# Have the standards of manhood today gone to the dogs? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 23, 2016, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421 "2016-12-23T02:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/141 "2016-12-23T18:05:03Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Regardless this thread isn’t about “Bronies” or “MLP”, some hypersenstive fans of the show just sidetracked it because they couldn’t bear the thought that people don’t think MLP is a “manly show”… but who does think that anyway? Stop. Talking. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Calico\_Jack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calico_jack/32/7320_2.png) [@Calico\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calico_Jack)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/142 "2016-12-23T18:07:02Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Stop. Talking. > > Seriously. MLP is for pussies ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/143 "2016-12-23T18:09:42Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > I’m pretty sure the woman who created the show was just trying to create a fun show for kids anyway and never intended for some ‘subculture’ to develop on 4chan dedicated to analyzing it that deeply either. Let’s let the woman [speak for herself](http://msmagazine.com/blog/2010/12/24/my-little-non-homophobic-non-racist-non-smart-shaming-pony-a-rebuttal/) on the (almost–one day away) 6th anniversary of this post. Note the wide variety of commenters in the nearly 700 comments over that period, and how little they fit your straw characterization. (BTW, how do you feel about the manliness of [Billy Bob Thornton](https://www.google.com/#q=billy+bob+thornton+my+little+pony)?) (As for why I’m concentrating on this aspect of your post, mostly it is because it is fun derailing your screed.) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/144 "2016-12-23T18:10:50Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Sorry I just really can’t stop chucking at the irony of someone calling others a “loser” after trying to argue that critics are calling MLP the next Breaking Bad, something which of course still lacks a citation, lol Have you always lied about the claims of others, or is this something you’re just getting into? So far you’ve been doing it a lot. Perhaps you aren’t putting any effort into reading comprehension, or perhaps you’re just an immature, dishonest jackass. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/145 "2016-12-23T18:14:36Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > MLP is for pussies Never seen it but I’ll accept your expert opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/146 "2016-12-23T18:18:18Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Have you always lied about the claims of others, or is this something you’re just getting into? So far you’ve been doing it a lot. Perhaps you aren’t putting any effort into reading comprehension, or perhaps you’re just an immature, dishonest jackass. Another nine commandment Christian? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/147 "2016-12-23T18:20:19Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > MLP is for pussies Feeling a little tug of attraction? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/148 "2016-12-23T18:22:35Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Feeling a little tug of attraction? Please. This kid can’t get a tug without sneaking up on his own hand. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/149 "2016-12-23T18:27:51Z")
N.B. Hunk_ **Y** _ dor_ **Y** _. That is all (that I suspect the OP is capable of understanding, and even that might be giving him more credit than he merits). ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/150 "2016-12-23T18:35:29Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > MLP is for pussies For someone who claims to not really care about, you sure have a lot of things to say about MLP. Like, honestly, you’re coming across as more obsessed with it than bronies are. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/151 "2016-12-23T19:02:37Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Chaos theory proves there’s no such thing as an action one can do in complete isolation. No, no, _no_, _ **no** _! “Chaos Theory” woo-woo went out with bell bottoms. In this day and age, any proper package of crackpot yammerings requires a mention of _Quantum Mechanics_ as the filler step between the “Steal Underwear” and “Profit!” steps. ---
**Author:** ![Calico\_Jack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calico_jack/32/7320_2.png) [@Calico\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calico_Jack)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/152 "2016-12-23T19:09:29Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Please. This kid can’t get a tug without sneaking up on his own hand. You didn’t play football in high school did you? ---
**Author:** ![Calico\_Jack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calico_jack/32/7320_2.png) [@Calico\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calico_Jack)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/153 "2016-12-23T19:11:29Z")
> [@Debillw3](#): > > For someone who claims to not really care about, you sure have a lot of things to say about MLP. Like, honestly, you’re coming across as more obsessed with it than bronies are. No I just find it funny how many people on the internet apparently get upset over calling a kid’s show a kid show when even the creator of the show intended it to be just that. Guess some people are so insecure in their manhood that they can’t admit to just enjoying a quirky kid’s cartoon, and feel the need to pretend it’s really some deep existentialist work of art to be analyzed which the creator never intended, lol If this is what the average American male is devolving into, a guy who’ll throw a tempter tantrum when you suggest that a show about cartoon ponies was probably written with kids in mind rather than adults - then it backs up the sarcastic points I made in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/154 "2016-12-23T19:15:40Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > They enjoy it for it’s masturbatory aid, not for it’s goodness. Dude. _Dude_. They’re _cartoon horses_. Nobody’s going to jerk off to that without good reason. Now, I’m one of the (and I must stress this) _minority_ of MLP fans who actually enjoys the erotica put out by the fan community. And I can tell you right now, just like with any rule 34, if the character isn’t interesting, _the porn sucks_. If you don’t want to know more about the characters or the world they live in, you might as well watch two stick figures jerk each other off. First comes the love of the original property and interest in the characters, _then_ comes the porn. This is why there’s a _huge_ amount of Overwatch porn, but virtually no porn of Call of Duty. Because nobody cares about the nameless, faceless dorks in Call of Duty. But they would like to get to know Widowmaker a little better. Good characters -\> large Rule 34 community. It’s really that simple. > [@](#): > > And I can guarantee you that even if it’s “good” by the low standards by which children’s cartoons have to meet, it’s certainly no Breaking Bad. Well, what is? Breaking Bad was a fucking masterpiece, one of those rare shows where almost every single thing clicked, an A+ accomplishment. MLP is not in the same league. It’s a solid B- that occasionally rises to the level of a B+, and for the last few seasons has dipped considerably. But if you think children’s cartoons have “low standards”, then you really haven’t been paying attention recently. People have been _raising the bar_. Adventure Time is quirky slice of life mixed with existential horror and a solid dose of LSD, in a way that is absolutely mind-blowing. The Amazing World Of Gumball took what was good about the old Spongebob, dressed it up nice and pretty, added a whirl of self-awareness, and came out with one of the best comedies on TV. Avatar: The Last Airbender is actually about as good as Breaking Bad. I say with no hesitation and no regrets; that show had one bad episode and just about everything else involved was incredibly tight. If you’re not actually into cartoons, then yeah, you can run into crap. No question. But if you want to say that the cartoons that will actually be worth talking about a few years from now, the modern “looney toons”, have a “low bar”… No. They don’t. > [@](#): > > The reason they watch it is the same reason the “goth kids” dress up like Vampires on South Park, because they fancy themselves social misfits and just enjoy the negative attention. No. It’s because it’s a lovely, heartwarming show. Yeesh, dude, get a clue. > [@](#): > > They do indeed cause harm to the self and society. > > Chaos theory proves there’s no such thing as an action one can do in complete isolation. So in pure albeit unlikely theory, a man fantasizing about his wife being plowded by another man could cause an earthquake on the West Coast > > Therefore it’s my duty to be concerned about their abberant behavior. Well shoot, I’d better stop you from breathing! Your breathing could cause a hurricane! What kind of shitty insane troll logic is this? > [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Can’t think of anything more ignorant than comparing MLP to Breaking Bad. You’re the only one who did. > [@](#): > > If you want to watch MLP, then go ahead and watch it by all means. Just do yourself a favor and admit you just like kid’s shows instead of trying to convince people you watch it for some deep existential message worthy of study by analytic philosophers, c’mon. Lemme tell ya something. You know what my favorite episode of “My Little Pony” is? “The Best Night Ever”. An episode about our main characters going to a party they’ve been looking forward to, finding out it’s not what they expected, and having a lousy time. If anyone wants to tell you there’s some deep existential message in that, they’re just wrong. But that’s not why I like it. I like it because it has a simple, heartwarming message that we don’t get enough of, because it’s a study of how these well-written characters who I care about act when pushed to limits (socially), and it’s just really funny. There’s no deep meaning there. It’s just a well-written character drama. Learn something about what you’re slagging off, will ya? Yeesh. A large part of the draw of My Little Pony is not that it has anything important or special or revolutionary to say, but that it’s got great characters and solid writing, in a wrapping that is fundamentally optimistic and happy. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/155 "2016-12-23T19:17:12Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > You didn’t play football in high school did you? Nope. Didn’t need to. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/156 "2016-12-23T19:30:34Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > No I just find it funny how many people on the internet apparently get upset over calling a kid’s show a kid show when even the creator of the show intended it to be just that. > > Guess some people are so insecure in their manhood that they can’t admit to just enjoying a quirky kid’s cartoon, and feel the need to pretend it’s really some deep existentialist work of art to be analyzed which the creator never intended, lol > > If this is what the average American male is devolving into, a guy who’ll throw a tempter tantrum when you suggest that a show about cartoon ponies was probably written with kids in mind rather than adults - then it backs up the sarcastic points I made in the thread. Admitting to enjoying a quirky kid’s cartoon is exactly what **BPC** did. Your reply: > [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Well let’s just say this - I can guarantee you the number of ‘internet Bronies’ who double as card-carrying NAMBLA members is a tad higher than the general population. As far as the quality of the show, I have no idea. But I can grantee you as many Bronies watch the show for the ‘quality’ as there are men who read Playboy for the fashion articles. So, give it a rest with your revisionist bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/157 "2016-12-23T20:01:39Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Then they go play their videar games and eat their Hostess trinkies. The last time I ate a hostess trinkie her husband got pissed and made me leave the party. [sub]Yes, that’s all I got out of this entire stupid thread[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/158 "2016-12-23T21:05:30Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Point of order, all words are entirely made up. Point taken. I’ll restate. Because it’s late and I have no idea how an entirely made up word that I’ve never seen in the wild is properly singularized? I’m pretty sure that this is the case. I’ve always seen it pluralized that i can recall. Embarrassing either way. I usually try to pay attention to what I write and take spelling a bit more seriously than I did when writing that post. That’s why I assumed that the poster I was responding to was talking about the spelling rather than that he was unfamiliar with the term. ---
**Author:** ![Calico\_Jack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calico_jack/32/7320_2.png) [@Calico\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calico_Jack)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/159 "2016-12-23T21:25:38Z")
> [@Human\_Action](#): > > Admitting to enjoying a quirky kid’s cartoon is exactly what **BPC** did. Your reply: > > So, give it a rest with your revisionist bullshit. “Bronies” and people who watch MLP are not the same thing. “Bronies” are a specific internet ‘subculture’ that originated on 4chan. Not everyone who’s watched the show is necessarily a “Brony”. And I won’t speak for everyone, but the one guy I met on a film and TV forum who identified as a “Brony” was also a fan of “loli” anime porn, and was trying to convince others that there’s nothing abnormal about adult men wanting to spank it to cartoon pictures of toddler-age girls, and even tried to convince us that this was something that Charles Dickens would have approved of… or something creepy like that. Needless to say he was basically ‘excommunicated’ by the members of that website, I think he slithered off back to some Nambla-ish forum after he basically became persona non grata. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421/160 "2016-12-23T21:47:42Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > But I can grantee you as many Bronies watch the show for the ‘quality’ as there are men who read Playboy for the fashion articles. Are you aware that Playboy said that they will no longer publish nude pictorials? Anyone who reads it _will_ be doing it for the articles [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-standards-of-manhood-today-gone-to-the-dogs/775421.md?page=9)