Is it normal that i like japanese culture and the language?

74% Normal
18 Comments

Since I was young, my Mum used to be annoyed with Chinese and Japanese people and culture, because of personal issues from her teens.
And when I used to be interested in Japanese anime characters and watching about the culture on TV, she used to say I was obsessed, even though a lot of people my age are into animes and stuff... And back then, all I watched was Pokemon!

Then some of my friends happened to be Chinese/Vietnamese, and she said I was obsessed with Japanese girls, even though these people were Chinese/Vietnamese, some of them were boys, and all I did was play games with them or chill out. She got really angry when I denied being obsessed, and then admitted the personal issues from her teens.

Now I actually am interested in this culture that has been taboo to me for so long, and I know my Mum was wrong since she admitted it, but I feel guilty by being interested in Japanese culture.
I want to learn Japanese because I have picked up some of it (I have a great aural memory) and it sounds cool but I feel even MORE guilty now since I have found out about terms like "weeaboo" and "otaku" and don't want to be branded such things.

I still love my zombie games, doing accents, writing songs (in English) and all the other stuff.
I am still influenced as much by all the Irish, Italian, Jamaican, Brazilian, Spanish, American and English environments I grew up in as I am by the Japanese ones.
I am still me! Just I want to expand my universe a bit.
Should I feel guilty?

Voting Results
74% Normal
Based on 53 votes (39 yes)
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Comments ( 18 )
  • dappled
    11 years ago

    Yeah, I think it's normal. For a smallish country (Japan is about the same size as Zimbabwe), it's amazing how much prominence their culture has worldwide. The reason for that, most likely, is that it's interesting.

    I'd quite like to live in Japan for a year.

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    • sega31098
      11 years ago

      The population of Japan is roughly 1/3 of the USA's though.

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      • dazjman
        11 years ago

        The the tally of the UK's population is about 1/2 of Japan's!

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    • dazjman
      11 years ago

      Yeah, and their culture is quite similar to Western culture.
      Like, I have grown up not knowing I was influenced by Japanese culture (as well as a lot of others)
      A lot of the cartoons and music and games I have grown up with ended up being from Japan!
      And I love latin jazz, and I realised a lot of Japanese game or commercial music is based around styles like latin, jazz, blues and funk.

      I feel like the world is becoming more intermingled, and living in London, I have been influenced by many cultures from all the different people I have met.

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      • dappled
        11 years ago

        Same for me. I'm from the other end of the same country as you and so much of what I grew up with was either Japanese or a French-Japanese collaboration (especially animation).

        I know we English are known for our stately homes, parks and gardens (foreigners often comment to me), but despite how great our stuff is, I'm still wowed by Japanese garden design.

        Hmm, never quite understood some aspects of Japanese sexuality, though.

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        • dazjman
          11 years ago

          Haha, I'm not actually English xD my home life is more like Italian.

          What do you mean the sexuality? Tentacle porn? Lol

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  • [Old Memory]
    11 years ago

    Yes.

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  • LafayetteX
    11 years ago

    I have this issue, but I think my family has already given up on trying to change me. The asian culture is fasinating to me, as well as it is to many people and for a good reason. Don't feel guilty. B happy with you're life and pursue what you want. ^o^ You only have 1 life.

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  • Epofly
    11 years ago

    I have a feeling you are my younger sister calling our mother "Mum" to throw me off... Your situation mirrors that of my sister's.

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    • dazjman
      11 years ago

      Really? Haha. So your Mum hates asians and your sister is interested in Japan?

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  • disthing
    11 years ago

    Of course it's normal.

    I had a similar interest in Japanese and Chinese culture and language not too long ago, without stepping into weeaboo / otaku territory.

    I find it irritating when people have a naive understanding of Japanese culture but still declare that they love Japan and everything Japanese and want to live there. That's when weeaboos are aggravating; they often don't realise how multifaceted Japanese culture is, they base their opinion solely on animé and other exports. They have a very superficial and cartoonish idea of Japan, but purport to be a wealth of knowledge. They say they can speak the language when they merely know a few sentences and some kanji. They think the members of various J-Pop bands accurately reflect the average Japanese guys and gals. It's like basing your view of the US on cowboy films and N Sync.

    But it sounds like you have a perfectly healthy curiosity. I'd just encourage you to explore beyond the superficial, popular exports, and learn about the average and common in Japan. The negative aspects of Japanese society as well as the positives.

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    • dazjman
      11 years ago

      :) Yay!
      And I have watched anime even though I didn't realise what it was until I was 17.
      But that's not why I like Japan; to be honest the anime I watch are more about real life than crazy light shows on another planet.
      I like the buildings; even a block of flats in Japan has a certain character.
      And I like the way some things are rather efficient.

      I love the music because I love Latin Jazz and Funk and there is quite a lot of latin-funk in Japanese music. And 2-5-1's, blues chromatics, weird emotional transpositions which I have come to love... Although the Pop Music sometimes gets on my nerves lol I'm more of a non-mainstream person in general. The classical music from Japan is quite unique.

      And the games and stories... Japanese creations have intense emotions and attention to detail. However, I am not planning to go there anytime soon, I don't think... I am just fascinated that there is a culture so similar and yet different to where I live. And with so many creative exports.

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  • DrRalph
    7 years ago

    why read your stupid shit? within a couple lines it seems like youre in your teens or 20s. grow up...it will happen eventually

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  • DADNSCAL
    11 years ago

    Maybe you're turning Japanezer, yes turning Japanezer, really think so.

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  • NotStrangeBird
    11 years ago

    I believe it's pronounced "I rike Japanese curture and ranguage".

    Damn Japanese written manuals. Don't worry, I love the Japanese, I just wish they'd use native English speakers for their techincal stuff.

    Although I believe Grandpa was less tolerant of Japanese culture...

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    • dazjman
      11 years ago

      Hmm, dunno... Replace the r's with a very quickly spoken "ada," try that.

      Eh? Oh you mean with products from Japan?
      The more well-known companies like Sony will have English instructions too.

      The older generations were less tolerant of most things, except pedophilia and rape.
      But my Mum is being more accepting of Japan now :D

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      • NotStrangeBird
        11 years ago

        I Agree that consumer electronics manuals are fairly well written.

        Japanese industrial equipment is a different story. The writers seem to have and use a fantastic vocabulary but do not put sentences together well, often with hilarious results. The running joke is that they are written in "engrish"

        Of course my technical Japanese is not that great so who am I to talk?

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        • dazjman
          11 years ago

          LOL Yeah I have seen "Engrish" on some fake Yu-Gi-Oh cards haha.

          They're like "The card being held in the fingers is positioned onto the battleground with defensive mode being set to on. When this happens and the card your mind thinks of is being turned over, then start the special effect of the card your mind thinks of, provided it is your own card." And then goes on to detail the effect...

          LOL I don't know if you know that game but usually it's more like "Flip Effect: Choose one opponent card and destroy it."

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