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As a collectors terms like "symbol" or "cutie mark" are useful for buying selling toys. "Hair: Good. Eyes: Slight rubs. Body: No marks. Symbol: Rub on right side." So you can describe ponies in a systematic way. It just seems easier to have a word for it IMO. Like, I don't see any advantages in not having a word for it.
Yep, it was primarily for ID'ing and describing condition, thus the single short word choice. "symbol" is easy and not likely to be misinterpreted. "paint" doesn't work since it also applies to say, the eyes. And 'markings' doesn't differentiate from the hoof trademarks/year/country of production and printed design. 'Rump design' was used during G1 (and possibly 'brand' as well?), but it wasn't on the packaging until G2. G1 princesses' packaging referred to their 'medallions', Merry-go-Rounds used 'design'. It really is strange it's never directly mentioned given that's one of the defining characteristics of a MLP.
Cutie mark is supposed to be a play on "beauty mark". Mentioning this because I went through all of G3 without realizing this, then suddenly had a revelation that it was a pun a few years into G4.
I dunno but "symbol" still irks me especially for G1-G3. Mostly because a symbol is supposed to be symbolic of something and, as an example, milkshakes all over isn't really symbolic of anything. At least in G4 they are symbolic of the special talent a pony has.
...I don't like the cutie mark destiny concept. I think it tells kids that once they've chosen what their life will be then they are stuck with it - and that's categorically not true.
I find the idea that the symbol should relate to the pony's destiny really confining and restrictive. It's like the ponies themselves may love the idea of something when they are young but then suddenly when they are adults, they can't change that because they already have a symbol. Which to me is ridiculous when thinking of ponies like Shaggy, for example. Yes, I'm going to stand upside down on my head forever like Untidy Ted. That's going to look great on her CV
Quote from: Taffeta on December 02, 2017, 01:37:04 AM...I don't like the cutie mark destiny concept. I think it tells kids that once they've chosen what their life will be then they are stuck with it - and that's categorically not true.Not to mention the implied "there is One Thing you will be awesome at and that is going to be the thing you are known for, forever." And the whole deep dark can of worms that was opened by the episode where they switched marks and weren't happy with each other's lives, but felt compelled to do them because 'that's what their cutie marks were telling them to be'.