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[Anarion]

Venting is fine. We all need to vent sometimes. But you can vent without actually saying or hinting at anything.

But saying, effectively, "I know something about this, it's a secret and really eating away at me, but I can't tell you" is not particularly helpful to anyone and probably only serves to fuel the rage and stupid theories.

Deadly, I feel bad because I know you're tired of everypony disagreeing with you. I really strongly disagree with you, however, and I want to explain why.

Phoe here had a very clear request and articulated a reason for action. She posted on EQD asking bronies to send some messages to Lauren Faust because she knew that Lauren Faust felt bad.

The response was "oh we shouldn't bother her, it's not a big deal, we'll just be spamming her."

And only then did Phoe have to go "no, seriously, trust me, it's more serious, I just can't tell you why." And frankly, Phoe has enough reputation in our community that I do trust her, and I don't think it's right of you to attack her in that circumstance.

The solution to the situation seems simply to me. Find a suitably competent camera brony, arrange to film a similar interviewy thing to those available on the DVD, post the section on Youtube for everyone to enjoy.

(Bonus points if it's done in exactly the same kind of style as those sections on the DVD).

While this would certainly honor Lauren in a certain way, it does not repair hurt feelings amongst insiders over whatever went down that got her left off the video in the first place. Sort of the equivalent of buying an icecream for somepony as consolation for failing a test or something.

[Alabenson]

Yes, it is very entertaining! I've watched a bit of that show. Up to... I want to say I've seen about 5 episodes. It's been a couple months since I've had access to a Nintendo Wii (Netflix Streaming).
And if "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" is played straight, then the Ponyverse has an equivilent of Sherlock Holmes. This got me wondering if they got a Moliarty too. Wish they'd show more of their literature culture.

Honestly, I've headcannoned that Twilight Sparkle is not only a huge fan of the Sherlock Hooves series, but sometime in the past wrote some truly terrible fanfiction about it involving her author avatar as Sherlock's long lost niece.

[Tiki Snakes]

While this would certainly honor Lauren in a certain way, it does not repair hurt feelings amongst insiders over whatever went down that got her left off the video in the first place. Sort of the equivalent of buying an icecream for somepony as consolation for failing a test or something.

Well, see, anything going on between Lauren and Hasbro is exactly that. Between Lauren and Hasbro. I don't think it's really any of our business.
It's more like buying an Icecream for someone who didn't get invited to go get icecream, to my mind. She can't go with the rest and eat ice-cream in the ice-cream bar, but she can still have a cornetto at home.

[Deadly]

Ehh. Hasbro saying "we'll tell you something in a while" is hinting and teasing (or at least the latter). What Phoe is doing, while it may possibly lead to some of the same results, is simply expressing feelings that arguably would be better unexpressed.

That's my point, yes. Some things would probably have been better unsaid.

Deadly, I feel bad because I know you're tired of everypony disagreeing with you. I really strongly disagree with you, however, and I want to explain why.

Phoe here had a very clear request and articulated a reason for action. She posted on EQD asking bronies to send some messages to Lauren Faust because she knew that Lauren Faust felt bad.

The response was "oh we shouldn't bother her, it's not a big deal, we'll just be spamming her."

And only then did Phoe have to go "no, seriously, trust me, it's more serious, I just can't tell you why." And frankly, Phoe has enough reputation in our community that I do trust her, and I don't think it's right of you to attack her in that circumstance.

I was not attacking her, or her effort to show Faust that we appreciate her. I think that's very good of her and I fully support it. I was trying to be friendly and helpful by trying to explain how I see the situation.

I got the impression she was sad that people were taking her "Hugs for Faust" post as an excuse to go crazy, and my point was that what she was saying here probably wasn't helping that.

What I'm saying is, I think she could have done just fine by leaving it at this (my strikeout):

Malicious intent or not, she's much more hurt than she's even letting on. Nobody who knows the full story is willing to disclose it, so I can't lay a thousand facts at your feet and let that be that.

But I can tell you that there's no such thing as a person not in need of positive reinforcement, especially when they happen to be the only major member of a production staff left on the cutting room floor when it came time to offer thoughts and insights for public consumption. What the hell does it matter if she's been praised before or not?

edit: I sound unnecessarily inflamed by all of this. I apologize.

What is cutting me up so badly is that I have been made aware of how deep (but not where or how) the story goes, got put in a very difficult balancing act between supporting a worthwhile cause and burning bridges, and seeing the fruits of that balancing act be interpreted by others as pointless pandering. No, it's not reasonable of me to expect anyone to formulate a good opinion on the subject without full information. I can't provide you that information. Oh my god I hate that.

With which I utterly agree, by the way.

[DigoDragon]

http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Animation/Gallery

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From the gallery, the season 3 will be the darkest hour yet. I hope it will connect with the possible recolonization of Luna's moon colony, or crystal empire.

I had to chuckle a bit because the images looked an awful lot like the neighborhoods I've lived in after a major hurricane came through. Well, okay these are a tad drier, but it don't take long for the Florida sun to fix that.

I wonder if the altitude of Cloudsdale can be adjusted?

Not season three related probably.

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While the end result isn't too surprising, I want to ask about the bite mark there. THAT leave me with questions.

Honestly, I've headcannoned that Twilight Sparkle is not only a huge fan of the Sherlock Hooves series, but sometime in the past wrote some truly terrible fanfiction about it involving her author avatar as Sherlock's long lost niece.

Careful, your headcanon there is really infectious.

[OracleofWuffing]

I had a nightmare where I was in High School again... And then Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie tickled one of my friends until he became a pony.

Honestly, I don't even.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Hmmm

You know this suggests to me we have a case that amounts to callousness rather then some deliberate snub. Throw together the DVD real quick... what's special feature... umm who do we have on staff? Something like that.

Now then, lets hope the oversight is corrected on Blu-ray. I mean that's what we need next right?

[Tiki Snakes]

I had a nightmare where I was in High School again... And then Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie tickled one of my friends until he became a pony.

Honestly, I don't even.

It's what he would have wanted.

[Balmas]

Here's a random question, or rather a thought experiment, perhaps inspired a bit by the ethics class that I'm ignoring as I type this. It's a twisted version of Nozick's experience machine.



Trixie appears before you and offers to to turn you into a pony and send you to Equestria. You get your choice of pony type (except for alicorn) and place to be sent. However, the change is permanent; once you're a pony and in Equestria, you're there to stay. You retain all memories and personality you had before.

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

[Pendulous]

Hmmm

You know this suggests to me we have a case that amounts to callousness rather then some deliberate snub. Throw together the DVD real quick... what's special feature... umm who do we have on staff? Something like that.

Now then, lets hope the oversight is corrected on Blu-ray. I mean that's what we need next right?

We need people to not troll people on Facebook/Twitter so someone like that doesn't have to come out and say "shut the hell up". But, since humanity is screwed, I guess I just have to sit back and pretend those people don't exist.

[Anarion]

Here's a random question, or rather a thought experiment, perhaps inspired a bit by the ethics class that I'm ignoring as I type this. It's a twisted version of Nozick's experience machine.



Trixie appears before you and offers to to turn you into a pony and send you to Equestria. You get your choice of pony type (except for alicorn) and place to be sent. However, the change is permanent; once you're a pony and in Equestria, you're there to stay. You retain all memories and personality you had before.

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

I would stay. This kind of thing always comes down to whether and how much you like your life. Equestria has many wonderful things, but I also would find the actual world there quite boring and notably lacking in computers and anime. Moreover, life-changing events of that magnitude tend to be extremely stressful and difficult, and need a pretty high level of justification, so being in doubt I would choose not to make the change.

Visiting Equestria in a non-permanent way would be awesome though.

[Pokonic]

Trixie appears before you and offers to to turn you into a pony and send you to Equestria. You get your choice of pony type (except for alicorn) and place to be sent. However, the change is permanent; once you're a pony and in Equestria, you're there to stay. You retain all memories and personality you had before.

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

Depends. If I can get Trixie to stay in the real world and pose for a quick camera shoot, and then sell the resulting pictures at a local Con for hundreds of dollers a pop, I would stay and wallow in my money.


Otherwise, Pegusi. Cloud manipulating sounds like great fun.

[Forum Explorer]

Here's a random question, or rather a thought experiment, perhaps inspired a bit by the ethics class that I'm ignoring as I type this. It's a twisted version of Nozick's experience machine.



Trixie appears before you and offers to to turn you into a pony and send you to Equestria. You get your choice of pony type (except for alicorn) and place to be sent. However, the change is permanent; once you're a pony and in Equestria, you're there to stay. You retain all memories and personality you had before.

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

First I'd check to make sure Trixie isn't carrying a large mallet as our Trixie's signature would make me suspect that getting to Equestria would involve some brain trauma.

Then yes I would go. I would likely go as a Pegasus and my destination would be Appleloosa so that I could practice my flying in peace and not have to deal with the snobbish ponies in Manehatten or Canterlot. I wouldn't choose Ponyville because I would suspect that lots of bronies would be offered this and would choose Ponyville and I'd want to show up there with experience and by myself.

Finally if possible I would choose to show up as a young colt so that I would get some learning experience and some more tolerance for my ignorance.

[Eakin]

Hmmm

You know this suggests to me we have a case that amounts to callousness rather then some deliberate snub. Throw together the DVD real quick... what's special feature... umm who do we have on staff? Something like that.

Now then, lets hope the oversight is corrected on Blu-ray. I mean that's what we need next right?

This is kind of what I was worried about when EQD put up the initial post. I know that the post said that we should stay positive and send support to Faust, but given how wide the audience this was definitely a foreseeable consequence.

And we still have no idea what really happened. We're basically looking at a he said she said situation where both tweets say they wish it could have worked out, but not why it didn't.

Here's a random question, or rather a thought experiment, perhaps inspired a bit by the ethics class that I'm ignoring as I type this. It's a twisted version of Nozick's experience machine.



Trixie appears before you and offers to to turn you into a pony and send you to Equestria. You get your choice of pony type (except for alicorn) and place to be sent. However, the change is permanent; once you're a pony and in Equestria, you're there to stay. You retain all memories and personality you had before.

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

I think the sort of person who would throw away their family and friends to be dumped into a new world where they don't know anyone probably isn't the sort of person who would enjoy Equestria in the long run, to be honest.

But yes, sign me up for the two-week vacation package.

EDIT: I'd probably change my answer if I were old and was being offered a new life as a young pony, but that's closer to an afterlife than just moving there.

[Deadly]

I think the sort of person who would throw away their family and friends to be dumped into a new world where they don't know anyone probably isn't the sort of person who would enjoy Equestria in the long run, to be honest.

But yes, sign me up for the two-week vacation package.

EDIT: I'd probably change my answer if I were old and was being offered a new life as a young pony, but that's closer to an afterlife than just moving there.

Yeah, if it means dumping your existing family and friends, I would find it hard to justify. If they can (and would like to) come too, then sure, I might certainly consider it.

As for type of pony ... well, it's hard to pass up the chance to do magic, I mean ... magic! Pegasus would be awesome too, flying around all day and soaring through the sky would be soooo cool! I'd find it hard to pick, but I guess if there's any chance of learning Twilight's wing spell and using it on occasion, the choice is obvious.

[Balmas]

This is all very interesting to get other people's viewpoints.

As for my own answer, I'd have to say no. To say goodbye to family and friends to go see a new world with no possibility of recourse would be an insult both to your family and your quality of life. I would only leave this life for Equestria if I thought that my life would be better over there, if the net good between the two worlds would be better that way.

As a vacation or a retirement package, sign me up.

Let's see, being a unicorn would present a greater utility and allow for fine manipulation of objects, something I'd miss sorely from not having hands. On the other hand, either Spike or Twilight states that most unicorn magic is limited to a few spells regarding their special talent, so the wing spell is most likely out. As such, I'd have to go with pegasus.

[Eakin]

I've always found the arguments against Nozick experience machine sorts of scenarios to be a bit silly. Especially if your brain can't tell the difference when you're in it.

Unless you're making a pretty major sacrifice to use it (here, leaving everything about the old world forever) I can't see any downside to simulating a 2-week vacation to a tropical island over my lunch break whenever I wanted to.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm talking about the arguments that boil down to 'but it totally isn't real, man!' and assuming that the process itself is cheap, painless, non-addictive etc.

[Pokonic]

Actualy, it's importent to note that there are probably plenty of people who would choose another race other than ponykind. Griffons and Zebras are pretty popular, and there is probably a crowd that would go for a bipedal race like Minotaurs or Dimond Dogs. Heck, there's probably a good amount of people who would not mind being whats basicly a furry, horned car (Buffalo). Also, Donkeys, but considering there seemingly nonmagical earth ponies with funny ears.....


Unrelated to the above, besides the existance of long-eared equines.

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Actualy, if we want to go there, we could consider a Donkeys "special skill" to be shear force of will to do what they wish to do, it be to climb up a hill or travel across a country to find a single individual. Would certently put them in a more equal light compared to there pony cousins, because while earth ponies may have a "I think I can" mentality in many cases, it's not as supernaturaly focused as the otherwise unremarkable donkey.

[Deadly]

On further thought, I don't think I could pass up magic and the chance to be a wizard. Wings be damned. I mean, come on ... magic! Ancient mysteries! Great and terrible power! I'd be so much of a bookworm! I'd probably grow a beard to rival Starswirl. It just fits my personality so well, I'd probably be way too lazy and bookish to be a pegasus.

[Eakin]

On further thought, I don't think I could pass up magic and the chance to be a wizard. Wings be damned. I mean, come on ... magic! Ancient mysteries! Great and terrible power! I'd be so much of a bookworm! I'd probably grow a beard to rival Starswirl. It just fits my personality so well, I'd probably be way too lazy and bookish to be a pegasus.

I didn't think you got to pick your special talent though. even if you pick unicorn you probably aren't going to win the superpower jackpot like Twilight did and get magic itself as your talent. You'd probably be limited to basic TK and maybe a few other cantrips.

As for the 'Ancient mysteries, tomes of knowledge, great and terrible artifacts' bit, well, Equestria's local equivalent of Indiana Jones is a pegasus so there's no reason you couldn't have it both ways.

Poor Earth ponies. Nobody wants to be you

[Anarion]

I've always found the arguments against Nozick experience machine sorts of scenarios to be a bit silly. Especially if your brain can't tell the difference when you're in it.

Unless you're making a pretty major sacrifice to use it (here, leaving everything about the old world forever) I can't see any downside to simulating a 2-week vacation to a tropical island over my lunch break whenever I wanted to.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm talking about the arguments that boil down to 'but it totally isn't real, man!' and assuming that the process itself is cheap, painless, non-addictive etc.

Knowledge that you're being deceived is the worst possible world. There is a desire for truth or reality or whatever you want to call it. So if people know that it's not real, even if it's impossible to perceive, it taints their entire experience. It's not especially different from finding out you're in the Matrix and wanting to escape even though reality kinda sucks.

On the other hand, a life lived entirely in deception that you never knew was a deception is both externally indistinguishable from the real life and internally indistinguishable from the perspective of the person deceived, so that it can only be judged inferior from a third person omniscient perspective.

Edit: That's addressed towards a more permanent or lasting deception. I don't see anything wrong with the 2-week vacation either, though it's deeply difficult to separate the virtual reality machine from it's assorted negative consequences in taking people's free time from other pursuits.

[Deadly]

I didn't think you got to pick your special talent though. even if you pick unicorn you probably aren't going to win the superpower jackpot like Twilight did and get magic itself as your talent. You'd probably be limited to basic TK and maybe a few other cantrips.

As for the 'Ancient mysteries, tomes of knowledge, great and terrible artifacts' bit, well, Equestria's local equivalent of Indiana Jones is a pegasus so there's no reason you couldn't have it both ways.

I would expect that to depend a lot on personality. If my special talent wasn't in some way related to learning and understanding the world, I don't know what it would be. And that, to me, means magic, since that seems to be Equestria's equivalent of science. Maybe I wouldn't get as much actual power as Twilight, and that's fine, but I can't pass up the chance to learn and understand arcane secrets.

When I talk about ancient mysteries, I'm not so much (or just) thinking of finding ancient books or relics, but also actually understanding their contents and their magic. Excavating old ruins would be cool, but I'd also like to be able to understand what the magic I find actually does, and how it does it and so on.

I would want to study magic, if I was a pony. If I can do that as a pegasus, then maybe that's the best of both worlds, but I suspect a pegasus would have trouble truly grasping magic like a unicorn.

[Balmas]

Actualy, it's importent to note that there are probably plenty of people who would choose another race other than ponykind. Griffons and Zebras are pretty popular, and there is probably a crowd that would go for a bipedal race like Minotaurs or Dimond Dogs. Heck, there's probably a good amount of people who would not mind being whats basicly a furry, horned car (Buffalo). Also, Donkeys, but considering there seemingly nonmagical earth ponies with funny ears.....


Unrelated to the above, besides the existance of long-eared equines.

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Actualy, if we want to go there, we could consider a Donkeys "special skill" to be shear force of will to do what they wish to do, it be to climb up a hill or travel across a country to find a single individual. Would certently put them in a more equal light compared to there pony cousins, because while earth ponies may have a "I think I can" mentality in many cases, it's not as supernaturaly focused as the otherwise unremarkable donkey.

If Griffon is an option, I know I'd pick that. I mean, come on--hands and wings and presumably omnivorous? I'm sold.

[Deadly]

I suppose I could be a pegasus who studies the theory of magic. That might be cool, but still ... I suspect the ability to manipulate the world through pure thought, even if it's limited to basic TK, is too wonderful an experience to pass up. I expect the pure experience of performing magic, even trivial magic, would rival the experience of flight.

[SynissterSyster]

I want to be an Earth Pony. Hell my own OC is one. Just seems like being one means you have to work for all that you do. Something inside me likes that idea.

Off topic but how many stories are there with Gilda getting redeemed or some kind of ending. Thanks.

Btw if anypony likes Twilight becoming power mad read Samsara. He is good with Grimoire.

[DigoDragon]

The question is, do you go or do you stay? Please explain your answer.

I Go! I Go Now! I'd go, become a pegasus, and not look back.
My explanation?

Because Equestria has this: http://youtu.be/WKA52BJYyS0

[Dirtytabs]

Poor Earth ponies. Nobody wants to be you

Aww. *raises hand hoof*

[Eakin]

Knowledge that you're being deceived is the worst possible world. There is a desire for truth or reality or whatever you want to call it. So if people know that it's not real, even if it's impossible to perceive, it taints their entire experience. It's not especially different from finding out you're in the Matrix and wanting to escape even though reality kinda sucks.

On the other hand, a life lived entirely in deception that you never knew was a deception is both externally indistinguishable from the real life and internally indistinguishable from the perspective of the person deceived, so that it can only be judged inferior from a third person omniscient perspective.

Well, I'm certainly not saying that you'd be philosophically justified in compelling someone to use it, even if that would create the maximum possible utility. But I think a lot of people would choose it.

I also think that 'being deceived is the worst possible world' in not universally true, and closer to a societal or cultural norm than a fundamental truth. Which means it can shift.

Edit: That's addressed towards a more permanent or lasting deception. I don't see anything wrong with the 2-week vacation either, though it's deeply difficult to separate the virtual reality machine from it's assorted negative consequences in taking people's free time from other pursuits.

Well, we don't usually oppose forms of entertainment categorically for being too compelling, absent actual physical addiction. Plus, there's no reason we'd have to limit the use of the machine to recreation. Video games and virtual reality are already used for training tasks that would be too risky to practice in real life, like say defusing explosives. Or maybe I want to simulate a college course in chemistry, complete with laboratory experiments that would be prohibitively costly in the real world.

[Trixie]

Aww. *raises hand hoof*

*BLAM.*

"You prancin' show ponies!"

Was it the reply you we're looking for? :P

[Beacon of Chaos]

Ponies like apples.

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Anyway, thinking about it, yes I would go to Equestria. Why? Well, Trixie made it here, so this "no going back" thing is clearly complete rubbish! Become a unicorn, learn real magic, as I would so love to do, and then come back here via the same spell that Trixie used (if I can't cast it myself I just pay somepony else to) and hey presto! Best of both worlds.