They also seem to be including more technology in later seasons. Whether that's intentional, or just due to the lack of Faust's influence or what, I'm not sure.

That was pretty much confirmed to be a mistake on the part of the writer/artist, that was hastily sepia-toned to make it look more like news-reels.

edited 12th Aug '13 9:50:54 AM by Mio

Given how spontaneous talents are, it would make sense for ponies to invent whatever came to mind and leave the organization for later. In that sense, it's more like chaotic invention rather than uniform progress as we understand it.

I don't think cutie marks really make them that different then us.

Yeah, they don't really have the issue of necessity of invention in the way we do, so they probably invent for luxury. Which means entertainment would actually be fairly sparse in terms of invention, because there would rarely be a need for new technology that would lead to it(Film, for example, was invented to win a bet about whether or not all of a horses hooves ever left the ground at once while running).

Video games, like in the real world, were probably invented by bored college students stuck in a lab all day. Film probably had a more roundabout invention.

Why wouldn't they need to invent things? Magic removes some of the need for technology, but most technologies would still be useful.

Not because of Cutie Marks, I think it's pretty clear that the Marks are just a representation of that pony's talent.

I'm sure there's general trends and nothing as crazy as a pony inventing lasers 4000 years ago, but it makes sense that invention kind of goes all over the place. Paradoxically, entertainment must be pretty sparse as most ponies seem perfectly content with a good friend so not much of a need for artificial enjoyment when they have the real thing.

useful, but not completely necessary.

A fair portion of technology is stuff that was invented for war and then re-purposed afterwords. If they don't go to war as often as us, they would be coming up with those technologies until much later. I mean, certain technologies would have more practical initial uses, so they could easily be invented - refrigeration and gas stoves, for example - but other things might take a lot longer than they did for us.

If Televisions exist in equestria then Derpy is probably the host of a show about weird things that happen in the internet. yes

edited 12th Aug '13 10:26:56 AM by spyro4

That really doesn't make any sense since a lot of entertainment, even TV and radio, was and still are social events. I don't see why that would stagnate entertainment technology and industry.

She's sexy and she knows it.

Ha.

Well I'm Sixy and I know it :P -brick'd-

I suppose there would be less drive towards research due to war. But they'd still have inventions, just at a somewhat slower pace.

It makes some sense for Equestria tech to be all over the place. Earth pony magic mean that you don't need much development in the agricultural side of things, Pegasi mean that flight isn't a mysterious wonder like is was for humanity. All you need are sky rickshaws for flight. Magic makes electricity largely redundant.

But even if they can do things naturally, they probably still look for ways to make it easier.

T Hat's what I was trying to get at, if there isn't much need for invention, then it will take a lot longer to come up with. A lot of our greatest works came about accidentally, but still.

I just don't think it will take a lot longer.

They don't have opposable thumbs. And two thirds of the population don't have a decent substitute. Probably slows things down.

When has that ever stopped them. They can basically manipulate anything with their hooves as long as you don't look too closely.

Maybe they can only use their hooves as hands as long as they don't think about it.

I want to meet someone who use nickname Twilight Sparkle who is not brony but fan of that story about vampires.

The question is, is it magic or are ponies like centipedes?

edited 12th Aug '13 11:51:05 AM by kegisak

@Kyler: Imposter syndrome describes Twilight's own complex of phobias almost perfectly. It's essentially this unshakeable neurotic belief that you're just a gigantic fake who's gotten this far in life completely by accident, you're loaded down with respect you don't deserve and trust you can't live up to, and if anyone finds out you're not really as competent as you seem to be you'll suffer for it.

That IS Twilight. She underestimates herself constantly, lives in fear of displeasing her completely benevolent mentor, and is absolutely certain that she'll be busted back down to magic kindergarten the first time something goes wrong. She has had to overcome dozens of massive crises before it was finally hammered into her head that she really is a brilliant student, a powerful mage, a worthy friend, and a fundamentally decent pony... I even suspect, frankly, that ascending to alicornhood still won't convince her of anything, because she'll feel like she doesn't deserve that either. Princess Celestia got a whole song to herself to tell Twilight she's earned it, but even so I doubt that Twilight will still believe it after the euphoria wears off.

edited 12th Aug '13 11:54:05 AM by JakesBrain

Not to mention she has a whole new set of problems to work through with the princess thing, now.