So I recently learned something about myself...

[Videomaster21XX]

I'm going to be honest, I think I can chalk that up to something like a drunken post. Except I don't drink, so I guess a sleep deprived post. I was honestly going to delete it till I saw it got responses.

Elsewhere with other people I talked with, whenever I'd try to explain or talk about intricate details like this it would always be met with: "You are thinking too hard about things" and always in a ... bad way. It makes/made me feel that I'm doing something wrong, except I literally can't help that my brain works like this.

Also, frankly while it does have it's downsides, I personally don't WANT to feel that being able to process information this quickly and complex is a bad thing.

As for the Applejack thing... let me try to break it down as best I can.

So I'm looking at it from Applejack's POV right? Basically, it's like an actor slipping into a role. I'm thinking like Applejack, and I'm looking at the problem before me. Everything I know about Applejack suggests that her first move would likely be to call her family.

With me so far? Okay so... because of that, I feel that's the move she'd make. I can't come up with a reason why she wouldn't do that first. Except she doesn't.

So I'm thinking: Okay what would cause her not to make that move?

I perfectly understand things like the the show didn't have time, or even trying to tell me the story wasn't about her. The problem is:

How does: "There wasn't enough time in the show" affect Applejack's motivation and decision-making? Like she doesn't know she's a character in a show, so wouldn't something like that not matter? Like if that's supposed to be the answer, how and why would that affect her choice to not do the obvious and call her family which her entire Apple Clan is sorta known for?

So if I can't use that to answer the question of why AJ didn't call her family, woudn't that mean the question of why she didn't is still there?

And if the question exists, that means there is a problem right? Because it's a question that didn't get answered, and I don't have an answer for why from her POV she wouldn't do that.

Like... it makes perfect sense to ME.

Everyone else can somehow just stop at: "It's a show" and be fine, and I'm not saying it's a bad thing people can DO that, but to me it feels like in order to do that you have to ignore the AJ POV, but ignoring it I don't think makes what I'm saying any less true?

So looking at it that way, you COULD consider that an issue right?

I mean I get if you personally don't think it's worth fretting over, but is anything I'm saying really wrong?

Last minute edit: To put it another way, imagine you are with Applejack and you have to solve this problem. What would you realistically do? You know AJ has Family in the city, and you need bodies to solve a problem, so what would your first move be?

 

[Destron D-69]

The assumption that you're making about being able to slip into the character and think like they would... is flawed. You're thinking like you. That's why you can't see the idea you came up with as flawed.
Applejack doesn't think there's this big issue that her family can solve. She thinks there's an issue that she can help with... the writers write her this way because the episode is about rarity using her interpersonal skills to motivate the community. We've discussed this before. And you're still kinda stuck on this idea that you think it should have gone. ... its like 10 years ago. Lol.

 

[MEDdMI]

Dee, you're also making assumptions about how Videomaster thinks, and reinforcing the point about how he feels like he's getting attacked/dismissed when he argues about this. It's important to him. I'm sure that there's things that feel trivial to most that's important to you.

 

[Videomaster21XX]

I was at Anime Weekend Atlanta, so I wasn't able to reply till now. ^^;

Okay so first off I get what you are saying, but slipping into her mindset is only part of the point. You also once again went right back to "The writers did"

Forget about the writers. Forget the world is a fantasy.

Let's try this instead:

YOU, you in this real world we live in, have gone to another place with a friend. In this place you have friends/family you are close with, so you absolutely have a way to contact them.

Your friend gets into a bind like in the show and needs people, ANYONE to help them. Now, what first step do you take to solve the situation?

See me? I can only see one logical option. If I know friends/family in the area, I'd probably send them a text or something. Try to call them and be like: "Okay I know this is random but hear me out..."

I just don't see what else to do.

However, from what I'm getting from this discussion is that YOU have a different thing you'd try first, so I just need you to explain to me what that thing is, and why you feel it's the best option to take.

Remember, this is REAL LIFE. So there aren't any writers directing your actions. This is what YOU think is the best course of action to take.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

so you absolutely have a way to contact them.

Can we make that assumption though? I don't know how big Manehattan is, but let's just grant that it's not too big to walk. But the Oranges aren't home. Maybe they're not even out of town, but they just don't happen to be home at the moment you happen to check. Maybe they'll be back in minutes. Maybe it'll be hours. You don't know. What is plan B for contacting them? Phones haven't been invented yet. Not even landlines. So what options are available at that point? Even granting that you know where else they might be at that moment, what mechanism exists to contact them on short notice?

Phones are such a game changer. Imagine not having them.

 

[Videomaster21XX]

Oh we can absolutely consider the possibility Applejack doesn't know where they live, and can't contact them.

Except nothing specifically says she can't, or doesn't know where they are. And that's where probability comes into my equation. Because what do you think the probability is that AJ doesn't know where they live? She visited them as a filly. Yes they could have moved, but the fact that as a filly she knew where they lived means she was close enough to them to know their address.

Why would that change when she grew up?
(EDIT: Actually I thought of an answer. It IS possible to grow distant over time, but again. Apple Family that has a big reunion every year. Do you really think they don't know where everypony lives? This is the type of family that we can make a sure fire bet they give out Hearth's Warming cards to all the family members every year. I'm simply not buying she doesn't know.)

I can understand completely that AJ wouldn't be able to get a hold of them, but since we aren't shown or told that, I can't assume that's what happened.

I'm seeing the option of 'contacting your family/friends' as the most likely thing ANYONE would do in this situation. Basically if I took a survey and asked 100 people what they would do in this situation, I feel the top answer given would be: "I'd try to contact my family/friends to help out"

The only other thing I can think of is "I'd stand around and panic" Or MAYBE "I'd grab people off the street"

I could see Fluttershy maybe doing that, even Rainbow Dash might not think to call people she knows in the area. She'd likely have the ego she could do it all herself.

(This would be assuming we were shown they knew people in the area)

Applejack is more leveled headed a character. I can not see why she wouldn't do the thing I feel more people would do in this situation.

Of course there COULD be another option that makes perfect sense that I'm not seeing. Hence the question I asked in my last post. By all means, if you have a different thing you'd do, tell me what that is.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

My point is she could be on perfect terms with them, and could know where they live, and could walk over there, and would still have no way to contact them if they don't happen to be home right at the moment she happens to check. Even I leave my house sometimes. Her options at that point would be to wait outside the door in the hope that they show up soon (while ponies could use her help right now), or turn around and do what she can on her own.

A writer who remembered that they exist could have them conveniently just be there, but it would be a convenience. In the real world it could just as easily not work out. The idea could occur to her, she could try, and she could hit a dead end.

 

[Destron D-69]

I agree.
Aj might be one of the leveler heads in the mane 6... but that doesn't mean her first idea is always the best idea... or that the best idea is always the first one she has. Fnu is right to bring up, that contacting family in this situation isn't as reliable of a solution as you think.

Say for example they live an hour away across town... that's 2 hours plus the time it takes to describe the situation, get her family on board with helping (assuming they can) ... and that doesn't even include time she would have to wait if they weren't at home. Meanwhile nothing is getting accomplished. On the other hand... staying and plugging away at it does accomplish something over that time, and perhaps could help inspire local support.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

If the walk is doable and they just didn't happen to be home, this scene could have happened during the unknown span of time AJ and Rarity spent trying to recruit volunteers.

I like this solution. AJ totally did think to ask family but it just didn't work out for reasons that aren't all that dramatic.

 

[Destron D-69]

Yeah, its very possible it could have happened and since it didn't become relevant was just never mentioned... if we're making the assumption that any fanfic-type events we can think of takes place between scenes in the episode. That's fine... but still its not what actually happened.

Again, I'm not trying to give VM grief for his plothole problem... I just don't understand how this popped up as a problem again...

 

[CoffeeHorse]

I think about stupid things I said when I was three. Things just pop back into your head sometimes.

 

[Destron D-69]

That is true. Thought of a good comeback to an insult i got in kindergarten just a few weeks ago... much more cutting than "poophead" lol

 

[Destron D-69]

It was the teacher's own son, so doubt it would go over any better... lol