Wings, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to call people with certain allergies childish because they don't eat certain foods (especially the person can't read food labels in the country in which they reside).
Just to give an example of my own experience- after about a year and a half of living in Japan I developed an allergy to shrimp. If I eat shrimp I get an itchy rash on my skin. I've had a coworker say some crazy things when he saw me passing my lunch's shrimp off to another co-worker. After I told him I was allergic he was a bit embarassed but I understood. So I can understand situations where people don't eat food because of allergies.
And I understand that there may be foods that you just simply don't like (whether they are Japan specific or not). I think that is seen as childish in Japan though (and to an extent in America as well).
So saying stuff like
"I'm one of the few people here that doesn't let this "utopia" of a country keep me whipped like it does to so many of you. You can't tell me my opinion is any worse than these pre-pubescent teens who post that they want to renounce their citizenship and fly over to a country they've never stepped foot on."
seems a bit excessive considering the position in which you had put yourself by labelling Japanese food (and to a larger extent all food) as "gross".
I get what you're trying to say though. You are entitled to your opinion. I don't really like Natto, Amazake, or Wine... but if someone insists or it's included in a meal provided to me I'll just bite the bullet and eat or drink it.
I'll agree with Nyororin that just like any other type of food there is some good stuff, some bad stuff, and a whole lot of stuff that is... "alright" (for lack of a better word).
Wings, I've met a lot of people who were (and some still are) in that "yummy phase". I'm talking about people who order a hamburger with buns, meat, and ketchup only (I've met multiple people like that). My friends and I were immature enough to bug the hell out of one of our buddies who was like that until he graduated to actually eating vegetables on his burger with cheese and all that stuff. He was thankful that we opened him up to a whole new world. If you're not eating certain food because of health or religious reasons or something like that then I think people will understand... but if you try certain foods enough times you might learn to enjoy them and literally enter a whole new world.
It doesn't have to be a cold turkey/head first kind of experience... you can always ease your way into it before diving in. There's a huge social aspect to eating food... I'd say that goes especially for Japan. So I'd make the argument that you'd enjoy your stay here if you were to "チャレンジ" more food.
EDIT: Spam is another food I don't care for... but I'll eat it sometimes (like spam musubi).
