>>/10756/
> it laid the groundwork for neurotic moments like that to define more and more of her character as the show went on. 
> but having autism myself, special interests are kinda like that, they're just part of your life most of the time but in panic situations you can find yourself just shutting down and obsessing over it to calm yourself down
Interesting, I have always taken the obsessiveness and OCD in a slightly negative context, because I viewed as flanderization/low quality writing or it having a dark context to  Twilight's character if you take it with her increasingly having trouble with stress from "princesshood". Never hated all instances of it and do think it does fit her, just sometimes how it was used/where it went. Honestly? I've always thought of it from more a neurotic/OCD angle but her having autism almost makes a moment like this work better, albeit that context makes it a bit harder to laugh some of her freak outs.  Not autism but I did go into a OCD/Neurotic state pretty bad in my early teen years.

> Whether it's a matter of power as to how much matter you can displace, I don't know. What would the relation be between intelligence and raw power anyway? So far we've seen a pretty much exact correlation, but to me I'd imagine that intelligence determines how effectively you can use your powers rather than their strength.
That is a good question! The relative magical strength of ponies is hard to measure and there are few rules that were fully held over the course of the 9 seasons (one of them, few ponies ever teleported, which may be in favor of that point!). Most unicorns seem to have magic related to their special talent though Rarity does seem to be more expansive than some of them despit not being portrayed as adept. 

 >>/10757/
> In spite of being treated as immature, he is in charge of Twilight's correspondence, so he does have a 'job' of a sort. 
True, just usually think of him, especially in this season thus far, as the "kid" who was left behind during the adventure. So it does elicit my curiosity. (and desire to write/read a fanatic).

> though I can't imagine how you'd even get a peek at their letters, since they get sent instantly.
Maybe Spike's magic being used by Celestia for another purpose? I could soft headcanon that!

> Anthropology
A name I know... from long ago. Never read (or maybe I did but forgot, been so long) but seen many versions of that theory.Wasn't there a random human object hidden in a background gag one epsiode? Like a tire underground. Can't seem to find it.

> It's simply a place you'd want to go,
I like that phrasing.

> I didn't even particularly mean people who like dark stuff, I like things which are dark, things which are realistic and even sometimes things which are darkly realistic.
I think we are both talking about different types of people. I don't mind people who like things who are dark. I mean an attitude where dark and gray are only valid. and anything else is just for babies without much thought or depth.  

> who don't read anything apart from nonfiction, who maybe watch the news and documentaries but nothing else.
I might have turned out that way, had I not got into pony. I had a notion I would have to give up most "childish" things like that when I grew up at a certain age. 

> They're probably a minority by now.
That is my thoughts as well.