Discord on Insanity and Reality Engineering

by Redback Spino

Rating: everyone
Tags: Discord, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Random
Length: 1245

Discord muses with a lone visitor to the sculpture garden on some of his favourite subjects

A lone visitor to the Canterlot Sculpture Garden finds themself sitting before the paralysed statue of Discord. His body might be frozen, but his mind s far from it! And so through the magic of telepathy he shall tell you of his thoughts on the concept of insanity, and his ideas behind what he refers to as Reality Engineering.

Based on the 'Reality Engineering' video by Doctor Steel. Happy Toy Soldier Day, albeit a day early thus far. Keep up the good fight, my fellow soldiers, and let us carry on the Doctor's vision of a Uopian Playland.

Published 2012-03-04 00:54:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-03-04 00:54:01 UTC

Open Your Eyes, Little Pony

*Ahem*…pardon me, my fellow, but do you suppose you could move a bit to the right? The sun’s glinting off the pond in my eyes and you’d be just the right height to block it.

Hey! Woah now, stop panicking! It’s just me… Hey! I’m up here, you silly little mortal!

Yes, my friend, it’s me, the statue in front of you…how am I talking to you? Well the fact is, those ponies, those…ugh,
Elements of Harmony… they thought I was gone for good after they blasted me with their little Rainbow of Light. And indeed, they froze me in this rather awkward pose and put me up as a blasted garden ornament!

But that was their big mistake. That body was just a shell. I can’t move about physically, but that doesn’t mean I can’t send
out my own influences and ideas! After all, that’s all I was at one point, an idea: Disharmony, Chaos and Discord. And you can’t stop an idea once it has taken hold.

So relax my friend, you’re not insane…heh, if anypony round here is insane, it’s me! Yes, I admit it: I’m completely madcap insane. At least, everypony thought so; there were propaganda leaflets, proclamations from the Princesses, all
that good stuff. So, it must be true, right?

But let me tell you, it was a real load off my mind! It relieved a lot of responsibility, and it gave me an excuse to be what I am. So if I wanted to…say, summon up a storm of chocolate rain, or send forth a stampede of ballet-dancing buffalo, so
be it! I’m bonkers! It’s very convenient, you see. Not to mention fun!

I am crazy, and I will become the ruler of Equestria once again, even if it’s simply because I become convinced I have become ruler of Equestria!

Yes…convinced…for y’see my little equine friend, all we really have is our perceptions, and whatever we perceive to be reality, is, to us, reality. If you want to get into all that new-fangled science I hear the unicorns going on about, then we get into the business about how we, as observers, can actually manifest and manipulate reality; we are intricately and subconsciously involved in the process of reality, in more ways than even my brain could imagine! And once we know this,
we can begin to really see all that is around us.

*sigh*But sadly, the powers that are in control of Equestria- I speak of course, of the Royal Alicorn Sisters, Celestia and Luna- are using this very information to manifest a reality that is most advantageous for them. Not for you, not for any of their subjects. For them alone. They have introduced an idealistic wordview that may or may not be related to what is actually happening. Hah! Don’t ask me if they’re right! I might be immortal but I’m not omniscient! If I was, would I be stuck
like this after those ponies zapped me?!

And then they reinforce it, through their own festivals and tales. Things like the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageants, the Summer Sun Celebrations, Winter Wrap Up Day. Now I’m not saying anything about whether or not their stories are true, don’t get me wrong. And as annoying and sappy as some of those festivals can be, they sure do make for some good
entertainment.

The fact is, it doesn’t matter if they are true. Because the fascinating thing is, the more ponies who are indoctrinated into believing these tales, the more true and real they become! Opinions and ideas, becoming reality. Something imaginary or theoretical, actually becoming tangible. This sort of thing happens in your world everyday. Heck, how I came about is a
similar story in itself!

I am the spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, simply because that is what I am! I am the physical representation of Chaos and Disharmony given life and form. Turns out the princesses have a bit of a habit of doing this to any concept that may pose a threat to their harmonious world. Makes us easier to defeat, I guess. Oh, you want other examples? Well, what about the Windigos, those demonic winter beings that feed off of hatred? Well, long ago I did a bit of research into windigos, and it turns out, they are actually a very common concept! They have them in the Griffon Kingdoms, even in the lands where the zebras come from. But, and this is the fascinating bit, in those countries windigos are very, very different. In the Griffon Kingdom, for example, they are said to be parasitic creatures, too weak to live on their own, and so they latch onto innocent victims and live off their blood, until their victim becomes too weak, and becomes a windigo themselves. So, that leads me to believe that windigos are simply physical embodiments of whatever the local culture considers the ultimate taboo. In the case of the fierce, military nation of the Griffons, it’s weakness. And here in Equestria, a nation built on love and tolerance, it is hatred.

What’s that you say? Something like this can’t be happening in this world? Hah! You mortal ponies, you’ll take any horseapples the Princesses throw at you! And with your own mortal inclinations towards fear, the majority of what is focused on and agreed on is fear based. This is encouraged, because when ponies like yourselves are afraid of something, you can be controlled. And, if you’ll pardon me quoting another old friend of mine, those who have the control have the power.

When any creature is afraid, be it a pony like yourself, or any of the endless variety of beasts and birds that roam his land, the sensory input, the brain patterns…heck even the breathing and physicality of the body, becomes less efficient. It stops working at its peak, begins operating poorly. And as a result of this, this creature will unknowingly begin to make poor decisions. And these decisions, my little pony, can be easily influenced.

But apparently, simple influence is not enough for the powers that be, up in the castle. For now, they have begun to introduce covert weapons to subtly keep you ponies under control. And not just psychologically, like the festivals I mentioned earlier, no, no. They have even begun to resort to biological weapons. You ever wonder just why the Wonderbolts leave gas trails behind them as they fly? And why they always perform at major social gatherings? Think about that for a moment, if you will.

Yes, they are working overtime to keep you ponies under control. Why? Because you are a threat. Your primal, mortal nature poses a potential threat to their idealistic vision of a nation of harmony and peace.
You pose a threat with your minds. Because you have the power to change the world. And they know this.
With a vision, a focused vision, a unified and concentrated vision, you can change the world to how you see fit.

Uh oh! I think I can sense the guards coming! You’d better run along before they find you. I can imagine they’d have some rather interesting questions as to why you are staring vacantly at the statue of your nation’s greatest enemy.
Just be sure to remember what I told you, my little pony. And be sure to drop by again anytime. I do enjoy a little chit-chat every now and then!