I want to give you guys the chance to justify and show your creativity concerning the Hive Mind and Hive theory.

First of all let me tell you this... As far as canon goes I will agree with Magic Man for the most part that the changelings have neither hive mind nor hives. Hell I have even found out where the changelings are! Here it says that the gates to the Changeling Kingdom are south through the Appaloosan Mountain range and then on through the forest of Leota.
http://imgur.com/a/4HS8w#1 http://imgur.com/a/4HS8w#22 Another map... Hmmmm seems awfully close to where the battle with Discord took place. Wait... wasn't that in Ponyville? *scartches head* Whatever!

I'll tell you this much. When writers use the Hive Mind for me it's a sign of unoriginality, lack of inspiration, and plain ol laziness. In all sincerity I have seen it used a GAZZILION times over and it plain ol pisses me off. None bothers to explain their shit when they say "Hive Mind". I also don't like the way people see it as a race-wide propaganda of sorts because they see it like god's voice and god's voice is the voice of religion which is nothing sort of propaganda right? Whatever...

it's the same thing with Celestia being a tyrant because a singular leader is inherently bad/corrupt and the guidance/advice/whatever of the Queen of the changelings can't be anything but bad!

Although this video fails at spots here's a reason why your assumption of tyrant Celestia fails miserably upon its' feet. Because unless you establish it in your story how she is a tyrant just plain assuming by the way a system works that Celestia is a tyrant is bad. Same shit goes for the changelings. Just because you think that the Hivemind is bad because of the way it is structured doesn't mean that is true or that there aren't any benefits from this, or that free will is restricted.

Another misconception or assumption I dislike is treating the Hivemind like an instant online chatroom. Sometimes if you handle it properly it can work, and especially in comedic purposes but this is overestimating this characteristic of the changelings. I quite dislike how we generally use the hivemind like a wokey-tokey/radio of sorts. It just sounds RIDICULOUS.

The thing is that even when someone explains it they don't deviate from the "bee-zerg" concept. Especially when it comes to the zerg I am inserting the Ultimate NOOOOOO compilation. Like seriously... it might sound cool to have changelings with mutations and stuff, and if you can pull it off you're welcome but don't tell me you are being original in your concepts if you do that.

It seems we lack writers that actually perceive changelings as natural people meaning that they don't differ all that much from ponies in mentality. And who's responsible for all that? Plain Ol tyrant Chrysalis. Yea... let me just say that Tyrant comes from the Greek work that actually meant "The one who has all the political power" loosely translated. I am greek, I should know.

Another thing... the "cut the head of the hive/cut the hivemind link and the whole "swarm" goes down". Yea... why? And no... this is treating the changelings in a derogatory perspective saying that essentially they aren't able to function as individuals or that just by killing a leader a whole nation will go instantly in dissarray. Well let me tell you this people... did Commander Shepard go and kill the leader of the Reapers to win? Is there no contigency in modern society for the transition between leader to leader? Granted it might not be effective but notions like "Without a Queen/Hive mind the changelings would forever squabble and be in disarray" is plain ridiculous and underestimates the capabilities of changelings that can work as individuals. This goes to the point where a changeling without a hivemind is a purposeless individual

I personally view this bond as kind of a family/friend thing. Changelings who are born of blood can link themselves with each other and perceive general emotions, if focused enough location maybe. It is a bond that can be performed with others, can be cut off and connection can be permanently severed. It is a way to judge the ability to also lead combined with physical and mental prowess. The greater the ability to perform such bonds the more the chance to rise in the ranks of changeling hierarchy. This goes up to the Queen who's empathy and ability to communicate with the changelings is judged. The crown itself becomes a holy relic through which ancient rulers grant the ability to communicate for a limited time with all the changelings to form a concesus on matters of great importance. Like war.

Now this is the rough explanation so I can't say it's as detailed as I would want it to be. But this is not entirely about me. It's about you. I want you to show me your creativity your originality and your ability to deviate even the slightest from common fanon. So here come my questions.

How do changelings use the hivemind?
How does it work with the body?
What are the benefits?
The drawbacks?
What can it do?
What can't it do?
Is it easy to use?
How did it get developped?
How is it used?
What does the Queen have to do with it?
How does it help changeling society?
Can changeling society function without it?

I could ask more but you know the drill... you are the creators so you explain it. I might just explain mine as well.

Because it's a fun concept that gives people a chance to try out a mindset they may have not tried before. As it is, I don't understand the hate for this idea. Yes, like anything it can be over done, but it's seriously not something for people to get as bent out of shape as I've seen them get.

As for me, I use it more like an intimate link between both individual changelings and their queens. And no, I let the changelings maintain a significant level of autonomy. It's more like a network of individuals that are linked communally then it is one being in several thousand bodies. As for the queen, she acts to coordinate and govern the changelings in general. Also I subscribe to the idea that the queen is a kinda of love antennae that broadcasts gathered love to the extended changeling community.

While the link is easy to use, it's not what allows the queen to assume direct control in my story. That is actually related to blood relations to the queen. On top of that, the link is what helps the queen realize which changeling are in the most need for love. So all in all, while they can live without it, but with considerably more trouble.

3919605

Because it's a fun concept that gives people a chance to try out a mindset they may have not tried before. As it is, I don't understand the hate for this idea. Yes, like anything it can be over done, but it's seriously not something for people to get as bent out of shape as I've seen them get.

You misunderstand. I hate the fact that simply by mentioning it we are expected to understand it immediately.
No... I don't have to understand your stuff... EXPLAIN IT. That is all I am asking. The fact that you don't explain it says how LAZY you are. ((not you specifically))

Changeling Hivemind doesn't exist and is even disproven by canon.

That's my justification for why I (don't) use it

3919646 Or maybe the explanation doesn't fit in the context of the story. Weighting down something like a comedy with an explanation on the hive mind when the focus is elsewhere is not a good idea.

3920364 Oh you mean the same comics that tried to bring fucking gelding into MLP?

3920782 I never read nor will I ever read the comics or consider them (entirely) canon.

I was referring to how they couldn't tell Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash weren't actual changelings.

0:46-1:00

[youtube=D1IY-qctgww]

3920364
3920782 Well yea but if it's a world exploration then it needs it. I understand that you won't sit down and explain stuff in comedy or random but you will do so in other occasions.

To be honest the moment the comics introduced the Cutsie Mutsie land and said that no changeling got hurt/died from the fall they lost all credibility to me. But I still ocassionaly support them.

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ut I think it'd be fairly slow since it'd need to relay through other changelings before reaching its destination....

That's easily fixed... Star distribution like the Internet. Use a conduit or in need use an item as a conduit like cellphone services.

I think that's a decent explanation, yeah?

I wish changeling writers tried half as much as you did to explain it. Most... don't.

3920809 Since the canon of the comics in relation to the show is questionable, I like to call the comics "Pick and Choose" canon. For example, I disregard the Changeling arc, but I accept the Mirror Universe arc.

3920823 Whereas I hate all the Comics and wish they'd declare the whole lot non-canon. Seriously, the Mirror Universe arc was cool until it got to the very end. That was the point I lost all hope in the comics writers.

3920837 Meh, like I said, pick-and-choose. you can take what you want from them.

Yes, I have gelding as a thing (but only in changeling cultures, and only for the personal bodyguard of the queen), but the Chupacabras of MY headcanon are flightless bats, just like the ones in real life.

Don't argue with me, I think they exist. You're talking to a person who has a mother who saw an actual sasquatch.

3920823 I am selective as well and support the "Changeling have a kingdom HA SUCK IT HIVE PEOPLE :P" opinion lel.
3920837 Was it that bad?

Yes, I have gelding as a thing (but only in changeling cultures, and only for the personal bodyguard of the queen), but the Chupacabras of MY headcanon are flightless bats, just like the ones in real life.

Dafaq is a gelding?

3920876 Castrated equine

3920883 DUUUUUUUUUUDE! MY FUCKING BALLS HURT NOW! OH MY GOD WHY? ARE THE CREATORS CRAZY? OH MY GOD WHY WHY WHYYYYYY? Is there a pic of it? OH MY GOD WHY!!!

3920893 I don't know if there's a pic.

3920902 Regardles... EEEWWW!!!

3920905 yeah...

3920876 It was a case of the ending fucking everything up as well as a great many missed opportunities. And yeah, the whole gelding. It's not used in that way, but the fact the word exists in MLP has some fucking sick implications. Seriously, you provided a screen shot of the area named for geldings in the OP. Second picture, on the right, below the Swamps of Neigh Orleans. Gelding grotto. Presumely where they sent them after hacking off their tackle. Apparently the writer didn't bother with their fucking research and just thought "hey, gelding is a horse word. Let's use that."

3920970 If you wish to talk more about this that's kewl. Message meh :D
3920946 OH MY GOD I DIDN'T KNOW I AM GREEK I AM SO SORRY!!!

3921015 Huh?

3921067 I didn't know it when I posted it.

Wow. That was a long list of nothing you typed up there. No, seriously, I've heard these complaints before. And in all honesty, I just have to say, 'So What?'.

The 'hivemind' is a pretty nebulous concept at best. Complaining about it in general is like complaining about weather in general. Unless you get more specific, it sounds like you're complaining just to be complaining.

What I'm saying is, there's many different ways to interpret the 'hivemind' concept. It could be a direct link between the minds of each changeling, like the Borg from Star Trek. Could also be direct mental control, such as the Tyranids from Warhammer 40K. It could even be an instinctual urge to follow the actions of others of your kind, as seen with ants and bees.

The issue with applying a 'hivemind' to creatures such as changelings, is that for the most part, creatures that we're familiar with who have a 'hivemind' are generally either non-intelligent, or have very limited autonomy. Even with the Borg, where a Borg Drone may act on it's own, they're always trying to reconnect and 're-sync' with the collective. The problem is, it's been shown (mostly in the comics), that changelings do act as individuals, and have (at least to some extent) their own personalities. This tends to conflict with the popular conceptions of what a 'hivemind' is.

There's also the question of, from a literary perspective, do the changelings need a hivemind? Well, they follow a singular leader (whether or not she's actually evil is more about personal perspective), and having a hivemind would make controlling a large army much easier. Then again, till recently the ponies had a single leader as well, Celestia. And chances are, if she gave a pony a command, they'd more than likely follow it, whether or not it was against their better judgement. Does this mean ponies have a hivemind as well, or no free will? Not at all. Having free will and choosing to not use it are two very different things. And, unfortunately like a lot of people in real life, most ponies would likely rather just follow orders than have to think for themselves.

So is there a reason to give the changelings a hivemind, when they could just as easily follow Chrysalis out of choice? Well, yes there is. The changelings having a hivemind can often be used as a literary tool, to help illustrate just how different they are from ponies. Ponies follow Celestia out of choice, but changelings are born to follow their queen. It also fits in with their insect-like theme and appearance. Does this mean that changelings have no free will? Not really. Sure, some authors do write the changelings as being little more than mindless robots doing whatever their queen wishes. However, just because they have a hivemind doesn't mean they can't have free will. Like I said before, it all depends on how the author decides to describe and use that concept.

For example, in some writings I've done, the changeling hivemind wasn't a controlling force for them. It was reassurance. The hivemind gave the queen the ability to sense where her changelings were, and what they were doing. And other changelings could use it this way to a lesser extent, effectively letting them know if they were amongst more of their kind in disguise. But more importantly, it constantly gave the changelings a sense of security, that their actions, no matter how evil or despicable, were for the good of the hive, and that they had the love and support of their fellow changelings. It let them go about their work without any doubts. This also meant that, if they were ever removed from the hivemind (such as by great distances, or the death of the queen), they were suddenly hit with the realization that there was no comforting voice anymore, and that the world was a very cold, dangerous place for them.

3949229 My main objection is that having a hive-mind for the most part shows limited creativity since you're borrowing stuff from fanon. Also some authors treat fanon as if all users right here should almost instantly understand it and ask no questions. To be having a hive mind or borrowing fanon suggests that the author is not willing to make time to create something new.

That might not be true, the story that contains a hive mind might not be bad but in any case I am kind of annoyed how almost everyone seems to write kind of the same story but with different faces. Special little snowflake changeling escapes the hive mind and discovers wondrous individuality. Changelings claiming "It's all the Queen's fault!" and when asked why "Because hivemind!". Now as you said hivemind doesn't guarantee loss of individuality but that also doesn't mean it's exactly original.

All in all there's a bit of a saturation of stories in the hivemind. Nobody is treating it differently, or doing something new with it.

4090215
Now see? This is more specific, and something that can be discussed without simply condemning the entire concept as a whole.
Believe it or not, I actually agree with you on most of those points. However, the issues you have a problem with have more to do with just bad writing than the 'hivemind' concept itself.

Yes, if someone wants to be lazy, they can use the hivemind concept as a crutch without explaining thing properly. However, the same could be said about many other common concepts in fanfiction.

4091020 This thread actually exists in other groups around fimfiction. You can go find what others say there.

I just think it's time to ditch some common fanon misconceptions and create new stories.

I always get those stories where the hivemind is a bad thing or that generally having it degrades the changelings as beings and that is a major tick of to me. You want to make the ponies look nice? Fine go ahead... but don't diminish a whole race just to put the protagonist in a more positive light.

There are also other ridiculous((to me)) renditions of the hivemind like "Online Chatroom" stuff. Ugh... while the concept is interesting to be sure I think it's totally ridiculous and it doesn't work.

It's just like what I see with Kuno the changeling and the friggin cowbell it has for an accessory. Cowbell Christmas ball whatever... add to that that the collar says the name of the changeling and it completes my impression that said OC is a pet. On top of all of that? Said OC uses this to gain satisfaction out of proving others that she's not a pet. Hypocritical much?