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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Live Reactions & Discussion)

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A thread to discuss My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and the tie-in media.

All of the usual forum rules apply. In addition, please remember that the thread is discussing a kids' show, and it's primarily focused on the work itself, not the fanfic — in particular, we don't want to see lewdness creeping in.

     Original OP text 
I don't know WHAT the Hell happened (I blame shenanigans) but we're going to start from scratch. Post your feels for this awesome show again! Naow!

Edited by Mrph1 on Aug 26th 2024 at 10:24:26 AM

JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#61826: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:41:34 PM

I'm not sure where to rate this one in terms of key episodes. On one hand, I think on a technical level it's probably on par with the others if not better. On the other hand, I've never really liked Flim and Flam, both in-universe and in a meta-sense.

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Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#61827: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:43:35 PM

This is a good episode. In fact, its awesomeness almost cancels out Feeling Pinkie Keen with an infinitely better moral about faith.

storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#61828: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:50:37 PM

This one wasn't really about faith depsite the title.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#61829: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:52:40 PM

It sort of was. The idea was that that Granny just needed a confidence boost to feel better, and when she believed she would feel better, she did.

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Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#61830: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:53:39 PM

@Story

It was exactly about faith. The tonic is a placebo, running entirely on the subject's belief that it worked. That is faith in its purest.

CDRW Since: May, 2016
#61831: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:57:00 PM

I wish they'd done a different sort of song. It just came across as "the Cider song, but not as cool" to me.

JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#61832: Mar 29th 2014 at 7:59:08 PM

Yeah, I felt the song was pretty underwhelming. It didn't help that it felt like it went on forever.

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Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#61833: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:02:40 PM

Faith plays a big part in the episode, but it's not about faith any more than Star Wars is about R2-D2 and C-3PO. The episode is about little white lies. AJ was conflicted about telling the truth because the lie seemed to be making ponies happier, but she finally drew the line when the lie put them in danger because they were making dangerous decisions based on false information.

storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#61834: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:02:47 PM

The placebo effect is more like psychology.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
CDRW Since: May, 2016
#61835: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:11:37 PM

Hey, you're talking about faith. I think that's enough to warrant posting this video.

Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#61836: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:14:21 PM

Faith by definition irrational and hinges on lies more often than most. That's the point of faith, you don't know if it works, but you believe it does.

Before, Granny Smith believed she couldn't swim anymore(which is based on an assumption about effects of her age). Then that belief is changed by the opposite - that her age doesn't matter at all.

Both instances of faith(yes, faith in bad things is also faith) are irraional and make her assume wrong things about her body(incapable of swimming at all/better than every athlete ever). Faith is presented as sometimes being too limiting or too liberating, and that's what it examines. It's not the lie that challenges Applejack's views, it's the faith that it brings. It gave Granny Smith confidence, and is taking away the faith(thus, confidence) worth it?

And it ends with an argument against both overly limiting faith(mentioning that granny could do all those things just fine, she just believed she couldn't) and overly liberating faith(some things are still impossible, no matter how much confidence you have).

edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#61838: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:18:40 PM

Yes, that's all true, but it's not what the episode is about; it's just the way the episode demonstrates its point about white lies, which is the actual lesson. As you said yourself, faith isn't always based on lies. Sometimes it's based on the unknown. This episode, however, is firmly focused on Applejack dealing with a lie that's making ponies feel good. That contradiction is what the episode is about; faith is just the vehicle it uses to deliver it.

Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#61839: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:22:25 PM

[up] Well ok, that's true.

What I mean, this episode delivered a much better, well-rounded take on all sides of faith, galaxies away from FPK. I think the moral damage from that episode is finally undone.

JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#61840: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:24:22 PM

Faith by definition irrational and hinges on lies more often than most. That's the point of faith, you don't know if it works, but you believe it does.

Okay, this isn't strictly related to the episode, but this is just something that irks me: way too many people assume that "Faith = dogmatic belief in the absence of evidence" when that isn't actually the case. It can mean that, but it can also be used to refer to trust or having faith in a person, which can indeed be based on previous knowledge of them. It isn't empirical knowledge, but it does come from previous experiences with other people. Granted, that's probably not the kind of faith that the show is about, but I feel compelled to point out that "absence of evidence" is not necessarily an aspect of faith.

edited 29th Mar '14 8:24:47 PM by JapaneseTeeth

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Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#61841: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:25:12 PM

Except again, it had nothing to actually do with faith. It was about truth and lies. Facts. AJ telling a lie for what she thought was a good reason. Or at least not telling the truth, and then seeing it get out of control and fessing up to the truth.

CDRW Since: May, 2016
#61842: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:27:48 PM

Okay, I really think that Extra Credits video I posted is relevant to the conversation, especially this whole thing on how faith relates to truth and evidence.

Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#61843: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:30:24 PM

Yeah saw that one awhile ago and, really did not agree with most of it.

CDRW Since: May, 2016
#61844: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:32:35 PM

What parts? The whole "all science is ultimately rooted in ideas you have to take on faith" concept is one that makes intuitive sense to me.

Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#61845: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:35:06 PM

It's rooted in what has been proven to be fact to the best of our ability. Not out of 'faith' but because of observable fact that that is how things work. And if something comes along later that sheds new light, that alters those, then it's accounted for and a new model based on that new fact is developed. Nothing need to be taken on 'faith'. It is either true, or false.

storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#61846: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:35:29 PM

I think part of the problem is that faith tends to suffer from Personal Dictionary.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
Wryte Since: Jul, 2010
#61847: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:35:47 PM

Extra Credits is always relevant to anything.

Love those guys.

CDRW Since: May, 2016
#61848: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:40:20 PM

@ Seraphem: Ah. I think I see what's going on. You're using an extremely narrow definition of "faith." What's more, it's become a buzzword for you, and just like all buzzwords, it comes with a pre-conditioned idea and automatic response that has nothing to do with the content and context in which the word was used in the first place. Because what you just said is addressed and embraced by the content of that video. For the most part.

edited 29th Mar '14 8:41:59 PM by CDRW

JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#61849: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:44:11 PM

I'm just too lazy and busy to have the time to watch that right now. tongue

But yeah, it's mostly that most people have different ideas of what "faith" means. It's a very broad concept. If you want to discuss it, you have to spend a bunch of time defining exactly what you mean, or you'll be talking at cross-purposes.

But it's late, and I'm tired, so back to our regularly scheduled ponies.

edited 29th Mar '14 8:47:38 PM by JapaneseTeeth

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MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#61850: Mar 29th 2014 at 8:50:48 PM

[up][up][up] I saw a couple extra credits videos. Including one on game schools (I once wnated to be a game desinger/director, but I don't think I can handle the work, plus I'm more of an artist than a programmer)

edited 29th Mar '14 8:50:56 PM by MorningStar1337


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