ARE WEEABOOS MISUNDERSTOOD?

[yuiyoshida]

As most probably already know, the wonderful and terrible thing about the internet is that there is an insurmountable quantity of not only information, but also opinions and biases, just like any culture.

What some may not know is that in some deeper corners of the internet, people who are genuinely interested in Japanese culture are often mocked and ridiculed because of a stereotype that has been increasingly warping over the past 20 or so years.

In Japanese culture, a person who is very interested in a particular subject is referred to as an “otaku”. Otaku does not have an inherently bad meaning, as there are all sorts of people who focus on one particular thing they just can’t get enough of, ranging from trains and electronics to models, puzzles, anime and more.

However, in Japan there has been a less than positive reputation for the likes of otakus of anime, manga and otherwise manga-esque figurines. They are oftentimes considered socially inept, reclusive individuals that cannot accept reality and thus indulge themselves in fake worlds (let’s be clear that this is again, a stereotype.)

This stereotype has pervaded western countries as well, but it goes much deeper and much more unbalanced than having a poor opinion of someone just because they like anime and manga. In many places on the internet, simply expressing an interest in Japanese culture inspires many to scream out an insult all too familiar to many of us: “weeaboo”.

continues..
https://blog.gaijinpot.com/weeaboo/

[marble falls]

1. How does one misunderstand a death threat?

[JuJuYoshida]

2. I think haters gonna hate, but some of them take it too far

[yuiyoshida]

3. its worse when you comment on it

and someone starts posting "Trump! Trump! Trump!" ... makes you wanta scream and pull your hair out.