[ SECRET POST #220 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #220 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

If Liz can do it, I can too!

Secrets Left to Post: 04 pages, 081 secrets from Secret Submission Post #032.
Secrets Not Posted: 0 broken links, 0 not!secrets, 0 not!fandom.
Next Secret Post: Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 14th, 2007.
Current Secret Submission Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

tl;dr Ahead

[specialize.livejournal.com]

I'll reveal myself because I owe you that. Your replies have been acticulated and intelligent, and I've thank you for that. Though I cannot deny that it amuses me that you dedicated an entire entry of your journal to my opinion on this, but I also thank you for that. At least I make for nice discussion.

It's true, I don't think we'll be able to agree. I understand very well what you mean by people having a 'genuine' interest in a culture. I take Español 4 where I was a teacher aid and stayed because I was in dire need of refreshment for my own language. I, like you, taught some individuals whose interest was genuine and not at all pompous, but I'd gotten the other kind too--- WASPs who wanted to know if I ate chili in Chile and if we had tacos. Like I said I don't mind 'aculturization' and 'interest', but I mind 'appropriation' and 'blatant ignorance'.

I sometimes wonder if there 'Otakus' know what that means for Japanese people to be an 'Otaku'--- basement dwellers sickly obsessed over something. Most Japanese would consider it undesirable to be described as an "otaku", and even consider it to be an insult.

All I am against is these ignorant people who really don't know the culture/country but proclaim to the be 'l33t h4axx0r' at it and that they 'might as well been born there'. It just rubs me the wrong way, especially since I was forced, yes FORCED, to become as American as possible so I won't stick out like a sore thumb. It's just not me, and it's not them either to treat themselves as 'Japanese/Spanish/Whatever' because THEY ARE NOT. Yes, they can enjoy the culture and be interested in it, but can never call themselves 'Japanese' 'Spanish', whatever because THEY ARE NOT.

The secret was originally made because my friends were making me feel like a 'Weeaboo' of my own culture, but I guess the secret also uncovered all the dirt on me. Funny how in your journal you called me a Weeaboo, and also nice to know that, for a community that is about safely revealing secrets, one has to reveal him/herself anyways to state his/her point.

I would love to have your opinion on this issue, but I can't, experience won't let me. Maybe down the road something/someone will show me otherwise--- maybe people will get a hard look at themselves and say, 'Woah, I can enjoy a culture without appropriating it/acting like I know it all/acting like a complete jackass and embarrassing myself in front of those who are part of it/are [insert nationality here]!'

I would love that so much. =D