Spike's Journey of Self Discovery

[@benjaminh.morgan3193]

I really love how you analyze the show itself, then pull out and eloquently explain the lessons we adults can learn from it. You, Sir Dr. Wolf, are awesome.

[@DRWolf001]

My thanks to you good sir. Glad to see that others are enjoying the ideas I present here.

[@killgriffinnow]

Well, I think the term 'adults' may be a little bit of an exaggeration for us bronies; do you remember how as a child we would think of adults as quite boring and that they didn't understand what it is like to be a child? Well, I thought that anyway, but I think there are some people who never really become adults at heart, and those are the people who have the most open and pure minds, not affected by the tyranny of society.

[@benjaminh.morgan3193]

True, true. Although I meant "adults" more in the strictly technical sense. Something along the lines of "people who have grown through and out of adolescence". :D

[@NessaTheBat1]

I came back to listen what Doctor Wolf has to say about Spike. I didn't thought that he would tell me the solution to my current problem: My mother thinks I need to understand schwäbisch, a dialect from south-west Germany. I like my herritage and I am proud of it. But I don't understand that much schwäbisch like my mother does. I just learned the normal german language. I'm proud of my vocabulary and try to learn much more words that not many uses and that sounds better. One of my rolemodels, Friedrich Schiller, a german writer, didn't used schwäbisch too and he lived in the same area as I do. I can understand and speak english very well and right now I'm trying to learn dutch. I'm glad that I came back to this old video. Doctor Wolf teached me a lesson I needed the most right now. My herritage is schwäbisch, but I don't have to be schwäbisch. I can be myself. I can be whatever I want. I don't have to follow my past, I have to choose my own future. Spike is a good rolemodel too. Thank you for reading and thank you Doctor Wolf, for your great lessons. c:

[@IAmKyndle]

Well said about Spike my friend. I respect the little fella even more now.

[@f1nger605]

If you think about it, Spike is the show's token brony.

[@lewa18]

9:52 Well said, it's good to hear someone calling our culture out for its victim mentality. I often have to confront my students for letting society define them, and my main goal as a teacher is to encourage them to rise above what's expected of them. Hearing someone else say it was very encouraging. ;)

[@alicewilloughby4318]

6:44 - Is this visual a deliberate reverse of the scene in The Lion King where Simba puts his little paw into his father's huge paw print?

[@DaylightTwinkle]

when I looked at "secret of my excess" as spike said (who else has something for spiky wiky?) and his eyes changed color and did a snake sound i was a bit concerned, and when spike remembered the one generous thing he did for rarity he immediately went back to his regular size self from being a giant greedy dragon and that was a bit fantastic.

[@SockyNoob]

I love how you put life lessons in these videos. It shows how much better MLP is as a show.

[@DRWolf001]

Nathan Alger Glad to hear that you've been enjoying my work.

[@matthewcass3773]

i agree except... er, Albert Einstein did NOT fail mathematics as a child, that's just a myth

[@jamesdosdall8391]

This video is wonderful, thanks for all you do!

[@DRWolf001]

Glad to be of service :)

[@redtutel]

Glad to see an analysis of Spike. I find it to be interesting how Spike's character can be applied metaphorically in the real world

[@lunamoonstone2350]

i like spike, he is brave and sweet. yet he is still a child and does make mistakes. i know he is close to twilight seeing her as a mom/older sister. that became clear to me on how important that relationship was to twilight in father's knows best. spike thought he found his dad instead he was a fake and realized he may never find his birth parents but he will always have his family in twilight and the others. twilight's face just lit up when spike called her his real family it was such a sweet moment.

[@smilesforadoller]

Rarity is a rarity omong ponys. To spike, rarity is the rarest gem. I believe that he wants her more than any jewl

[@GunmetalGator]

This is the type of message I want to make about Spike for my first video. This is brilliant, Dr. Wolf. Just BRILLIANT!

[@Loudnoseofflightclan]

My younger brother is a lot like Spike. My family adopted him right after he was born, like spike and he goes through fazes where he wants to know more about his heritage. I know he feels left out at times and different when he is with children of his heritage. but he's doing very well for only being 8. I like to think Spike is in some sort of the same situation where he feels out of place with his heritage and not. Spike being the but end of most jokes is how older siblings and there friends can be, i defiantly have done that before. But like twilight has been shown she is also has a sisterly bond with Spike you can only find in siblings. I do hope my brother can be a little like spike, kind and caring but curious and makes mistakes too. Spike shouldn't have to be the odd character out but an example to younger children.

[@Linnzy]

Spike was a different dragon compared to other dragons even in his very first incarnation. In the old MLP series, he also went on a quest, met a few mean old dragons and had to choose between being a "real" dragon" or his friends, the ponies (and humans ;P )

[@teric2]

Little did I know that Spike, commonly known as a comic relief character, could be so inspiring. Well-played, bro. Well played.

[@petercharleskrug]

Now that you've done therapy sessions with every member of the Mane 6, any chance you might do one with Spike? I think it could be argued that he is as much a central character of the overall series as any of the six main ponies.

[@TheLeesaz]

In the words of Albert Einstein, "before I was 15, I had mastered differential and integral calculus,"

[@DragoSonicMile]

Superb diagnosis as usual, DR.

[@The0ptimus]

This is a great lesson, never thought about it this way before. It is a shame that people tend to blame their own issues on how they were raised/their heritage etc. when really anyone has the ability to choose who they will become. People just need to find their own self esteem and power, knowing that what they are is NOT who they are :)

[@Nothin2seehere-e4z]

That true but some thing are from the genes. However they can be under control with the right help.

[@The0ptimus]

Yeah it's too bad that your genes are hard to get past sometimes.

[@speikdrago6405]

The only way I can see this show is.. they need to make an episode and they roll all their characters out to make it. But I think it's neat how you're able to make these connection and have a deeper interpretation .. maybe deeper than what was originally intended. I think all of these are accident, but this episode gives me doubt, or at least they try to keep it connected.

[@ShyyGaladriel]

This video goes beyond a simple MLP analysis and into beautiful philosophy.

[@Tillyard86]

Dam! you are getting these out fast!

[@DaylightTwinkle]

I kinda feel bad for when spike had to give up his ruby for rarity when he’s been dying to have for mounths and he did all of it for nothing....but yet he did the right thing of being generous for rarity cause just imagine it if spike did eat that ruby rarity probably be upset with him for life.

[@buttercupkat]

This video was so motivational I am crying! (;

[@Siluntwolf]

I agree, Spike is a good dragon.

[@royhe3154]

well done

[@Tijopi11]

According to Wikipedia: "In 1895, at the age of sixteen, Einstein sat the entrance examinations for the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich (later the Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule). He failed to reach the required standard in several subjects, but obtained exceptional grades in physics and mathematics" ...so you're right, my apologies. I have heard a lot of rumors that he failed math because it was too slow for him, though. So have many people I've talked to.

[@XenogeneGray]

We all know that liquid coming out of your eyes is liquid pride for spike /)

[@vegatain]

im not crying not at all but every word you said was true

[@lalalachris]

Einstein never failed math.

[@alengm]

Yeah. Myths are annoying. Especially when they are used to make a point.

[@gem157a]

Neil Armstrong was travelsick as a kid tho...

[@DerpyReviewer]

It is actually a common misconception that ALbert Einstein failed mathematics as a student. He actually mastered differential calculus before age 15. He actually quoted this himself.

[@chloerose1342]

...still no wings for spike when he is fully grown.

[@IamJanini]

There was something I wondered about that episode where he doesn't go with the dragons though... If he decided to stay with the ponies and only have kindness in his heart, and if the greed and violence caused him to mature.... then will Spike stay a baby forever, and is that fair to him? Do the Dragons have what might be described as a BASIC sinful damaging nature.. or is there a way to change the way dragons mature and interact?

[@bobi200samatar6]

IamJanini We saw baby spike in cutie mark chronicles and can compare him to the current show. He's clearly grown a bit, so maybe greed isn't a must to mature rather a result of a luck of self restraint. Its possible that when young dragons are taught how to collect properly without getting a greed growth.

[@BigGamer2525]

1:45 which episode is that dragon from? i have not seen every episode.

[@kendracurtis5875]

Dragons are greedy. Its natural. But they are willing to do what is right in some cases. Also considering that Spike is a baby dragon he still has alot to learn. The ponies can teach him how to be true, loyal and have good intentions and stay by your friends side.

[@nightaction9]

Damnit DRWolf stop making me think about my life >:(

[@HECKproductions]

by the way isnt spike the only dragon we ever see with no wings?? even when he grows as big in size as adult dragons he has none

[@zachbahamutson5477]

he's denying his inner beast and a dragon who denies his greed will eventually be consumed by it. it is not healthy.

[@LIES666]

I think the myth that Einstein actually failed maths at school is a just a myth, and is not actually true. Yup, that's the key thing I got from this video.

[@cherishaw2540]

Since dragons only grow on greed does that make him emortal

[@Tijopi11]

I think that's what he meant to say, he just didn't say it outright. Einstein DID fail math, but it was because it was going to slow for him.

[@ajzeg01]

Dragons in MLP aren't carnivores. They eat gems.

[@montierwolf]

i really think spike needs to find and live with his mother I mean come on poor spike always gets treated like garbage he has to pick up all bags and feed and cooking all of them treat them like garbage

[@fluttershyisnotadoormat4678]

"He has been given excelent treatment..."- about that... being treated like slave/pet is not something I would call that way :3

[@Nothin2seehere-e4z]

Do you think that greed just speed up the growth process?

[@f1nger605]

I have to correct the statement made about Einstein. It's a rather pervasive myth that Einstein himself has debunked. From Time Magazine: "In 1935, a rabbi in Princeton showed [Einstein] a clipping of the Ripley's column with the headline 'Greatest living mathematician failed in mathematics.' Einstein laughed. 'I never failed in mathematics,' he replied, correctly. 'Before I was fifteen I had mastered differential and integral calculus.'" content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1936731_1936743_1936758,00.html

[@theenderdestruction2362]

Spike is a mixed mess on the show but that makes him more fun to explore also dragon are naturally greedy as all hell but spikes instincts are like his inner demons

[@adolfodef]

11000 views!

[@BigGamer2525]

Dragons have always bean a symbol of greed.

[@LanceTheAutobot]

im not agreeing on the normal dragons are not nice routine the first big dragon appearing in mlp was looking fore a place to nap and got angry because he got disturbed and in dragons quest spike encounters adolescent dragons or teenage boy dragons as we all know teens are learning to think on there own and often act od in a group I think if spike would mature and grow naturally he'd still become a large dragon with a horde of his own but not thru greed but natural growth and I think most adult dragons are a bit more level headed and calm then the series have implied thus far

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

Circumstances benefit some more than others. Yes you can't blame heritage but just because a black guy in the slums of Chicago has determination doesn't change the face black people OVERALL deal with far more oppression than some. It takes drive to become great but if you don't have the opportunities because they're taken away from you it doesn't matter. The people on the top of the pyramid are obligated to make sure the people who will end up on the bottom have those opportunities and don't BLAME them for their lot and HELP them instead. You can't place individual success on the successful person alone because at some point SOMEONE helped them along. Not everyone can be successful no matter how smart they are or how much drive which is why you can't look at the top and say 'Oh you just have to work hard'. It doesn't work that way. You have to look at the bottom and make sure the people on the bottom aren't suffering and the rest will take care of itself. Society puts restraints on many individuals and it's up to those who are fortunate enough to make it to not look down on people who can't succeed for whatever reason and make them feel like they're responsible for things beyond their control. I like your videos but the bit at 10 minutes starts out OK but then turns into a bunch of BS.

[@matthewcass3773]

that's not entirely true while their IS oppression their is also free enterprise. there are many rags to riches stories or people who made a difference in spite of circumstances AGAINST them in fiction cinderella lex luthor aladdin kristoff flynn ryder in real life ophrah andrew carnagie martin luther king jr. and einstein {mentioned in video}

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

Matthew cass because a few succeed despite overwhelming odds does not mean everyone can. If anything it points out just how much more adversity they faced than most people. There are far more waltons, kochs, gates and igers than there are Winfreys or obamas.

[@matthewcass3773]

***** everyone can succeed but that of course doesn't mean everyone will America is VERY corrupt and it always has been But for those who are ambitious There is ALWAYS a chance to prosper It's just a lot harder (as you correctly pointed out) for some than others

[@pieisgod12345]

I do what i want but i always get made fun of for it i dont even like going outside anymore and its not even big stuff its just like me liking mlp people hate that or me being a little bit different people hate that idk society is kinda crap not gonna lie so just do what you want is what i say unless its obviously not good

[@c00f]

I like spike but I prefer Skyrim's dragons and dragon lore.

[@brentramsten249]

/watch?v=QyHJn7iMTjE related video

[@-kenik9629]

10:50 This lesson can also explain why I'm not gay, I decided not to be, despite the common opinion on the matter. In hind sight breaking the mold has made me a tad arrogant. To elaborate feeling like a boss because you beat a problem most give up on is fine. Treating others like lesser beings because they gave up on the same challenge though, douchebagery at best. I'm Kenik13 and I anticipate your failed counterarguments(, or successful ones rare as those are).

[@neosaneo2]

there's a common opinion to be gay? :/

[@-kenik9629]

Honestly even I don't understand what I meant there, at this point anyway. If I think hard enough I'll figure it out, like... righto. Basically the majority for some unfathomable reason, think you can tell if someone is gay by looking at their actions. This can identify a guy as a jessie, but not actually tell you if he does gay stuff, or even if he's into dudes (He might just be a guy who doesn't care about the opinions of others, or a guy who's into tomboys).