I wasn't trying to. I was just pointing out that the totality of a pony's personality is more then what is represented in their cutie mark and it would benefit both the characters (and the audience) to remember that.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:43:20 AM by Mio

But their Cutie Mark represents what they have an intense PASSION for. If they didn't enjoy something with all their hearts, then it wouldn't have been their cutie mark

edited 6th Jan '12 9:44:20 AM by gingerninja666

It's one of the big things in their life yeah, but everypony has more than one thing they really wanna do.

I knew it was Touhou! I've got an avatar of Rarity as Scarlet, but I like yours better.

Well, nevermind then.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:48:12 AM by Mio

Cutie marks are really from a Real Life point of view just a symbol of individuality.

While the question of what came first the mark or the passion will be a huge debate...

Cutie marks as seen with fluttershy are just discovering your passion in life.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:46:22 AM by FallenLegend

not one of. THE biggest thing in their lives.

They can care about other things, but their CM is what they care most about, otherwise they wouldn't have that specific Cutie mark

Speaking to someone else

edited 6th Jan '12 9:46:17 AM by gingerninja666

I'm not saying it's the only thing they can be good at, but...

People change with time. And while it's rare for someone to have a radical shift in interests, it does happen now and then.

Yeah people change interest. But we have yet to find someone that doesn't like their talents for life.

In twilight's case her cutie mark just confirmed what she already knew.

and why is that a bad thing? Indecision is oftentimes BAD isn't it? Shouldn't it be a GOOD thing that ponies have at least one constant in their lives? Something that they can turn to no matter how much they or their surroundings change?

edited 6th Jan '12 9:50:22 AM by gingerninja666

Indecision is the time you don't have a cutie mark because you don't know what you want.

This is when you're (hypothetically) stuck with a cutie mark that doesn't represent you because you're not the same pony you were 20 years ago.

Probably not the best examples. But Luma and Cekestia haven't been sent regretting their marks after a millennia.

More than a symbol of a special talent those cutie marks have berms true reflection a symbol for their souls.

A cutie mark represents not just what a pony does but what a pony is. Hence the reason I don't think Indecition is a factor.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:57:39 AM by FallenLegend

but that just DOESN'T happen in this world. The cutie mark represents the SINGLE CONSTANT in their lives. Literally EVERYTHING else about them can change except for that mark and what it represents.

I think this is a mild case of Blue and Orange Morality. You're applying our standards to a world where, at least in this particular case, they just aren't the same

edited 6th Jan '12 9:57:26 AM by gingerninja666

^I think we can all agree that there are safeguards in place to prevent ponies getting cutie marks for faddish interests. Ponies don't get their cutie marks just because they like doing something in their spare time; their mark represents what they feel, on some level, they're meant to do. Like Ginger said, it's what they feel is the one constant in their lives - the piece that belongs, even if nothing else feels quite right just yet.

Edit: Well put, Legend. A cutie mark isn't what a pony does, but what a pony is.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:58:38 AM by RedSavant

Most Cutie Marks are fairly abstract and flexible. If need be I imagine that an older pony may just ascribe different meaning to their CM as time goes on and they change.

edited 6th Jan '12 9:58:16 AM by Mio

Their Cutie Mark is what they're naturally talented at. Doesn't mean you can't do anything else.

I would probably have some kind of Science CM. And that wuldn't stop me from trying to write. The Cutie Mark is more of a note for oneself: "This is something I know I can do, that I can turn to in case of trouble".

Kinda like that, yeah.

edited 6th Jan '12 10:00:10 AM by DhanaRagnarok

^Cutie marks are not Fallback Plan marks.

I may have made this sound wrong. It's not a fallback plan, more like...Your speciality. You don't have to follow it, it's just the most natural thing to do, and probably the most satisfying.

edited 6th Jan '12 10:02:17 AM by DhanaRagnarok

Wonderful Greetings! Had to catch up on a lot of pages, but remember, I read every post, that's my guarantee!

I was a bit sad to see that one of our big Berserk Button debates (Earth Ponies) flared up AGAIN for the tenth or so time a couple pages ago. Well, more than a bit sad, actually really pissed off, and since I'm pretty much more peaceful than Fluttershy, that should tell you something.

@Youmu Avatar: That's really cool! I only know Touhou from Tv Tropes and Popcultural Osmosis, but Youmu's my favorite, I think.

@Cutie Marks: That is one of the other topics that causes massive wars from my experience. My stance on it would be this: the ponies are simply not 100% comparable to us in all respects. What works for us might be terrible to them and vice versa. Therefore, I'd think that all the worries we have about the Cutie Mark System (you're saddled with one thing for the rest of your life, etc.) just doesn't even register as a problem to them. They have a different set of ambitions, morals, lifestyle, whatever, to us and therefore it's much easier for them than it would be for us. (EDIT: The Ginger Ninja lives up to his name and basically said what I meant. )

Holy crap, my longest post ever, sorry.

edited 6th Jan '12 10:04:42 AM by FellDeedsAwake

I think that I'd find having a cutie mark a comfort. Whenever I'm in doubt, (after getting some privacy) I look down and remind myself, "Yes! THIS is why you're doing this!"

Yeah, a cutie mark would never really need to act as a backup plan because it rrepresents what they're most PASSIONATE about doing. They wouldn't want to pursue a career in anything else.

They can have other interests sure, but their CM represents what they are

EXACTLY!!! Why do some people think this is a bad thing? I'd LOVE to have something like that

edited 6th Jan '12 10:05:49 AM by gingerninja666

Hm... I guess I can concede the point. But I can still see a pony doubting themselves. A mid-life crisis, if you will.

I have a particular soft spot for this avatar, on account of having had to go out of my way to screen-grab Youmu's spellcard background before the filled the screen with danmaku.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when did I ever say it was a bad thing? Or did I just seem to imply it somehow?

edited 6th Jan '12 10:07:00 AM by KylerThatch

Why would you want that to happen? Can't you let these ponies be happy knowing that they have at least one constant in their lives?!

edit: You said you felt sorry for the Ponies because their cutie marks can never be changed or that they could somehow become irrelevant as they got older

edited 6th Jan '12 10:09:34 AM by gingerninja666

@Red Servant: Puts into a kinda fridge horror when considering Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's Cutie Marks.......o_o

Cutie Marks in General: They represent what a pony is not only talented in, but also they actually have the passion and the drive to continue DOING what that mark represents. The mark only appears when they individual bearing it realizes this fact for themselves. Thus, it already has been established that the CMC already KNOW WHAT their talents are and that they like doing them. They just need to realize it is THOSE particular talents is what DEFINES them.

edited 6th Jan '12 10:13:10 AM by UdtheImp

*shrug*

I just don't think that is necessarily how CM work. But that's just me.

edited 6th Jan '12 10:09:33 AM by Mio