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Originally Posted by KyleGoetz
That was more my point rather than to actually imply they think the women are decaying. I was just trying to indicate that it's not a positive thing. Although I think Shoko-tan (a notorious female ヲタク／タレント in Japan) does apply the term to herself positively in an interview with Akiko Wada: Dailymotion - Otakuology with Nakagawa Shoko - Part 1 - a Funny video |
There is no doubt any group can take a term and use it "positively" within their own group. Or you can take a term and use apply it to yourself in a "positive" way. But that`s not the point - it`s how it is viewed by the great majority that really tends to make a difference. If it is used negatively by the rest of the population, it is still going to end up being negative in the end.
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Haha, when was the last time you went to the United States? There are tons of people who are absolutely indiscriminate about their anime/manga here. But yeah, a Japanese person won't talk like that, though.
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That is pretty much what I was trying to say - That quoted bit was referring to Japanese people. I know that there are way too many people who could care less what the anime or manga is as long as it`s anime or manga. Hence the comparison to magazines and television programs - saying "I like anime" or "I like manga" has a specific meaning in English that is different than the meaning it would carry in Japanese... One that is in the same vein as "I like magazines" or "I like television programs" - making it sound way too broad and a bit strange.
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Which I think is interesting considering computers didn't catch on in Japan like in the US because typing was and had always been seen as "women's work." I think this is why you see cute/pinup girls on the cover of computer mags in Japan like you do car mags in the US.
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I think that the pinup girl thing is completely unrelated to what is in the magazine, really. If the main audience is thought to be men, there will be one regardless of the actual subject of the magazine.
Actually, it is a huge mystery to me. In my husband`s company, about a third of their programmers are women. Most of the base computer work done in pretty much every other company I`ve been to or had dealings with has been handled by women. The thing is, they play naive the moment they stop working. It`s like it`s an open taboo. Either that, or everyone suffers specialized memory loss... Like a woman I know through my son`s kindergarten. She used to design software to control the flood management system for the city, and even made drivers for certain sensors that are still in use now...
But after 4 years away from the job she reacts like a deer in the headlights when confronted with technology. She can`t possibly have forgotten everything - but I think that the reaction is one that is expected, so everyone gives it.
I`ll also never forget the shock of finding out my neighbor - who I helped set up her HDD recorder and set her television stations - used to be a manager in an IT department.
It never fails to confuse me.
