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Why do people make fun of non-Japanese people who like certain aspects of J
Our world society gets more and more connected everyday, so someone in America could easily adopt certain aspects of Japanese culture, or any other culture. One could argue that it's stupid because Japanese people don't like foreigners, but there's bigotry in most, if not all, cultures. That doesn't mean you can't appreciate the good parts of them.
I love how I'm not just limited to my environment, and how I can make friends in different continents online. I'm a black girl in America, with parents from Africa, and I'm originally from England, so I've always been used to diversity. I've been to Japan once, too, and I loved it. It had always been my childhood dream to visit there, because I was into a lot of anime and manga when I was young. I love how a lot of things there seem so whimsical, despite Japanese people having to work really hard. It's also one of the most beautiful countries I've ever seen - from the urban areas to the rural areas. I wish I could walk around in my city. I learned that there was so much more to Japan than anime and manga, too, which, apart from a few fashion styles, companies, food, and basic history, was truthfully all I really knew about the country. Just thinking about this now makes me want to go back! It was one of those travel abroad things for students, so I got to see quite a lot of the mainland, and Miyajima (and island near Hiroshima) and experience cool things like a tea ceremony and climbing some of Mt. Fuji. And I just have to say that going to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was really an emotional experience, and helped me feel even more sympathy for the Japanese. To the point where I feel greatly offended if someone says it was right for the Japanese to get bombed (I don't think it's ever right for civilians to get bombed). It's different from just reading about the bombings from the book when you're actually there, when you actually see Japanese people, and you actually see some of the destruction. Through this, I think our would would become A LOT more tolerant if people traveled around and realized that we're really no different from one another. We have different looks, different cultures, but we're all the same at the core. You can't blame someone for what their ancestors did in the past, as long as they don't make the same mistakes. Talking to a kid in Japan (in english, haha) felt just like talking to a kid in Nigeria or talking to a kid in America. I think it's just something everyone should experience. No more of this us vs. them thing, we're all here in this 1 earth and we should be cooperating for the benefit of human kind. Just because someone doesn't live like you or look like you doesn't mean they're bad
Ah, I guess I'm rambling now (haha just a little.. I apologize), but I don't get why people make fun of others for appreciating aspects of Japanese culture. If someone tried appreciating my ancestral Cameroonian culture, even if they got things wrong, why would it be a bad thing? You don't have to only live life with your ancestral culture, or the culture of people around you. That would be boring. You don't even have to live like either culture at all. What's wrong with incorporating other things you like, that would better make you happy and let you contribute better to the world? I mean, many other countries are influenced by America, so why can't Americans be influenced by other countries? I think the world as a whole would benefit if people as whole incorporated good aspects of different cultures, and stopped following the negative aspects of their ancestral or modern ones. And now that I think about it, this sort of criticism happens with other countries, too. Like people criticizing men for dressing "European" and supposedly looking feminine, or African-Americans trying to connect to Africa through holidays like Kwanzaa and what not. But it just struck me today with Japan, because any non-Japanese person who's very interested in Japanese culture just gets laughed at. Regardless of whether it's just anime and manga, or whether it's a lot more than that, if it's what makes them happy and it doesn't hurt anyone, what is wrong with it? Especially if the person mocking them is Japanese.. why are you against someone liking your country's culture? Just because they weren't born into it doesn't mean they can't legitimately enjoy it, too, in this global society we live in today
Oh my goodness, where am I even going with this question, haha. I'm basically just wondering why people get criticized for being "different". I think that's what this all comes down to. And btw, I'm not super obsessed with Japan or anything.. I'm just a regular fan. I haven't even read manga or watched anime in a couple of years, though. I don't have as much free time as I did in middle and elementary school, haha. But I still have my mementos from Japan and get Japanese food whenever I have the opportunity. I'm not super obsessed with any country, actually, because there is no perfect country! But if someone IS obsessed with a country, well, just let them be, as long as they're not trying to hurt anyone in the process
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Maybe give some free advice about: Random Weirdos?
Blah blah blah people thing I'm weird cause I'm different. Have you ever thought that people are annoyed cause you act like a weirdo, not cause you like Japanese culture? I mean, I know plenty of people who were into "Japanese culture" and they were just weird.
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