63 replies to this topic

[michikodesu]

I've seen comment after comment on some pages/video comments that are just abhorrent towards so-called Weeaboos. Do they really deserve this much hatred and venom spewed at them? Has anyone hear been "accused" of being one (either here, on youtube, or another website/forum)? Have you ever accused someone of being one? 

 

Now, I'm asking this to promote civilized discussions and thought provoking conversations. If you cannot control yourself or back up what you say with logical and intelligent language, then please, do not respond. 

 

Here's my stance: There have been "wannabes" in different cultures time after time after time. I don't think it's such a crime to look up to another culture or people and I feel that it is human nature to want to be a part of something that you think is better than the life you have now. There are many people who do seem to be preconditioned to feel this way. No, it may not be a realistic way to live and there might be some that are completely annoying....but they probably won't see it if they are constantly chastised and beat up (verbally, not physically). 

 

I have more, but I want to see what you all have to say about it. 

[mach1neshop]

What I think is the over the top ones, who immerse themselves so deeply into their target cultures but bungle it by coming off not as being knowledgeable or worldly or cultured but as snobby, plastic, and downright awkward are the ones who will always draw ire. It's not when you know how things work that tend to annoy people (including myself), it's when you act incredibly insufferable. I don't mind immersion, since I would tend to do it myself if I were to move to a different nation for a substantial period of time. When you start to disregard the social values of the society you are currently a member of in hot pursuit of another, you alienate yourself and your surrounding culture. Generally speaking, we tend to band together, that's why we have nations and cultural differences per region. While not everyone can or will be incredibly conservative, it's when you refuse to honor general good manners or standard practice of a region's people that you tend to draw ire. The internet isn't exactly a good place to look for examples, as, well, the culture tends to lend itself to widespread and anonymous assault on character. But say, if a person living in a rural town in the midwest US, born in raised in a Caucasian farming community, were to suddenly start emulating in nearly every single way possible (with little regard to others) Japanese visual kei, the clash in values would definitely lead to misunderstandings and arguments.

 

My stance is fairly simple, but it's also typically American. You have a right to pursue whatever makes you happy, within legal bounds. I have the same right. You can have your opinions on what I am doing with my life - but I also have the right to reciprocate. Live and let live, you're not gonna please everybody, anyhow.

 

My two cents, flame on or not.

[G☆LE]

This topic is just going to escalate into a war.

 

but, I think its okay as long as you don't pass the threshold of racist. When people reduce the Japanese language to "nyan, nyan, desuka" it is extremely annoying, and when people put japan on the pedestal of the perfect society, it is pretty hard to look at. 

There are cute "weaboos" that are like pretties, but there are also racist weaboos.

On the other hand I feel that when any culture is simplified or used as a "statement" it is out of line. I understand one immersing them self in another culture, and that is awesome, but respect is due in all aspects. I also get very annoyed with things like Gothic Lolita, since its basically compressing European culture into something found rather taboo in our western society. I love the study of culture, but I very much dislike when people admire a society for cosmetic merit rather than cultural depth.

[michikodesu]

JubJub: I've never encountered the "racist weeaboo" and didn't know that one would exist. It seems like a juxtaposition to me. 

 

Would you care to explain it to me? Just to keep me in the know. 

[G☆LE]

Racist is a strong word, I meant to say prejudice, when your outlook on an entire culture (all cultures have wars, fights for rights, justice, injustice, famine etc) is cosmetic, it is not appreciating the culture, it is raping it of its merit. Expecting every Japanese person you see to be like a character in Haikyuu is just prejudice, but it also goes both ways, since many people in eastern culture expect all americans to look like Taylor Swift. 

[Lurkette]

To quote Saturday Night Live, who did an excellent sketch on this exact issue a year or two ago, "If there were a nice version of racism, this would be it."

 

I have spent a substantial portion of my life on Japan. I have spent ungodly amounts of money on traveling, studying, and generally appreciating the country, culture, and language. This is no different than what one might do for Italy or Egypt or whatever country or culture happens to catch someone's imagination. I have worked very hard to get to my current level of language skill and cultural understanding, and I take my studies and love of Japan very seriously as both an academic pursuit and as a personal passion. 

 

Weeaboos do not. Weeaboos, in an attempt to provide what everyone says is the sincerest form of flattery, end up mocking the culture and honing in on subcultural minutiae to make a case for some magical land full of stylized cartoons and people who love them for being as weird as they are. I would hope that we all know that this is not the case for any country, anywhere, but the thinking and subsequent actions taken by those we refer to as weeaboos demean pretty much all aspects of the country and culture and warp their image of a real place and real people to fit their own perverse desires. 

 

It should be noted that a weeaboo is not just someone who likes anime or manga or even idols or visual kei or anything else slightly subcultural A weeaboo is someone who treats the concept of Japan or Japanese as a possession. Someone who seems to genuinely believe that they are "secretly" Japanese or were born into the wrong country or ethnicity because of their hobbies. Someone who can't understand the difference between a simplistic fringe culture and a culture with a rich and very real, sometimes harsh, history and dimensions. Someone who thinks that because they've seen an anime character do something, it's totally okay to act that way in real life and assume that all Japanese people are the exactly the same as that and will love them because they're white but trying so hard to be so Japanese. Someone who believes that the only Japanese words in existence are "sugoi kawaii desuuu ugu." It's racist, even if well-intentioned, and it's wrong.

 

When I studied in Japan, there was a group of girls that were fixated on manga and anime and video games almost to a fault, but they were very serious about learning the language and having genuine cultural experiences. I still thought they were complete weirdos (because I just can't with the obsession with yaoi garbage, I just can't) and didn't spend too much time around them, but I wasn't bitter or upset by their presence or their discussions over their hobbies because they didn't let it get in the way of their real experiences and learning. 

 

 

I've probably forgotten something or left something logically out of place, but whatever. It's not cute, that's all. 

[✮DanDan✮]

I went through my weaboo phase, and I am greatly ashamed of it. I realized that I was generalizing a very rich culture with words like "kawaii" and "desu" among other things. It is not okay. Every culture around the world has a history and a very meaningful practices to them, but it really is mocking the culture when a part of it gets recognized and becomes the basis of that culture. For example, anime has become the default when you mention anything Japanese related. (Just like Gangnam Style has now become the basis of Korea and Korean music).

 

Like Lurkette has said, it's okay to like Japanese things such as anime and manga. it is not okay, like JubJub has said, to reduce the Japanese language that is very diverse and complex to "kawaii, sugoi, desu" or put it on a pedestal because all cultures have their bad sides, all of them. Generalizing any culture is insulting.
 

We shouldn't attack weaboos, they're just really ignorant. We need to inform them of what they're doing wrong instead of looking down on them because that's also wrong. There are always ones who act as if they're doing nothing wrong, but we really can't help that. I have not done any research on this, but I'm willing to bet that the age range of weaboos are between 12-16. You know the "I hate my life and my family" teenage angst phase. 

 

I mean I enjoy other cultures very much because they're different and interesting to learn about, but I'm also proud of my own heritage and my own culture, and that's where weaboos cross the line. There is nothing wrong with researching another culture that is absolutely fine but, trying to deny your own culture and trying to "become" part of  new culture where the only thing you know about it is what you watch in anime is really insulting; to your culture and the other culture. They honestly do mean well and are usually good-intentioned, but I'm going to be really cliche and say it: the road to hell is paved with good intentions. 

 

We as a society do not teach how to respect others' cultures, nor do we ever think to teach other cultures. I feel if we were to teach how to appreciate cultures, we wouldn't have as many weaboos.  

[AragonDx]

well, generally weaboos are someone whose thinks that Japan and Japanese blah blah (products, culture, etc) is WAY BETTER than the other country in the world.

 

For example, in my country, weaboos will prefer products that "Made in Japan", has Japanese brand on it, or something that also exists in Japan. If there are two brands, with one is a Japanese brand and one a Western brand, they will choose the Japanese one.

 

And they will mock everyone who have different taste from them.

They believe that everything that Japan made is the BEST in the world.

They even debating the difference between ANIME and CARTOON (believe me, in my country if you post something like "What's the difference between anime and cartoon?" you will get hundreds of replies and your post will become a warground)

 

I don't really mind them adding some Japanese words when they speak, but one that really irritates me is that the weaboos believe that they have more knowledge about Japan and everything about Japan so they tend to look down to the others with this "I-know-more-about-Japan-than-you-kid" attitude.

 

I've met weaboos a few times, and I think they don't have to be bullied and abused. Just don't mind them. BUT, if they start mocking other, and start blabbering about their knowledge about Japan with this "I-know-more-about-Japan-than-you-kid" attitude, then yes, you have to shut their mouth (or their finger if they're typing ).

[G☆LE]

Well at my old high school the issue with weaboos was by Japanese students, mind you these guys and girls are rather lax, so they rarely argue, but when a girl named Caren walked up to one of my Japanese friends and tried to correct her Japanese it was the tip of the iceberg. Caren had learned all of Japanese from Anime, and for anyone who studies or speaks Japanese, we all know, in a natural setting, words are not conjugated, when my friend had conjugated a term in Japanese, Caren adamantly insisted she was right, so my friend nods and says "well, what is your basis?" Caren's response to a girl that was born in Japan, raised in one of the richest Japanese communities, a girl whose first language is Japanese- "Well I heard someone on Bleach say it." 

This is a common thing to happen at my school, especially since Japanese Club=Anime Club=Weaboo Club. I went to an extremely accepting school that had very little judgement, so one had to go to extreme lengths to get someone to judge you based on a habit-a bad one at that.

There is also the harassment that is associated with it. Whenever a Japanese student passes by they cling to them for dear life and imagineer them as their best friend. They call Japanese people "sensei" or "chan", isolating them. The worse part is that when you are Japanese and someone clings to you, it reflects the image on to you, which typically leads to horrible stereotypes of Japanese-Americans.

[AragonDx]

but when a girl named Caren walked up to one of my Japanese friends and tried to correct her Japanese it was the tip of the iceberg.

 

this part made me ROFL

it really is true that weaboos believe that they have more knowledge of Japan than other people, but this?

this is just plain ridiculous and very funny

[Kinjiru]

The annoying part is that weeaboos treat the Japanese language and culture as if it is in their possession, and they carry themselves around as an expert even though they put no effort into actually learning anything about it beyond watching anime and reading manga. They are so into Japan that they lose a realistic and objective perspective on it, which leads to prejudice. I have also heard people people spouting 'kawaii' and other Japanese words when they can't even manage a simple self-introduction in the language, which has always struck me as weird (and not only on a social level). Obviously they have the right to say whatever they want and I accept that, especially since I am not sure why they're saying it. If it's because they feel superior or something then yes, it would annoy me but if not, who am I to judge?

 

What I absolutely hate to see however, is anime/manga fans immediately being associated with weaboos. Just because some are weird like that and have a skewed perspective on reality does not mean everyone who enjoys anime is the same. I grew up watching hundreds of anime and completely indulging myself into the culture but although I love Japan I have never, ever, put it on a pedestal or spouted random Japanese words around my friends, even those who enjoyed anime. It annoys me when people automatically assume I play a certain game because it's Japanese or the art style is 'anime'. No, I play stuff like Phoenix Wright and Tales because they're damn good games and that's all there is to it. Not everyone's the same and liking parts of a culture does not mean you like the entirety of it.

[Kaeseki]

I'm pretty tolerant of Weeaboos with the exception of two (somewhat overlapping) subgroups which make my blood boil:

 

1.  The "Japan is Utopia" Crowd:  These are the folks who think Japanese society is the pinnacle of human development.  They look down on the rest of the world and often wish everyone to adopt Japanese ways.  Unfortunately as wonderful as Japan is, it has some downright repulsive elements.  What's really funny/frustrating is to push such people.  I once challenged a guy with this mindset by asking him if he thought it would be acceptable or at least no more than a minor infraction for middle aged businessmen in our city to pick up high school girls and pay them for sexual favors.  Not surprisingly he said that would be a horrible thing and such a man such be severely punished. I gave a couple other examples putting some of the seedier elements of Japan into our locality.  Each time he said he disapproved...yet still thought we should all become Japanese....grrrr!!!

 

2.  The "I'm Going To Become Japanese" Gang:  These are the hardest of the hardcore weeaboos.  Their goal is to eventually move to Japan and become Japanese.  You can explain to them how Japanese society is (arguably) the most closed society on the planet and no amount of skill at Kanji or the tea ceremony is never going the be enough for an overweight acne scarred Caucasian guy or a tall round eyed American girl to become Japanese in the truest sense of the term until your face is blue and they just won't get it.

[RenaiDestiny。]

Wow, it's funny that you made this topic, considering the fact that I was actually reading "weeaboostories" and "weeaboo-statements" on tumblr the night before you made the topic.

 

I personally thinking that weeaboos are just embarassments to the Japanese culture. They break down a whole language, with three different alphabets, into just "sugoi, kawaii, desu ne~, kya!, uguu~, konnichiwa, ohayo, sayonara, arigatou, gomen ne~, etc.". If you genuinely like the Japanese language and you actually have interest in learning the language, that's fine. But what's not fine is running around screaming "I'm so kawaii!" and "That's so sugoi!" (Yes, I've saw that one before.).

 

Also, what's not fine is treating Japan like it's some  huge, great, wonderland, no offense to anyone of anyone of a Japanese descent, when they go through most of the issues other countries do. War, murder, kidnapping, rape, bullying, politics, etc. Japan is still a great country, but don't try to treat it like it's just this anime wonderland, 'cause it's not. And don't ever try to belittle the country you were born in, over a country that you've never been to before and that you know very little about.

 

There's definately nothing wrong with listening to JPOP, watching anime, reading manga, learning Japanese, and wanting to travel to Japan,but what is wrong is generalizing a culture. Just because you see it happen in anime/manga, does not mean that it happens in real life.

[Tony Oguri]

This is a good question.  All the responses were read and some things learned about what is happening.  But I'm pretty much disqualified from answering in a meaningful way due to age and experience (with Japanese ladies and Japan in general).  The one thing that can be said is that everyone should make the pilgrimage to Japan to see an AKB48G concert at least once in their lifetime. 

 

If a person is unwilling to even make the effort, then "yeah".  Maybe there is something to be said (or not) about the loudmouths that come off as fools.

[AragonDx]

^ Well, if someone actually have a real experience about Japan (like going to the concerts, going to Akihabara, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, or just going to Japan at least) they can talk and argue about it because they HAVE the experience and know the details about it.

 

But if someone only knows Japan from the internet, anime, manga, etc and thinks that Japan in the anime/manga is the SAME with the real Japan, and tries to explain to the other using this anime/manga basis, AND they don't hear other people's opinion about Japan, then maybe this person is a weaboo.

[G☆LE]

That isn't necessarily true, if you take one trip to Japan, don't learn any of the language and cling to Japanese people there, you are just as bad as you were at home.

[AragonDx]

I mean if you go to Japan, even though you don't learn the language, do not interact very often with the locals, you can still grasp the situation there, the details, so you can make a statement when you're talking to your friends like "when I was there, that place is like blah blah blah", so it's based on a fact that you've gone there before, not just saying nonsense "but in this anime, this place is like blah blah blah".

[Hatched Egg]

"You're Japanese? That's so kawaii desu ne!"

 

When you think about it, the entire concept of a weaboo is really weird. It's like being really infatuated with a person, except that person is anime and Japanese video games. I think it's a product of Japan being fairly isolated and being a media exporter at the same time. 

 

For example, in my country, weaboos will prefer products that "Made in Japan", has Japanese brand on it, or something that also exists in Japan. If there are two brands, with one is a Japanese brand and one a Western brand, they will choose the Japanese one.

 

I find that kind of ironic. Pre-1980s "Made in Japan" had the same meaning that "Made in China" has today: cheaply made things.

[michikodesu]

Hey Guys, sorry I haven't been on top of the conversations....the little ones have kept me rather busy!!!  

 

I loved reading many of your replies and I have to be honest, from reading everyone's posts, I've found that I really didn't have a good base definition of a "weeaboo". I mean, I knew that they were really into Japan and Japanese culture, but not to the extent of racism and complete disregard for the actual culture. I mean, I remember when I first started learning Japanese, I could only really say the basic introductions, politely excuse myself, use -ka for questions, -ne for conformation, and exclaim how cool or cute something was; therefore, I thought that many of the people who would comment on something were just using the words that they were learning. I also got a lot of heat for using Japanese in my fanfictions; but I just used it because I would think "this is what the character would say" and it was fitting for that scene (especially if it was that characters catch phrase). So I naively assumed that was what everyone else would comment negatively towards what they would call "weeaboos".  I am a bit ashamed of my ignorance now that I see it. 

 

I could understand where some of the teens come from with acting this way. Many teens (yes, even with the readily accessible internet) just don't have the mental capacity to see beyond their daily lives. They see what they see on the screen/video games/ manga and they perceive this to be true since they themselves do not know. Not to mention that watching videos on youtube doesn't really help. Especially when these videos are the "OMG THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN FIND IN JAPAN" from people who go over to either visit or teach. It doesn't add to any value to the worldview that the Japanese do "weird" things. I've even encouraged some of this behavior (not the "OMG behavior" but the "learn/respect/understand the culture" behavior) when I see students who like anime or manga. They've never come to me with the "weeaboo" ideas.....maybe because they don't want to show a teacher that side; but I still want them to expand their curiosity. 

 

Maybe I'm too old to be removed from that.................Tony, I think you and I are in the same boat.  

[True_Beginner]

I don't know if I've ever met a weeaboo, but I think I get what one is. There's nothing wrong with liking things, but trying to become what you like, or in this case "wanting to be Japanese because they must be into everything I find so cool over there"...leads to different degrees of failure. I can understand if someone says they are mainly interested in otaku culture or something, but that doesn't represent Japan at all, just a minority. I'm sure because the average American knows very little about Japan, it's probably disappointing for a vast majority of them when the things that become well known about them aren't centered around the more common aspects of their culture.

 

To be fair, I wouldn't expect someone from Japan to know about the United States if all they cared about was our Comic Con culture or whatever, but if they started acting like that was what everything was centered around, then no it wouldn't be accurate at all.