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Quote:nemonowan wrote:
Well, there is the obvious Communism reference (via the fallacy that equality means homogeneity.Then there is the literary reference to the 1961 Kurt Vonnegut Jr short story Harrison Bergeron (which itself referenced the aforementioned fallacy to the point of absurdity)Then there are the more recent references to the methods used by religious cults to indoctrinate converts.
Of course, there is the question of just what exactly was Starlight Glimmer's game. What did she get out of this?
She wasn't going to conquer the world: her only defense was obscurity and her "troops" were so mediocre by design that even the usually useless royal guard would have walked all over them.She wasn't living the high life on the backs of her exploited minions like some dictators/cult leaders: we saw her living in the same squalor as everyone else (the only visible privilege was a cottage out of row), and It would be hard to get better food than those inedible muffins without giving up the game.The only thing left is a petty feeling of power and superiority over this little group of ponies, which is the most she could handle. That would fit the profile of a cult leader, although usually they use that power to get more benefits form the group. Now I am left wondering if the part about "all new members sleep in her house" was deliberately put there to reference the more unsavory predations of most cults' leadership...
Or she really believes in the philosophy she is preaching, and the only reason she kept her own cutie mark is because without her magic the goal of bringing equality to all of Equestria is impossible. And as Meghan McCarthy has said* that Starlight Glimmer really thinks that being different ruins friendships, I'm of the opinion that she wasn't in it to hold power over others, or anything else like that. I think what she wanted was exactly what she said she wanted: for all the ponies in Equestria to willingly give up their cutie marks, because she truly thinks that is better than the way things are now.
*Source. (Warning, spoilers for future episodes after 1:08)
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Stand between the Silver Crystal and the Golden Sea.
"Youngsters these days just have no appreciation for the magnificence of the legendary cucumber." --Krityan Elder, Tales of Vesperia.
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Quote:Jorlem wrote:
Or she really believes in the philosophy she is preaching, and the only reason she kept her own cutie mark is because without her magic the goal of bringing equality to all of Equestria is impossible. And as Meghan McCarthy has said* that Starlight Glimmer really thinks that being different ruins friendships, I'm of the opinion that she wasn't in it to hold power over others, or anything else like that. I think what she wanted was exactly what she said she wanted: for all the ponies in Equestria to willingly give up their cutie marks, because she truly thinks that is better than the way things are now.
*Source. (Warning, spoilers for future episodes after 1:08)
Humm... If that is what she is about, I would have preferred the big reveal scene to include her trying to use the spell on herself, only for it to fail the moment she removes her own cutie mark, because she loses her special magic, thus immediately getting her cutie mark back. An in, she physically CAN'T remove her own cutie mark.
Of course, that would let her paint herself as a martyr of the new regime, being the only one that can't share the true happiness of the rest of the village, which wouldn't fly with the author's intentions of delegitimizing her rule and getting her run out by a mob.
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Quote:nemonowan wrote:
Quote:Jorlem wrote:
Or she really believes in the philosophy she is preaching, and the only reason she kept her own cutie mark is because without her magic the goal of bringing equality to all of Equestria is impossible. And as Meghan McCarthy has said* that Starlight Glimmer really thinks that being different ruins friendships, I'm of the opinion that she wasn't in it to hold power over others, or anything else like that. I think what she wanted was exactly what she said she wanted: for all the ponies in Equestria to willingly give up their cutie marks, because she truly thinks that is better than the way things are now.
*Source. (Warning, spoilers for future episodes after 1:08)
Humm... If that is what she is about, I would have preferred the big reveal scene to include her trying to use the spell on herself, only for it to fail the moment she removes her own cutie mark, because she loses her special magic, thus immediately getting her cutie mark back. An in, she physically CAN'T remove her own cutie mark.
Of course, that would let her paint herself as a martyr of the new regime, being the only one that can't share the true happiness of the rest of the village, which wouldn't fly with the author's intentions of delegitimizing her rule and getting her run out by a mob.
*Shrugs*
As Starlight Glimmer said, she studied that spell for years. I'm not so sure it is her special talent spell. And even if it is, she wouldn't have tried to remove her cutie mark, because actually succeeding in doing so would have made the end goal of spreading equality to all of Equestria impossible.
And even if painting herself as a martyr would have been more optimal, I still don't think she would have done so, as it would have prevented her (in her mind) from becoming friends with those who had been equalized.
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Rites of Ascension by CvBrony
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I'd like to rec Records of an Academy Disaster.
Here's the short summary:
Quote: Spitfire is apparently the only thing standing between the Wonderbolt Academy and total chaos. Temporary Captain Fleetfoot is not Spitfire.
(The story is complete, and is told mostly via images. Don't try to read on a mobile device.)
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"Youngsters these days just have no appreciation for the magnificence of the legendary cucumber." --Krityan Elder, Tales of Vesperia.
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Sorry for the double post, but this deserves it, after two and a half years in the making:
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"Youngsters these days just have no appreciation for the magnificence of the legendary cucumber." --Krityan Elder, Tales of Vesperia.
Yes, it does deserve this.
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Okay, for the folks who may not have heard of this: for a while a group of pony fans were making a fighting game until they got too good and fell under the baleful gaze of Hasbro's lawyers.
Well, the fans got a call from Lauren Faust and the developers of Skull Girls shortly afterwards, and they rebranded their game into its own thing
[img]http://i0.wp.com/shoryuken.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/ThemsFightingHerdsLogo1280BG-750.png?resize=640%2C300]
They're crowdfunding right now via IndieGoGo to make it a serious game and not just a slow thing put together in five guys' garages.
[img]http://i1.wp.com/shoryuken.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/LineupColor.png?resize=622%2C272]
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An odd thought occurred to me recently. Of the Rare Changeling afflictions what would be signs of one getting too much "love"?
If the Changeling Hive is more like an ant colony would there be Repletes;
Young Changeling that are stuffed so full, that their "digestive organs" swell up, and expand the poor bugs body, till the Exoskeleton is thinned to near transparency, and is too large to move on it's own?.
Or, for a slightly older Changeling drone, would it be possible to kill it with kindness?.
Would there be a minimum safe distance for a Changeling to be near Fluttershy? Or here home/clinic?.
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you're thinking of Hiver's MLP fan fic aren't you
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May God forgive me (because Celestia surely won't). May history judge me charitably. These works by the infamous Honey Moon aka cuteycindyhoney are low clopfics of the worst possible kind, which is why they're linked in a spoiler box.
If they aren't your cup of tea, you have my apologies; if they are, you have my sympathies.
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Yuku seems to have eaten your spoiler...
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Manytales00 Wrote:Yuku seems to have eaten your spoiler... It's showing up just fine for me. There's a clickable plus sign, anyway.
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It doesn't load on my 'droid.
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Manytales00 Wrote:It doesn't load on my 'droid. I created the spoiler box using the ctrl-s function from the quick reply window. Maybe that's combining with your use of your phone to create the problem?
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The actual song portion starts at about 2:05.
Lyrics: Narration:It was always very loud back thenA great agitation issued from the ground itself,Rising into the air and filling all with discontent and worryBeneath us stretched a mad landscape of spots and checkersAbove twisted a kaleidoscope skyAnd all between was ceaseless, unbroken chaosEventually, we grew callous to the clamorAnd slipped from anxiety into malaiseShedding our passion and our purpose
It was thus that the two great sisters found us
From somewhere beyond the horizon, they cameSeeing beauty amidst the bedlam,They took up our sad world between them and tamed it,Bending it to their will
And when the earth was ready, they looked to the skyAnd there, gave us their greatest gifts:The sun to light the day, and the moon to keep watch in the nightA celestial dance to order our moments;The slow heartbeat of our worldTwo forces in perfect balanceThis is our foundation; from this, all else follows
Lyrics  awn breaks through the darkened skies
We lift our heads and dry our eyes
When day is done, we're doubly blessed
With starry sky and moon for rest
No longer bound to hopelessness
We dance as one with nature now
The sun and moon will show us how
Restless was the world we knew
And cheerless were the days
Of colors run together
In an endless mirror maze
But then two sisters brought us
Out of Discord's dark caprice
And gave us lights to guide us
Into harmony and peace
Day for rising; night for sleep
As in heaven, so below
Chaos banish; order keep
Ever may it thusly go
Memories are fading now
The fog begins to thin
The dreamer is awakened
Life can begin
And all that's past is preface
To the story of today
Now that harmony has come
And driven dissonance away
Day for rising; night for sleep
As in heaven, so below
Chaos banish; order keep
Ever may it thusly go
Perfect cosmic symmetry
Sisters of the moon and sun
Cornerstone of harmony
Never let it be undone
Day for rising; night for sleep
Chaos banish; order keep--------------------------------------------------Personnel:Choir - Christina Larson, Dane Larson, Erik Larson, Jacqui LarsonMusic, Lyrics, Arrangement, Narration - Dane Larson--------------------------------------------------Cover Art: http://naboolars.deviantart.com/art/A...
Download - With Intro ($1): http://ponyphonic.bandcamp.com/track...Download - No Intro ($1): http://ponyphonic.bandcamp.com/track...-----
Stand between the Silver Crystal and the Golden Sea.
"Youngsters these days just have no appreciation for the magnificence of the legendary cucumber." --Krityan Elder, Tales of Vesperia.
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Heh. Remember the IndieGoGo drive up thread? They're funded as of 7 pm eastern today and desperately going for stretch goals in the last three days of their drive.
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''
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Hey, guys?
Has, uh, anyone noticed that RealityCheck has been steadily updating his story, The Great Alicorn Hunt lately?
Yeah, you guys might wanna get on that. It good.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/92077/ ... icorn-hunt
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Recently followed a link to a fic called "Under the Northern Lights" by CoastalSarv, in Which Luna, accompanied by Twilight and Spike, goes north on a diplomatic mission to the Raindeer Kingdom. near the end of the story, it currently has 54 decent sized chapters (average 3500 words) and some impressive world building. There's also the amusing fact that most of the Raindeer have an unflattering impression of Twilight due to their cultural beliefs combined by what they've heard of her.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/877/und ... ern-lights
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