From another thread (
http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...ers-japan.html )
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoNative
The main thing I get annoyed at on these forums is this idea that observations by foreigners in Japan about this country and it's people are invalid and naive, especially if they are just english teachers. As though it's only after many years here and a deep understanding of the language and culture that you can possibly make any valid observations. I read into this to mean that until you have basically become Japanese yourself and can see everything from a Japanese perspective then your opinion is considered worthless or at the very least terribly naive. Now I've been here over 7 years (and am not an english teacher) but still my opinions are often attacked purely because I do not speak and read the language completely fluenty. All those years of experiences are supposedly worthless because I haven't become Japanese enough for some on here.
So what if James has some issues with Japanese men? They are his experiences and opinions. He doesn't need the likes of masegu telling him he doesn't know enough about Japanese language and culture to have any valid opinion.
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I totally agree that one of the common defense mechanisms of people who feel offended by honest opinions, valid or invalid as they may be. Is to try to dirty the source of the opinion by discrediting whoever said it.
A foreigner may not understand why he sees what he sees, but he still sees it just the same as anyone else might.
Though expressing those views may be spreading ignorance if it's proper reasons are not expressed it doesn't make them any less real.
It's also been my experience that many Japanese people are in fact just as unaware of what's going on in Japan, and why, as those foreigners that have lived there for a fraction of the time.
And yes, there are shit parts of Japanese culture, those who love Japan may have to accept that, and may have to try even harder to accept that they will hear about them from a non-Japanese person.
Then again, if someone calls my family stupid, I'll defend it blindly. So who am I to tell people not to get defensive stupidly.
