Nine Volt wrote:I think the desire to see bronies make fools of themselves (which I enjoy watching videos of, possibly due to the added cringe factor in that, having once been a brony, I know what they're talking about when they randomly shout out the lyrics to the Smile Song in a crowded mall) is at least partially the fact that they tend to do it more spectacularly or publicly than other groups. Yes, it can also be to confirm preexisting biases against them, so don't say anything. Either way I enjoy watching them.
There might be small correlation, but I doubt there is any statistically exceptional rate of public or spectacular outburst on a whole. Bronies are group with preexisting stereotypes that were inherited because gays are stereotyped as liking girly things, and manchildren as liking animation for children. Stereotypes evolve from perception, not statistics, and in turn stereotypes skew perception because of confirmation bias. With a fandom as large as bronies there are going to be some people who live up to the stereotypes. Also, here is a little fact that skews perception of anything a ton: only the people who act publicly can be noticed, and only the people who act spectacularly will be remembered. If someone likes the show but never posts about it, no one will know. Only the people who do post can be recognized, and generally the more obsessed anyone is about anything the more they will post about it. If someone likes the show and never mentions it in public no one will know. If someone cosplays as Fluttershy everyone will know they are a brony, regardless of existing stereotypes. Now, since ponies are regarded as unusual anything relating to them is regarded as more spectacular than the norm, no one blinks an eye when someone wears a tv shirt advertising a music group, but a pony is another story. In all actuality they are being equally public about their interests, but the brony will be branded as being more public and spectacular because it's not seen as normal. As the people who aren't noticed are dropped out the equation the results are going to be skewed in favor of those who act publicly and spectacularly. Of course I'm biased, but everybody is.
Now, cringe collections of bronies are heavily biased as 1. people do cringe worthy stuff all the time, it's just no one is collecting them under a certain label and implying that the label is the cause of the contents and 2. while lots of those videos are cringe worthy in their own right some the cringe factor is only amplified because they have an existing emotional association with bronies and cringe worthy behavior.
