Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronin4hire
Ugh.. that is hardly a dictionary term with an agreed upon definition. It's a derogatory term (that I've only heard in America) and can be aimed at anyone who has a slight interest in Japan.
I ceased to use such terms like Weaboo and Wapanese (I have used such terms on this site before) when I discovered that the definition I gave it is not the way it is commonly used. Typically, the people who use these terms are ignorant white people that believe (either consciously or sub-consciously) that Western culture is superior to Japanese culture.
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Urban Dictionary: weeaboo
I think you'll find it has very little to do with cultural imperialism. Also, it has nothing to do with white people; I wonder why you would make a comment like that? Why "ignorant white people"? I should warn you that that comment sounds pretty off-color.
I feel RKitagawa's definition is pretty spot on. Though I fear they've run into far too many a screaming fanboy/girl, and as such have my sympathies
From the OP's last post, I think it's pretty clear that this is not the case and we have a genuine case of cultural interest. I think it isn't difficult to grasp why so many would be skeptical on this board of such a thing existing, no?
OP: Do your thang and don't worry about what the natives feel! You seem to have your head screwed on tight and your heart in the right place, so who would you possibly be hurting by seeking out information and exploring your interests? There will always be the ignorant and the racist, and they're the ones you need not pay any heed!
Also I want to point out to you that you aren't a gaijin. In your case, your Japanese friends and their families are the "gaijin", being as how they are the foreigners in this situation. As you probably know, "gaijin" is a contraction of "gaikokujin", which means "foreign person". It's more often than not a derogatory term, and much like the term "otaku", it's not advisable to brand yourself as one.
