My Japan Syndrome

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by RealJames

PS: Wings, nice Avatar.

I like keeping to the theme of Japanese chicks with guns (although in this pic it's harder to tell she's holding one)

[SINRT]

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

What it comes down to is OP is just overly jealous. It's the same thing, but rather than "My Japan Syndrome," I've coined "Last Samurai Syndrome." (I call it this because of the hilarity of the movie, which involves moving to a remote Japanese village, falling in love ((and reciprocation)) with a Japanese girl even after killing her husband ((Jesus!)), and becoming a "hero" in Japan, among other things).
OP wants to be different, a novelty if you will, because he/she is plain where he/she is from. OP was hoping to get some kind of special treatment (oohs and awes) but it's not like that. I know it seems redundant to have to explain this, but I hope this post will reach anyone else who's thinking they'll be the first foreigner to reach Japan since Matthew Perry.

Last Samurai Syndrome. Awesome.

[Mail747]

Originally Posted by steven

So it's like a problem with sharing as well as a problem with not feeling special- like not being noticed?

Mail 747, what have you done/ will you do to try to fix your problem?

No no, this has nothing to do with me wanting to be special. I just want Japan to be... kind of left relatively unknown. I in no way want to flout any knowledge I have of Japan to anyone, nor do I want any bragging rights. I also have no aim to be noticed. I never mention anything about Japan on Facebook nor to other people. Not a word.

Probably what I've done most is a lot of self-persuasion, like that Japan's tourism number, especially from places like America, Britain etc is one of the lowest found in rich countries. Also that most people who would be on my watch list are probably in their late teens and will grow out of it soon enough.
So that, along with other self-persuasion methods are all I've been able to try so far. :/

Originally Posted by RealJames

Imagine if a Japanese person came to your hometown and started hating other Japanese people, or just asians, who also lived there, even if they were there longer or were even born there etc, and even if they spoke English better haha. You'd hate that first Japanese person.

That's how Japanese people think of you mail747, they hate you and think you're ridiculous for behaving that way, they'd never welcome you into their country if they knew this about you.

"my Japan" or "our Japan" or any kind of possessiveness is so delusional it's actually pretty funny.

Oh and I speak Japanese better than you too, and if we were both seen downtown no one would pay attention to you, cuz I'd be there. How does that make you feel?

Oh and I've been on TV in Japan, on Friday night of all times, that's prime time foreigner exposure, one week after the big tsunami/earthquake of all times. Feelings?

Okay I think you should know that I don't care one bit who hates me and who doesn't. Even including Japanese people

Yes, there are many people who can speak Japanese better than me. Congrats. Unfortunately for you people knowing the language don't bother me. Only if they butcher it and write 'Kawaii desu!' everywhere, or mix Japanese with English. Generally people don't learn the language for long before quitting either. I'm not hating on Japanese learners, it's just fact from personal experience.

About the Downtown part, that makes me feel like you're the arrogant one, being big headed about being the one noticed.

I don't know what gives you the impression I revere the Japanese like Gods. I really don't care how many of them have seen you, and I don't care if they fall to their knees and kiss your feet at the sight of you.

I take this obsession very seriously, and with how bad it is I'd treat it with the same seriousness as an actual disorder. So I hope you feel like a big man underlying all that hate in your posts, and making fun of someone with a serious unpreventable problem. I hope you feel great about yourself.

If you despise me, then just say so. Don't bother trying to hide it as an underlying message.

Originally Posted by GoNative

But your love of Japan goes beyond what is considered normal and you are aware of this. You're kind of like a possesive boyfriend who wants to beat up any other guy who even looks in the general direction of his girlfriend. You are possesive of Japan in a way you have no right to be. It isn't yours! You're a whacko who needs help. At least you realise this, you just now need to go get that help and start changing the way you view things. Unless you like being unhappy, depressed and obsessed...

I guess it can be put along those lines, yes.

Although seriously, calling me a whacko is very uncalled for.
I admit I have a strange problem, but not once would I consider myself a whacko. I never manifest my obsession in person, and have only ever trolled when it becomes unbearable, which has only been once or twice. Just because my obsession makes you angry at me, I don't think I'm along the lines of a whacko.
There are a lot of people who have far worse than me.

Changing the way I view things is easier said than done. If I could just snap my fingers and be gone with it, trust me I'd have done that long ago. It's something I truly, truly can not control.

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

What it comes down to is OP is just overly jealous. It's the same thing, but rather than "My Japan Syndrome," I've coined "Last Samurai Syndrome." (I call it this because of the hilarity of the movie, which involves moving to a remote Japanese village, falling in love ((and reciprocation)) with a Japanese girl even after killing her husband ((Jesus!)), and becoming a "hero" in Japan, among other things).
OP wants to be different, a novelty if you will, because he/she is plain where he/she is from. OP was hoping to get some kind of special treatment (oohs and awes) but it's not like that. I know it seems redundant to have to explain this, but I hope this post will reach anyone else who's thinking they'll be the first foreigner to reach Japan since Matthew Perry.

You seem to have the same opinion as a person further up the thread. I in NO way want to be loved by the Japanese, or have some fantasy Japanese village life. I don't want to be looked at as anything special or different.
I don't want oohs. I don't want awes.
I just want Japan to remain as a place that not many people know anything about, or want to obsess over. And before you suggest it, no, not to try and show off my knowledge or be special. Just because I think such a unique culture should be left unexplored and not exploited by everyone, and not be ridiculed by Otakus and Weeaboos who take every part of the culture in an obsessive way.

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

I personally despise weeaboos, but of course that's my opinion. They make a mockery of Japanese culture and I find it offensive, as well as many Japanese people.

Very much in agreement here. I despise them too, for basically the same reasons you state. It's the reason most of these types of people are on my watch list.

Sorry, Jambo.

[Koir]

Seems like you like having a problem, as well as projecting it on anyone stupid enough to attempt helping you. Therapy still appears to be the best option for you, not flinging hoo-ha at words on a screen.

Get help.

[tokusatsufan]

No it's not "Last Samurai Syndrome",that makes it sound like fun. If he says it's My Japan Syndrome it's My Japan Syndrome. You know what,he said he knew he was wrong so just bloody leave it. Japan is about positivity. Looking forward. They would never just keep going like this. It's like someone beating themselves up,and then you beating them up as well. LOL I know that wouldn't happen and sounds ridiculous but it's true. What,because I tried to help him I'm stupid? That's a bloody good thing.

[WingsToDiscovery]

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

No it's not "Last Samurai Syndrome",that makes it sound like fun.

It's supposed to be satirical/be funny, because it is stupid.

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

If he says it's My Japan Syndrome it's My Japan Syndrome.

It's not even a real diagnosis. People can call it whatever they want.

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

You know what,he said he knew he was wrong so just bloody leave it.

He posted on a discussion forum. We're discussing it.

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

Japan is about positivity. Looking forward. They would never just keep going like this. It's like someone beating themselves up,and then you beating them up as well. LOL I know that wouldn't happen and sounds ridiculous but it's true. What,because I tried to help him I'm stupid? That's a bloody good thing.

This is incoherent.

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by Koir

Seems like you like having a problem, as well as projecting it on anyone stupid enough to attempt helping you. Therapy still appears to be the best option for you, not flinging hoo-ha at words on a screen.

Get help.

I second this.. why are you even on this forum Mail747? If you really took your problem as serious as you try to portray yourself doing, get off your computer, and go talk to someone who can provide real help for you. Otherwise you seem like nothing more than a troll to me at this point.

[JohnBraden]

Mail747, unfortunately, the world has become a smaller place due to more sophisticated transportation and communications.

I often wondered why the old James Bond movies had such a grab on people when he went to different countries. I think part of that was the fact that many people hadn't ever been there except through the movies and it was exotic to them. "You Only Live Twice" was the Japan film where Bond goes to Osato Industries (New Otani Hotel). That wasn't my first intro to Japan, but close. It looked exotic and foreign. I thought I'd never go there. Perhaps that's one reason why the Bond movies were different in the 60s and 70s; they showed you places you'd probably wouldn't see in real life.

Then came the jet age in earnest and commercial travel became more affordable and prevalent. Most distant destinations became "closer" due to better transport. More people went places and the thought of knowing someone who had been "there" wasn't all that uncommon.

In the 90s and 00s, with the advent of the world-wide web, someone could virtually travel there even before getting on a plane. Flying became quite affordable and people traveled to those exotic destination of their youth.

Japan in one of those places. The language is quite unique, the alphabet is unlike anything in the west. the food has a world-wide appeal. It has a long history. It has many cultural interests. People are going to go there and see it for themselves. They will fly there, spend time there and spend money on the economy (much needed by any country, btw). It's happened in the past, it's happening as we speak, and it will continue to happen in the future. This is something that we cannot control and don't want to change.

It's a fact of life and people have to deal with the fact there are going to be foreigners in other countries. Whether they are tourists or people trying to make a living there, there isn't a thing anyone could do about it.

This world has quickly become small and intermixed. The Japanese have adopted some western ways and been influenced as much as other countries have by Japan. There is no going back. There is no more "pristine Japan".

If you want to see Japan without many foreigners, you'll have to go to small towns far from the major cities. I went to Nagahama in Shiga-ken, by Lake Biwa for the purpose of visiting the Kaiyodo Museum. I didn't see another foreigner all the time I was there.

I don't know what to tell you apart from what I mentioned at the beginning of the thread. You're going to have to deal with the fact that Japan is not pre-Meiji anymore and you are going to see foreigners. People from all over the world will talk about Japan. I think you need to ween yourself away from the internet and forget Japan for a bit....

[GoNative]

Originally Posted by tokusatsufan

Japan is about positivity. Looking forward. .

You've never actually been to Japan have you?

[tokusatsufan]

I give up.