This blog post started with a simple, if broad, question:
Why do Bronies exist?
I'm sure most of you are familiar, but for those who aren't, a Brony is an adult (usually male) fan of the show "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." The show was developed for children, based on a franchise traditionally interpreted as being for girls. It follows Twilight Sparkle and her friends as they learn valuable life lessons. It's something most people would watch with their kids. So why are adults all about it?
Well, the show is good. The writing, animation, and character development are skillful. It's got magic and light-hearted mystery and laughs. The question should be, "Why would anyone NOT like it?"
Because it's for kids? Sure it is. And the world is full of adults who watched Frozen, Brave, and How to Train Your Dragon "because, you know, the kids just love it." But a lot of them have a little secret: They loved it, too.
Why do we look down on creative work just because it's appropriate for younger audiences? That doesn't make it inappropriate for adults. In fact, I think there's a huge gap in the market, created by the drive of the last fifty plus years to make everything darker, more grim, more sexual, more emotionally challenging. That stuff is all important, too, but who wants to be challenged all the time? It's like our media doesn't want to give us a break from the harsh aspects of reality. We forgot that it's okay to be happy.
This trend isn't so much breaking as leaking around the edges. Coloring books for adults and television shows like My Little Pony are popping up around the edges of our media consumption. Young Adult fiction is being read by everyone and their grandmother. And for some reason, we are still talking about it like it's embarrassing.
"Oh, yeah, I'm reading The Scorpion Rules, but it actually has really mature themes."
"Yes, I bought some mandala coloring books at Barnes & Noble, but my therapist recommended it, it's silly, I don't know, whatever."
Stop it.
You love it.
And it's good to love things.
Maybe the drive for all media to be 'mature' comes from the fact that we're not all that comfortable with our maturity. Maybe we're posturing. We should stop.
It's not about your Inner Child. All the stuff we refer to as the Inner Child is actually just Human Stuff.
You don't have to manifest only qualities found in adults at all times. Should you be a mature human who takes out the trash, refrains from throwing tantrums, and asks the complex questions in life? Yes. And you should also watch My Little Pony, because it's fun.
And if you want to write fiction that isn't gritty, sexy, dark, or deep, you should do that, too.
It's important.