvement of the media in developing/altering
the readings towards My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? If so, please elaborate.
Yes. First, modern social media have permitted direct interaction between viewers and the
shows creators, with interesting effects. At least two minor characters in the show, Derpy
Hooves and Dr. Hooves, resulted from fans developing an odd collective obsession with
particular characters in the background of individual shots, the first because of an animation
error some fans found funny, and the latter because of a superficial resemblance to Doctor Who.
I also believe that shifts in the way we experience and interact with the media, in particular the
rise of social media and the always connected lifestyle made possible by smartphones and
tablets, are a significant factor in the shows following. First, the ability of the average person
to connect with geographically distant people on the basis of common interests is greatly
increased by access to the Internet. This enables people who might otherwise be the only person
in their town interested in a childrens cartoon on a newly launched, obscure network to engage
with other fans in other towns. This helps build and maintain enthusiasm, and thus help the
growth of the fandom by reducing attrition as people drift to other interests.
Second, the majority of fans of the show outside its target demographic (that is, the largest
group other than girls aged 4 to 8) is boys and men in their late teens and early twenties. In the
United States, Canada, and Britain (the three nations where the majority of fans in this group
live, that age range represents a generation who likely cannot remember a world in which
always connected was not an option. They expect strong, always accessible connections with
their friends, including friends on the other side of the world. Friends, for this generation, are
an omnipresent and critically important part of their livesindeed, for many in this group,
friends are a more reliable and important source of companionship and support than family.
Thus, the notion of friendship as magic, as a potent force that can act within the world, is
something that this generation can understand.
4. What are your attitudes towards new concepts, ideologies and thoughts? How do you
act/respond to new ideas that are different to what you have previously known? Has the
existence of newest forms of media, such as the internet, correlate towards the ability of people
to extract, analyze, and accept new information or ideas?
I like to believe that I have an open mind toward new concepts, ideologies, and thoughts, but
then I think most people do. Nonetheless, I have definitely made significant changes to my
personal ideology in my life as I learned new things and encountered new ways of thinking
for example, in my teens and early twenties I was an anarcho-libertarian and opposed to
feminism; by the age of 30, I was a Social Democrat and feminist. In my youth I thought
postmodernism was fashionable nonsense; now I consider myself a postpositivist.
Generally speaking, how I respond to encountering new ideas depends on the approach. If the
idea is presented to me as an idea, as an argument worth considering or an interesting
perspective, then I am frequently excited and interested. However, if the new idea is presented
in a closed-minded wayif the person presenting it acts as if their idea or approach is the only
20
acceptable waythen I am far more likely to be dismissive. In addition, there are certain values
I hold very dear, and so while I may study approaches and belief systems that contradict those
values, I cannot accept them. For instance, any perspective which treats some people as being
worth less than others is summarily rejected.
I believe new forms of media, particularly the Internet, have been a complex and mixed bag in
the ability of people to deal with new information. On the one hand, it is an invaluable tool in
terms of access to new ideas and information. However, that ability to connect with likeminded
inviduals I mentioned above means that the Internet also makes it very easy to shut oneself
away from the rest of the world, to have what feels like a large and thriving community while
in fact remaining within very narrow bounds. The result can be an echo-chamber effect, where
people become more polarized and set in their ways because so much of their interaction is with
people who think similarly.
Ultimately, I believe the Internet is both a powerful tool for engaging with and learning about
new ideas, and a powerful tool for shutting oneself away from them. It all depends on how one
chooses to use it.
5. Consider the development of media and the development of new ideas, movements, ideologies,
concepts and thoughts.
a. Has technological advancements and the changes in media and social communication
allow us to perceive the world differently?
I think this is absolutely the case, for example with the shifting generational attitudes
toward friendship. I think the Internet is also responsible for (at least in the U.S., which
is the country Im most familiar with in terms of this kind of information) a growing
generational divide in which the young tend to be noticeably more tolerant of
aberrant but not actively harmful behaviors, such as homosexuality, more interested
in being socially responsible, and more connected to and dependent on a network of
friends spread over a large portion of the nation or even world, while their parents are
less tolerant of such behaviors, more interested in making money, and more connected
to family and local friends. All of this, I think, reflects a tendency of the young to think
of people as nodes in a vast network, distinct yet globally interconnected, while their
elders tend to think of people in terms of isolated individuals and small communities.
b. Do you think that the brony phenomenon is a prime example of the changes in our
sense of the media?
As I have stated elsewhere in these questions, absolutely.
c. To what extent do you think has the development of media affected ability of people
to shape new ideas and communicate them? Please cite historical or current examples
(outside of bronies) if you wish.
I think there is an enormous influence by developing media on the ability to shape and
communicate ideas. Sometimes this is in obvious ways, for instance, the printing press
enabled ideas to be written down and reproduced in large quantities, facilitating their
spread. The availability of cheap Bibles in many languages, for example, is often cited
as a factor in the schism of Protestant Christianity, with its emphasis on the Biblical
text itself, from the Catholic Church, which emphasized traditional teachings that grew
up around the Bible.
21
Sometimes these developments occur in less obvious ways. The printing press also led
to the first major instances of media piracy. For example, in 1603, a pirate edition of
Shakespeares Hamlet was published, probably stolen by having one of the actors write
the play down from memory, and then printing that. The First Folio, a collection of
Shakespeares plays published a few years after his death, refers to the existence of
numerous pirate editions of his plays and harshly condemns them, suggesting that this
was a widespread problem. Ultimately this general issue of pirate books and texts then
led to the development of the legal concept of the copyright, which in turn helped
transform the way in which art is done from an economic perspective, from being
primarily a patronage system to primarily contract work. The gatekeepers of art ceased
to be the noble classes and idle rich, and instead became the controllers of the system
for distributing copies, such as publishers.
Its also true that the ways in which ideas are communicated were transformed. The
printing press made possible new forms of expression such as the novel, the magazine,
the newspaper, and the academic journal.
Turning to the Internet, we see both the stimulation of new concepts and new ways to
communicate ideas. One of the major effects of the Internet has been the
democratization of art. While it has always been possible for anyone with sufficient
time to attempt to create art, with the Internet anyone can seek out an audience. Ebooks have transformed self-publishing, for example, while sites like Etsy and
DeviantArt allow visual artists to connect directly with audiences, all without needing
to deal with the traditional gatekeepers such as publishing houses or art galleries. This
means, of course, that the Internet is full of uncurated bad art, since there are no
gatekeepers to separate good from bad. On the other hand, it means that oncemarginalized voices can find expression, which has helped contribute to the growing
mainstream acceptance of social justice movements such as third-wave feminism,
postcolonialism, and the LGBT rights movement.
The Internet has also enabled new kinds of art, such as nonlinear narrative, in which a
story is expressed as a hypertext through which the user can choose how to navigate,
or infinite canvas comics, in which the comic format is free from the confines of the
page, able to arrange panels in any configuration on a potentially infinite plane.
Coming back to bronies, this democratization of art combines with the ability to form
a community around a relatively obscure work to create a sort of folk culture, a
community in which the Friendship Is Magic show itself forms a sort of core mythcycle, surrounded by music, art, animation, and fiction created by the fan. Some of this
folk art can attain a status near that of the show itselfthere is hardly anyone within
the fan community who does not know what the story Cupcakes is, for example, or
is unaware of the many jokes, stories, and artworks surrounding the notion that the
minor character Lyra wishes she were human rather than a ponya concept which is
found nowhere in the show. This folk community possesses a mythology, an ethos
(expressed in such phrases as love and tolerate), shared tragedies (such as the near
death of Michael Morones, a young boy who was bullied for watching the show),
shared historyall the hallmarks of a true folk community, but one mediated almost
entirely through the Internet.
22
Appendix 2: Responses Used in the Essay and Recommended Responses for Further
Reading
Data collection last conducted July 31, 2014. No alterations of data was made from the census date.
Below are all quotations which are taken from the Insightify survey (Phase 1.) Few are used in the
essay, however most of the quotations here could help develop understanding of the fandom as well as
the topics addressed within the essay, including extended and unedited responses. All comments are
anonymized. Responses highlighted are actually used as a reference in the survey. Responses in bold
provides several key points for further reading.
Question 1: What was your first impression of the show and the brony community? How did you look
at the show and the bronies before you watch it or join the fandom? Did you feel there was something
off? Please discuss this below. You may provide short answers.
International General
o 17: When I first saw the community, I thought it was odd. I didn't see the appeal to
watching a show made for little girls, but I didn't really have any strong feelings
towards them doing it because what kind of show you like is somewhat unimportant in
my book.
o 35: My first impression was that it was strange but I have heard stranger things. I
thought it was just a group of people just doing something they love and, like anything
else getting flak over the internet. It did seem that there was more hate towards them
than most other things.
Question 2: Optional: How did you first encounter MLP:FIM and/or the fandom? Did you feel initially
welcomed? Feel free to describe, discuss, or reflect on this question in the field below. You may skip
this question.
Domestic
o 13: Found FiM through Memebase, where they usually post captioned screencaps from
the show. Got curious so I watched the first episode and has been (mostly) hooked since
then. Found the fandom also on the memebase, and subsequently Equestria Daily, but
only started to actively participate when I discovered a local Indonesian community on
a now-dead forum (bronyasia if I recall). Helped formed the group back in 2011 (i
think) and was pretty much welcomed. (Secretly I am holding a grudge because I didnt
picked as admin but that's in the past and now I don't really care anymore.)
o 28: I first encountered MLP indirectly through social media. My fav. Browsing sites
like youtube and facebook were filled with people who had pictures of ponies as their
profile picture. So, i decided to search about this phenomenon and ended up watching
s2e1 of MLP. I felt welcomed and confused at the same time. My first encounter with
the MLP fandom was through IDBS. Honestly, IDBS was like a hurricane back then
which led me to being confused on what to do.
International Regional
o 28: The show had no trouble at making me feel comfortable. The Fandom
however.....was a little intimidating at first. Seeing all of these artists and musicians
contributing so much, while I could only just watch from the sidelines. It made me feel
kinda useless, and pretty much......left out you know?
23
11: Friend was interested in it. I found it a novel idea so I watched the first few episodes
and found myself enjoying it after watching several episodes.when I joined a brony
Facebook group I saw more of the artwork and found out more about happenings in the
community
o 13: I saw it on almost every site I frequented so I went ahead and watched the show.
When I did eventually join the community, I felt very welcomed and accepted.
Everyone was generally kind to me.
o 34: There were a few videos on Youtube that referenced the show, I think it was like
3 different videos over several months. Eventually I had to see what the fuss was all
about. Binged the series on Netflix. Rooted around on the internet trying to figure out
what the whole 'Brony' thing was about. Learned the philosophy, loved it. The part of
the fandom I associate with is the MLPlounge on Reddit. Most are super wonderful,
and all are welcoming. I'm sure there are other sects of the fandom that are much
different, though.
Question 3: Optional: What is your role in the brony community? What do you like (or dislike) most
from it? What do you take out most from it? You may skip this question.
o
No significant responses were recorded for this particular question.
Question 4: Optional: Has the internet affected or changed your lifestyle in any way? To what extent
has your reliance of the internet has increased time to time? Are there noticeable differences of your
internet use trends (websites you visit, time you spend per day on the internet, the activities you involve
in online) after you heard about, joined, or followed the brony fandom?
Domestic
o
o 24: Easier access to information obviously leads to greater spread of knowledge..
but also greater spread of bad influences and greater reliance on social media.
Obviously now I spend more time on social media and looking through art/fiction than
I normally did. So I believe that my reliance has definitely increased, and has had some
good and some bad influences on my life. I think the brony fandom part was more like
an event in passing when I started using the Internet more, but definitely facilitated it.
o
o 13: It has greatly affected my lifestyle. I'm not reliant on the internet but my time on it
has greatly increased since I first started getting into the fandom. I now frequent
tumblr and reddit a lot more than I used to so I can follow different artists and
talk with other bronies. I would spend my whole evening online from when I got
home at 3pm until I went to bed around 12am. The people in the community have
changed me a bit, but it was for the better.
o 41: Well the Internet has been a pivotal point in my life since I was about 7ish when
my mom upgraded our old computer from the early 1990s to a newer mor that
functioned. Opening me up to the entirety of the Internet from ebaums to funnyjunk to
stumble upon to neopets I have been on the Internet for ages traveling from one circle
to another. The Internet is the place that has given me many of my core values and
taught me many important facets of life both directly and indirectly. The brony
community hasn't really opened me up to a whole lot of new stuff,just before I
discovered the show my roommate in college introduced me to reddit after seeing
me visiting funny junk for the nastalga and shortly after discovered tumblr and
24
deviant art the three sites that now account for 98 percent of my daily internet
traffic with the rest being twitch for league streams, the pirate bay for illegal
activities and 100+ different web comics some of which I have been following for a
good 10 years now
o
Question 5: Optional: Do you think that being open-minded and able to look at things from two different
sides is something that's valuable and resourceful? Why? Has this community (or any internet
communities in general) helped you develop your way of thinking? You may skip this question.
Domestic
o 33: Yes it is, it makes you sound somewhat more diplomatic, as well as being able to
deduce what is a better choice to take. I learned this through being in a multitude of
fandoms in general.
o 57: Of course. Because it will let us know a wider world and wider knowledge. Internet
communities have indeed helped me a lot to develop this kind of thinking. But what
they do not taught me is something that is really important. A Principe for your own
thoughts. Being open-minded will be dangerous without having a proper principle to
guide your manner, behavior and way of thinking. Without having good principle,
being open-minded will lead people to right everything that is wrong.
o 65: Yes it does, for me it makes the world more bearable , because now i am used to
see what other people think or they reason to do stuff they do. it made me more
accepting and patient. everyone need to be open minded so there wont be any
stereotypical thingy
o 78: Being open minded is an important part of being a useful human being as the ability
to entertain a thought and view it from differing sides is becoming a rarity (not
the pony). This is because we can access information at all times and since the
internet allows us to be with people that we consider are the best and the most
correct this skill is becoming an important skill for development of the humans.
o
o 7: Being open-minded helps us to judge situations eithiut being biased. The analysis
community has proved to show that you need both sides good or bad before you deliver
the final conclusion
o
o 28: Open mindedness is important for many parts of life. It's a good skill for everyone
to have, whether they're dealing with personal problems, relationship problems, or even
professional problems. I think growing up around various internet communities is what
really influenced me to be more open minded, though my little pony only had a small
impact, and in fact my open mindedness is probably what actually influenced me to be
interested in it.
o 34: Knowing other points of view is invaluable. When I first heard of the 'Brony thing'
I just went along with the established stereotype. If I had tried to think from a Brony
point of view, maybe I wouldn't just feed off the stereotype? I know a better way now;
and I'm working on it. Old habits die hard, I suppose.
o 47: When you look at things from all sides, you get a better understanding of the
situation in whole. You are allowed to no longer be biased, and you can make a levelheaded decision on how to behave and act. The fandom has helped me see that someone
can like something that I find odd and still be a good person. I no longer judge people
based off of what show or music they like.
o 51: Yeah. If you can't look at a problem from various points of view, you're going to
have less of an understanding of the big picture and you will have less power over
influencing the situation. Functional fixedness can manifest itself in many ways. This
community hasn't really done much for my way of thinking. I am in the community
because of my open-mindedness.
25
Question 6: Optional: (deep and reflective question, but I would REALLY appreciate it if you would
write something here, but don't get too personal.) To what extent has the internet and various social
media affected you? How has it changed the way you communicate ideas? How has it changed your
perception or the way you look at things? You may skip this question.
Domestic
o 17: The internet is a mother-load of things. Mostly information and people. With social
media sites like Myspace and Facebook around, everything is more easily connected
and communicable than ever before. This has affected me greatly, in a sense where I
have more freedom sitting in front of a computer than actually going out and venturing
into the unknown when I'm unequiped with much knowledge of life. The internet has
also brought about, or rather, turned my way of communicating ideas around. Where I
would be shy and just sit down in a discussion and only offer insights and thoughts
when asked, I now freely express my opinion whenever I feel it is necessary. Even
though some people may not agree, I still stand first with my thoughts and ideas,
because one is only wrong when they start believing they are wrong. The way I look at
things have varied even greater now that I have the internet at the palm of my hand.
Regularly, people in real life would pass by something and not give it a second glance,
where as I, partially thanks to the internet, have grown to always explore, overthink,
wonder, theorize everything as I go about. Something Twilight would surely do, I
guess, but my daydreaming and phasing out is way more extreme.
o 57: This is how the internet have done to me: There is a huge wall or abyss I cannot
pass, and the real life community, real life friends and real life achievements are at the
opposite side. The internet is a rope to help me pass that abyss or climb that wall. And
the internet also taught me how to "draw a bridge" to cross over the abyss or bypass
the wall. Times and times again the internet have helped me crossing challenges in my
life. The internet is also a parallel world that I can retreat to when I need a break from
my life. And by the internet, I mean my the community, fandom, and everything
positive that can come out from it.
o 78: A very TOK question, but alright. The extent that the internet has changed how we
communicate ideas has really changed a lot since the days of letters as the speed that
ideas spread is only limited by the internet speed at home. This means that anything
that we post online can be accessed quickly by anyone in the world breaking the
geographical boundaries faced with normal communication. The internet has created
a place for the brony community to express themselves even if the people directly
around them do not support the brony culture, this allows the bronies to gather
in a space where people think alike and are accepting of one another. It has
definitely changed the way that I look at things since it has allowed me to see thoughts
and ideas as according to other people and see insights from different angles.
o
o 5: The internet has probably caused me to change quite a whole bit in terms of
character. Not in terms of common thoughts by members of public, such as
beginning to become more reclusive or being unable to interact appropriately in
real life, but quite the opposite actually. Being on the internet had provided me with
the opportunity to communicate with so many people from all across the world. I've
made friends with people from the US, Canada, Europe, all across Asia, and all that
happened could be as simple as chancing upon one another online, maybe in a game,
or by some event. It's quite amazing when you think about it. After I began to spend a
whole lot more time on the internet (From Secondary School onwards, from 2010), I
have learnt a whole lot of things about interacting with others, communicating ideas
included. I used to have a lot of trouble personally when I was younger, being unable
to react appropriately to certain situations. But after joining the fandom and being on
26
the internet more often, I learnt many things about how people would react to you, and
how to behave appropriately at times. This really helped me in my daily life and I'm
pretty glad. Regarding communicating ideas, I feel that after being on the internet
for so long, I've learned how to properly make a stand for what I personally feel
is right, and how to accept the ideas of others as well. All for the betterment of
whatever cause we're at. The way I look at things, I've really come a long way. Being
on the internet is just like being in a real-life society, just that it's much easier for an
individual to interact with others. Strangely enough, I've found myself to be more
optimistic about the situations I find myself in. It also helped me quite a bit in
terms of my way of thinking, critically and ethically.
21: I think I already answered this 2 questions before. Although again, I think social
media has allowed to me to see how other people think. Some people are really stupid,
some people are too passionate about their small things - including bronies, some
people are nice and compassionate, it's helped me see a lot. Although I think that some
things on the Internet should just not be disclosed right now, and I think that some
people can be just cruel... but that's life.
39: Before the Internet, the only place you could actually learn things were from
books. Books are very one-sided, almost always written by one person, and thus
are very subjective. Now, with the internet, you can actually see the multiple
opinions that people have, easily and quickly. It might not have, but I think that
the Internet has instilled the factor of 'open-mindedness' in me. Sometimes, before
I ask questions, I almost always subconsciously think about how other people
would view this if I were to put it on the Internet. All their differing perspectives
as well as reasons became quite clear to me. This all happens in my head rather
quickly, and really helps me out when I think. Maybe this has caused me to voice out
more of the popular opinions, but the Internet has also shown me that even the
unpopular opinions have valid reasoning behind them, and that we can never ignore
those points. I'm not sure if my answer makes much sense to you, and whether it's even
my real thought process. However, it sure seems like it!
o
o 13: Once I started to get into the brony fandom and watching streams with people
online, I started to become genuinely happier. This really upset my boyfriend at the
time and he blamed MLP for changing me and hated everything I did online with the
people I met. I'm now a bit more forward with my feelings and because of that, I was
able to break up with him because of his mean ways. I now try to see everything from
both sides and also try to find the good things in life for me. MLP was a very good
thing for me and has literally saved my life and I now can removed everything
toxic from my life.
o 45: Since the internet has been with me for most of my life, I can't really say I have any
sort of control group. But I can say that without it, I would very likely be a different
person. I'm not the most social person, but through the internet I've met lots of
people and learned their stories, which is something I wouldn't have without it.
I've always loved reading and writing, so with or without the internet, I'd do that.
That counts as communication, right?
27
Question 7: Optional: Additional insights and comments that could supplement or strengthen your
inputs.
o 5 (Benzley Lee): Fandoms in general may be weird from an outside point of view. To
see that many people taking a liking to an article that may be quite questionable. Some
fandoms however, such as the brony fandom, have challenged the gender stereotype
that society had. Men becoming fans of a show that would easily be considered by
many to be "for girls" is definitely a peculiar phenomenon, especially with the very
apparent feminine nature of the cartoon "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". Many
people have labelled individuals in fandoms to be escapists, homosexuals, or even
perverts. This may provide us, to some extent, a view of how a society may view such
people, be it with prejudice or not. Regardless, lots of good have been done by members
of the brony fandom, in spite of such negative remarks. The positive lessons and
teachings by the cartoon's episodes have been displayed by fans in real life situations.
Initiatives, such as aid to bullying victims such as Michael Morones in 2014, and even
the startup of organizations such as "Bronies for Good", as well as some events like
conventions donating a part of their profits to charity. The positive impacts of fandoms
to society may be there, but sometimes unseen and unheard of by the general public. If
anything, I believe that fandoms are a significant part of society. Although they may
exist mostly on the internet, their impacts on society are by and large beneficial, be it
on an individual level, or publicly. As a way to connect people with one another, to
help people discover themselves, to help people make a positive impact around them,
that's what being in a fandom can do.
Accessing full survey written responses online
A copy of full written response documents are not attached in this document. However, a folder
containing full written response documents as well as contents of Appendix 4 is provided in
the following link: http://1drv.ms/1zyNiIp
28
Appendix 3: Insightify Questionnaire Sample and Explanation of Choices

Below is raw export data from Insightify system outlining the International General survey form.
Embedded with it as well are several information about the items polled as well as brief explanation of
their uses. Survey forms of Domestic and International Regional are exactly the same, only segregated
due to the classification of means of propagation. Results of this survey is displayed in Appendix 4.
Q1. Before we begin, I will need to have your name and email, as well as your current country of
residence. Your name and email will not be revealed or attached in the essay and will not be
distributed. You can even use a nickname/username or an alias if you wish to. I will also need to
check the general demographics that responds to the survey per continent. This is also to help me
identify who you are and contact you back, so please attach a valid email.
(this question is mandatory)
Name/Nickname/Username/Alias ______________________________________________________
Email ______________________________________________________
Current Country of Residence ______________________________________________________
Q2. Secondly, please provide your gender. This is to analyze the demographic that answered this
survey. Please answer this field truthfully.
( ) Male
( ) Female
Q3. Please select your age group. This is also to analyze the demographic that answered this survey.
Please answer this field truthfully.
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Below 10 years old

Between 11 and 15 years old
Above 40 years old.
Q4. Since when did you find out about My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (not the previous My
Little Pony "generations")?Use the current running season/movie or the time frame as your reference.
( ) Since the beginning of the show (2010)
( ) Season 1 (Early 2011)
( ) Between Season 1 and Season 2 (Mid 2011-Late 2011)
29
(
(
(
(
(
(
)
)
)
)
)
)
Season 2 (Late 2011-Early 2012)

Between Season 2 and Season 3 (Early 2012-Late 2013)
Season 3 (Late 2012 - Early 2013)
Equestria Girls (Mid 2013)
Between Season 3 and 4 (Early 2013-Late 2013)
Season 4 (Late 2013-Mid 2014)
Q5. From where did you first see or hear about My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and its
corresponding communities? Please check all applicable fields.
[ ] 4chan (4chan.org, imageboard)
[ ] Reddit (reddit.com)
[ ] Facebook (facebook.com)
[ ] Twitter (twitter.com)
[ ] Pinterest (pinterest.com)
[ ] Imgur (imgur.com, image sharing site)
[ ] Memebase/Cheezburger Network (memebase.com, meme aggregation website)
[ ] StumbleUpon (internet webpage collection, stumbleupon.com)
[ ] Digg (digg.com, online bookmark sharing tool)
[ ] Equestria Daily (equestriadaily.com, a primary news outlet made by bronies)
[ ] Youtube (youtube.com)
[ ] G+ (Google Plus)
[ ] Friend
[ ] Family/Relatives
[ ] Acquiantances
[ ] 9gag (9gag.com, meme aggregation websites)
[ ] Kaskus (kaskus.co.id, Indonesian major forum site)
[ ] Wikia (Websites using the MediaWiki language, including the MLP Wiki and its affiliates)
[ ] Directly from The Hub/Hasbro
[ ] Other Internet Forums
Other, please specify all that applies __________________
Q6. What was your first impression of the show and the brony community? How did you look at the
show and the bronies before you watch it or join the fandom? Did you feel there was something off?
Please discuss this below. (this question is mandatory)
_______________________________________________________
Q7. What strongly drives you towards My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and/or the fandom?Please
check all that applies.
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
[
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]
The show itself

The message of the show
The character design
The plot/storyline
The comedy
The fandom (the community, the people)
The acceptance of all ages
The creativity (fan labor)
The fact that it's unique
The fandom defies stereotypes
The fandom rejects gender bias and sterotypes
The fandom is based on an open-minded principle
30
[ ] The fandom lets me see things differently

[ ] "Love and Tolerate"
[ ] The message(s) of the show
Other, please mention briefly __________________
Q8. What is your current role in the fandom? Check all that applies. You may skip this question.
[ ] Artist
[ ] Musician
[ ] Videographer
[ ] Fictional Author (Fanfics, poetry, etc)
[ ] Non-Fiction Writer (Post episode analysis, discussions, essays, etc)
[ ] Community (active in brony groups and communities, etc)
[ ] Consumer/Collector (merchandise collector, listening to brony music, brony videos, etc)
[ ] I'm not active in the fandom/Lurker
[ ] Stormbrewers
[ ] "Closet Brony"
[ ] I am involved with the show or am working with the show.
Other, please specify __________________
Q9. On average, how much time do you spend on the internet every day?
(
(
(
(
(
)
)
)
)
)
0-3 hours
4-8 hours
9-14 hours
15-20 hours
20 hours +
Q10. What media do you usually enjoy?

[ ] Photography
[ ] Artwork (including digital art)
[ ] Video (movies, TV shows, etc)
[ ] Audio (music, radio, etc)
[ ] Fiction Literature (books, fanfics, poetry, etc)
[ ] Nonfiction Literature (news, reader digests, etc)
[ ] Theater
[ ] Social Media
[ ] Kinesthetic
Other, please specify all that applies __________________
Q11. Do you usually access the selected media(s) above through the internet?
( ) Yes
( ) No
Q12. How would you rate the change of your general internet usage habits now compared to before
31
you joined the fandom? Please select one of the following.

Strongly Decreasi Slightly No
Decreasi ng
Decreasi Change
ng
ng
( )
( )
( )
( )
Slightly Increasi Strongly

Increasi ng
Incresin
ng
g
( )
( )
( )
Q13. When you are provided a problem, do you tend to look at it from different points of view?Do
you see things from different sides?
( ) Yes
( ) No
Q14. Has the brony community taught you to see things from different points of view/perspectives?
( ) Yes
( ) No
Below are several optional questions that you may answer freely or skip. I would really appreciate it
when you can leave behind some insights, discussions, reflections, etc below for further analysis and
research. You may also choose to go ahead and finish the survey.
Q15. Optional: How did you first encounter MLP:FIM and/or the fandom? Did you feel initially
welcomed? Feel free to describe, discuss, or reflect on this question.
Q16. Optional: What is your role in the brony community? What do you like (or dislike) most from
it? What do you take out most from it?
Q17. Optional: Has the internet affected or changed your lifestyle in any way? To what extent has
your reliance of the internet has increased time to time? Are there noticeable differences of your
internet use trends (websites you visit, time you spend per day on the internet, the activities you
involve in online) after you heard about, joined, or followed the brony fandom?
Q18. Optional: Do you think that being open-minded and able to look at things from two different
sides is something that's valuable and resourceful? Why? Has this community (or any internet
communities in general) helped you develop your way of thinking?
Q19. Optional: (deep and reflective question, but I would REALLY appreciate it if you would write
something here, but don't get too personal.)To what extent has the internet and various social media
affected you? How has it changed the way you communicate ideas? How has it changed your
perception or the way you look at things?
Q20. Optional: Additional insights and comments that could supplement or strengthen your inputs.
32
http://1drv.ms/1zyNiIp
For convenience
The following are the results of all the statistical data which is used in this research. Columns from the first page continues to the second page.

Appendix 4: Survey Data Tabulation
33
34

How The Internet and Social Media Nurtures The Inception and Growth of The Brony Fandom and Their Implications Towards Modern-Age Views and Readings

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

How The Internet and Social Media Nurtures The Inception and Growth of The Brony Fandom and Their Implications Towards Modern-Age Views and Readings

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

A study on how the Internet and social

media nurtures the inception and growth

Public Release Version

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Article 6: Property and copyright in materials produced by candidates

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

General Correspondence Overview .................................................................................... 5

Discovering the Primary Text ............................................................................................. 6

Developed Text and the Primary Text ................................................................................ 7

iii. The Developed Text and the Fans ..................................................................................... 10

Developed Texts, Views and Readings ............................................................................. 15

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Bronies is a fandom that is comprised of a larger body of men, usually teenagers to

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

General correspondence, providing a general background to show the majority

The extent in which correspondents feel media has affected communication of

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

General Correspondence Overview

Graph 1.1: Correspondence Age

Graph 1.2: Gender

11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40

General census correspondence indicates a greater range of correspondence stand

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Part 2: The Show, Social Media and Growth of the Fandom

Discovering the Primary Text

GRAPH 2.1: FIRST MEDIUM OF DISCOVERY17/18

See Appendix 3 and 4 for statistical details

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Developed Text and the Primary Text

See Appendix 2, Question 2, International Regional, 11

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

A correspondent noted the following:

See Appendix 2, Question 2, International General, 34

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

The Developed Text and the Fans

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Part 3: Implications towards modern-age views and readings

The Primary Text, The Brony Community and Acceptance of Ideologies

. See Appendix 2, Question 7, International Regional, 5. Identified with permission.

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

See Appendix 2, Question 5, International General, 47.

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

A visit in brony groups is a good example of such conflict. As an administrator of the

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

Developed Texts, Views and Readings

See appendix 2. Question 6, Domestic, 57.

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

See Appendix 2, Question 7, International Regional, 5. Identified with permission.

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

1. How would you define media?

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

PUBLIC RELEASE VERSION

No significant responses were recorded for this particular question.