Why pony "cancer"?

[InkyMilk]

Maybe I'm just being oversensitive, but I'm just curious as to why pony cancer is called what it is? Isn't calling something like that...cancer, a little extreme? I just wonder how the name came about and if maybe I'm thinking about it the wrong way and not seeing how it's actually a more light-hearted term? I just remember being pretty shocked and a little disturbed the first time I read it, and while now I've gotten over that initial reaction, I do admit it still bothers me if I think about it for too long.

[StarlightGaze]

I guess because it spreads and you can't cure it. I've never had a pony with it though.

[Doedeardarling]

It's kind of like real cancer, because it's caused by changes in the plastic. I think the name is appropriate. You shouldn't think about things like that too much.

[InkyMilk]

I've never had a pony with it either, but I think even if I did, I still couldn't fathom comparing its condition to someone I've known who's actually had to survive through cancer. I don't know, not much bothers me in the pony community, especially this place since everyone is very sweet and welcoming here and I know it's not meant maliciously or mockingly, I just don't know why folks thought it was really appropriate to use in the first place.

[will2Bfree]

I was pretty shocked the first time I read it too. My mom actually died of cancer when I was 16.

But that's the established term for it, so I got over it.

I'll still agree it's a bit insensitive. Ponies aren't alive, not matter how much people cherish them, so they can't die or get sick. To use such a seriously feared, and deadly word for something about toys does seem harsh, if not just plain silly. But once you get used to it, you don't think about it much. It's not something I was going to try and raise a ruckus about, but I've seen someone make a post about this before, so I know it must have initially bothered other people as well.

[Moonracer]

Since I hadn't become "officially" part of the pony fandom until recently, I don't really know where the term originated.

If you feel that you don't want to use this particular term, you can alternatively refer to it as "plastic decay", "mold" or, most popular term, "age spots". Because that's what it is really.

As for me, I have about three ponies with a few dots on them all of them G1: Skydancer (the rainbow pony, not the winger), Tickle and Parasol. I've kept them on the shelf with other ponies for several months now, and I hadn't noticed any of the other ponies become affected by it. Moreover, before I started collecting I kept my childhood her in a closed bag at the back of my closet, and when I took them all out - all of them were fine, except for the aforementioned Skydancer.

So my guess is that it can only affect certain types of ponies. Here, you can find out the most common "victims". Note that the adult sea ponies are on the list - that's mainly because, being bath toys they had a frequent contact with water and humidity in general, and this is one of the main causes that leads to plastic decay.

Besides, if the "age spots" were contagious, it would've affected all sorts of plastic objects lying around the house.

[MnDancer]

That term has actually been around for over 10 years now, I couldn't say exactly where it came from. But it's really never bothered me. My mother had breast cancer, my grandmother and other relatives died of cancer, but it just never occured to me to be offended by it in any way.

[Tulips]

My family has been affected by cancer but I'm not offended by the term, I'm not saying that everyone has to be alright with it though and there are other names for it if you prefer. I've definitely not been around long enough to know why it was named 'cancer' but just by looking at the definition of cancer it seems pretty fitting.

"A malignant growth or tumor resulting from such a division of cells"
figurative: "a practice or phenomenon perceived to be evil or destructive and hard to contain or eradicate"

I've always just believed it boiled down to changes in the plastic, like damaged cells that can't repair, that spread (and in this case) without cure. Afterall, the term isn't meant to offend, it's probably just going off a basic definition and not trying to make an emotional connection to what cancer really is and can do. I have a few ponies in my collection with 'cancer' but I refer to it more as age spots, freckles and beauty spots.

[Pythia]

I actually agree that it's pretty insensitive, and you're not the first person I've heard expressing that opinion.

And I think saying "You shouldn't think about things like that so much" is also pretty insensitive.

[hathorcat]

I can understand the terminology upsetting people...unfortunately in life, cancer in some way effects everyone through their own health or those of their friends or loved ones. I lost both my grandfathers to it and my aunt is currently terminal. My mum even works for a cancer support charity so, like so many of us, it has touched my life.

However, the term was not coined with the intention of hurting or upsetting people...just look "cancer" up in the dictionary to understand why the phrase is used.

cancer 
1. Pathology
a) a malignant and invasive growth or tumor, especially one originating in epithelium, tending to recur after excision and to metastasize to other sites
b) any disease characterized by such growths.
2. any evil condition or thing that spreads destructively; blight.
3. genitive Cancri; Astronomy the crab, a zodiacal constellation between Gemini and Leo
4. Astrology
a) the fourth sign of the zodiac: the cardinal water sign.
b) a person born under this sign, usually between June 21 and July 22.
5. tropic of Cancer

Technically as a word it has several definitions, for ponies the reason for the term "cancer" is significant to its 2nd definition shown above not the 1st.

Everyone is entitled to not like the phraseology used and if it does particularly upset or annoy...I would suggest using age marks in your own descriptions as they are largely the same "condition".

[PhyllieBean]

Like Hathor pointed out, based on definition, it's actually the best word to technically describle the condition.  It's a problem that spreads, you can't get rid of it and it's considered one of the worst things that can happen to a piece of your collection. 

And, like others have said, the term has been around for soooooo long.  I've been collecting for like 15 years and it's been referred to as cancer since the first time I landed in a pony forum.  Sensitivities maybe just weren't as high to using more PC terms back when the phrase was coined.  Cancer has always existed, but it seems like it's affected more people in recent years than it had before. 

[InkyMilk]

Thank you all for your opinions and explaining. I don't want to come off as, 'Oh, I see this word, hey, it looks like it could possible be offensive so I'm going to raise hell!' I don't act offended for the sake of being "PC", it's just that it really did genuinely disturb me when I first read it, since as like many others, someone very dear to me passed from cancer and I couldn't see how something that kills so many people worldwide would be used on a toy. I see how the definition could technically include the pony spots so it makes a little more sense now if I try to extract the definition of the word from how it's affected in my in my own life. I'm also glad that age spots is also an appropriate term to use, since I think that's more fitting and I'll probably use that myself now instead.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I never thought much about how it could be offensive, considering that I've heard the term used amongst collectors for all my life - okay, since I turned 11 and started looking online for ponies.    So yeah... 

I am sure that there are hundreds of collectors out there who have faced the medical condition in their lives over the past 19 years and not once has anyone ever mentioned that it personally offended them... 

[InkyMilk]

I am sure that there are hundreds of collectors out there who have faced the medical condition in their lives over the past 19 years and not once has anyone ever mentioned that it personally offended them...

Uh, not a one? I find that very hard to believe that I'm the first person to mention that the term could be seen as insensitive  I'm not trying to change the name or cause some sort of huge ruckus here, I was just wondering about the origins and whatnot. No need to single me out like I'm some sort of idiot for thinking it's an awkward term to use.

[hathorcat]

I think as mentioned above to your question, the "origins" of the word as you are interested in dont refer to "cancer" in its most obvious and unfortunate definition but more as a "blight"...i.e. "cancer" as a description for what happens rather than as a noun. In literature and in person I have heard and read people, places and other afflictions description as cancer or cancerous...for example "a cancer of the mind", "his presence in their midst was cancerous" - for the former this doesn't refer to someone having cancer but rather that their thoughts are evil or a blight on others. A "cancer" in a pony isnt a direct reference to the disease/condition but more a reference that the pony has some kind of evil/nasty condition which spreads without cure.

I dont think anyone is saying its not possible to be insulted or that you shouldnt have your own opinions of course or be put off by the word but simply that in order to trace the reason for the use of the word you have to remember that it has more than one definition and that its "other definition" is the reason for its use within the community.