I guess it's a response to how popular and mainstream it's become. I'd guess people are just pushing back against the tide.

>>27246
I'm surprised that a dead filter word took its place. I mean I am also not suprised that 4chan once again ends up being the start of the Internet Human Centipede, but...

I have a personal gripe only because "weeaboo" and "weeb" sound so bloody annoying to me, it makes me nauseous. I don't know why.

I have noticed, but I interact so little with people that I don't really deal with it too much or at all, to be honest.

I won't say that it's unwarranted when we know exactly the kind of people these insults are directed at and despise the same kind of people (the obnoxious and annoying idiots that watch Naruto and spout memes as if they knew nothing more).

It's just best to stay out of it while keeping watch from the sidelines. Even glancing every once in a while on these trash and whatever's going on is enough.

I feel it's been taboo for almost a decade now. Mostly because people who go out of their way to call themselves 'otaku' are usually try-hards. And weeaboos, in the real meaning of the word: a good chunk of them probably legitimately wishes they were Japanese.

Saying you're 'otaku' is the rough equivalent of saying you're a 'hardcore gamer' or that you like 'mature' video games. It just makes you look like a poseur and an idiot.

>Do you guys care?
Nope!

I never use it, because it's a useless word in my opinion. When would I ever use it?

>>27252
....Explaining the name of this site I guess?
>>27248
>>27249
I think true "weeaboos" in the original sense of the term have become near-extinct and gone the way of the scene or emo subculture by now. The issue is not even so particular as this, but a massive sociological conditioning of paranoia and arrogance online. It's almost blood-chilling to see how the internet went from a digital New World where you were supposed to never reveal your identity to an Orwellian nightmare where the only veneration or worship anyone gives is for the Self, and all dissent or want for the old potential is treated like Luddite-ism.

Otaku is not a good word in japan. In fact its a derogatory word. It's not just people who like anime but people who are obsessed with it. The media has caused it to be seen as a social stigma(even thinking otaku murder people because some murderers/criminals are anime fans). Oreimo shows this off pretty well. So yeah its a taboo in japan to be one. If you call yourself an otaku you're pretty much just a weeaboo or ignorant.

the term weeaboo has gone down the path of similar terms like nerd or geek. Its lost its original meaning and negative connotation associated with it. Otaku just doesn't roll off the tongue as easy as weeb or weeaboo. The sad thing is they'll keep using the word forever calling their friends, their siblings and even their parents it without thinking once what kind of person it originally described.

"Weeaboo" or "wapanese" used to describe tryhard japan lovers (waah I love sushis and samurais, that means i'm totally fit to become a japanese citizen!) and otaku wannabes but now it's just another fucking buzzword.
From my personal observation it's used mainly by five kind of people:

1 - People who use it to differentiate themselves from other anime watchers because they don't want to be shunned by their community,
they like anime and secretly want to be called otaku because they think it's cool but are afraid to be called weeaboo so they say it first, thinking that using it protects them from being called one.

2 - Meme spouters who just want to throw around the new cool word they found everytime somebody mention anything even slighty japan-related (oh you like Monster Hunter? you're a weeb lol),
they don't really care if the person they call a weeb really likes anime or not they just want to spout epic memes to get cool points and thumbs or because they think they're funny.

3 - People who use it to make fun of others whom they don't share the same tastes with or if somebody like a show unpopular because it's too obscure, too "entry level", too moe, etc.

4 - People who use it ironically as banter.

5 - Shitposters.


OP you should probably stop browsing sites with retarded normalcool communities and especially stop reading youtube comments which are very often a pure concentration of the most retarded shit you could ever read on the internet. Though I find it funny that weeb is almost never used against manga readers.

>>27254
This argument is fallacious because words can change meaning based on culture.

For example, try saying you want to "bum a fag" in the UK versus America.

Q.E.D.

>>27258
You definitely have a point there and I don't mind people casually using the term. Just like in the boards name. But people who go around spouting "I'm an otaku!!!" just rubs me the wrong way.

>>27258
It can change on context in general, there is no such this as a word unbound from relativism

>>27245
Recently it's not been a good time to have anime avatars on the internet. But don't worry, people will eventually get over it.

Remember that the internet is growing day by day, and when people see someone who likes anime, they will say things that they couldn't really say in real life (now that everyone is crazy with this 'no bullying' shit)

Yeah, the modern definition of weeb has changed, and now a weeb is 'he who doesn't think that japan deserves have every single one of its cities nuked right now'.

Just enjoy your shit and don't let that get through you, it's the internet dood

>>27247
It annoys me a lot too. "Weeb" especially. To the point where I will disregard the words of anyone who seriously uses it because I believe they must be an empty, obnoxious moron.

>>27257
I will admit to using it for reasons 1 and 4, and I actively avoid the term otaku because I do not think I really fulfill the term well.

I also use it to test the waters. If someone gets offended when I call them a weeb tongue-in-cheek, I don't feel like I will mix well with them.

Funny enough, I've started noticing the term "westaboo" show up a couple of times recently. It seems to be used to insult those that prefer Western things.

This is getting pretty stupid, but it's not like it hasn't been the entire time.

I guess that I found that interesting or something?

>>27316
The terms been around for quite a few years now, its just not many people use it. I heard the term 'Teutaboo' used too (people who love German stuff)

>>27317
I hear "wehraboo" more often for that. Though it's mostly focused on people who go lengths about german/prussian military might rather than their general culture.

I feel like there was another thread on this subject here at one point. Anyway, I think some people are just way to hung up on labels and terminology, particularly young people. Like, fairly recently I was having this conversation with this 18-19 year old about music, and I mentioned that, among other things, I liked techno. Guy started flying off the handle; apparently, that type of music is called "EDM" now, and it's fandom gets massively bitter when you call it techno. I had no idea, I just like the drumbeats and the synths and stuff.

When I was first getting into this culture in the early 2000s I thought of myself as an "anime fan", on account of how the stuff I liked was typically referred to as "anime". Actually, I think the guy who introduced me to it called it "Japanimation". Then as I got further into it I learned the word "otaku" and started using that because I liked the sound of it. Now if I go around calling myself an otaku I get called a weeaboo. I can't decide if it means that anime and all related subcultures are becoming more or less acceptable within mainstream culture.

Really though I don't think it matters what you call yourself or what others call you, at least it stops mattering once you get past that teenage phase where anything you happen to be interested in becomes your entire personal identity, and you need words and labels to be part of that identity. Social media makes it worse too, I think, since having your internet identity inextricably tied to your IRL identity has pretty much eliminated all the freedom and anonymity this world once offered.

>>27363
>having your internet identity inextricably tied to your IRL identity has pretty much eliminated all the freedom and anonymity this world once offered
It's not exactly something you were forced into. I've refused to associate myself with any social media on the grounds that I actually value my identity.

EDM is also a subset of techno. Don't assume kids know what they're talking about.

>>27363

>Really though I don't think it matters what you call yourself or what others call you, at least it stops mattering once you get past that teenage phase where anything you happen to be interested in becomes your entire personal identity, and you need words and labels to be part of that identity.

This pretty much. This particular behavior - willingly confining yourself within some identity label - started to gain popularity in post industrial societies because of desitegration of local communities. People don't really feel connected to those and as such they are left hanging with no sense of attachment. It's like getting thrown out into space and panicking because of lack of gravity (there's actually a word for this reaction IIRC but I can't recall it). And a drowning man will clutch at a straw.

Labels are pretty useful when trying to figure out your own identity and I don't think I need to explain why this would be of particular importance to teenagers (and even some young adults in cases of late bloomers). But if they don't match some definition it gives them a feeling of dissonance. It makes them feel anxious. Wanting to fit into the label (and thus the group) will make them deny their own beliefs and convictions. In an example that some of you might find relatable look at 4chan /jp/'s 'we hate anime over here!' policy. New people (who come over from /a/ most of the time) don't actually fit that. 'Huh, but I like anime?' 'No, we hate it over here.' 'But-' 'We HATE it over here.' And then anonymous hated anime (or at least that's what he said while being asked about it while still watching anime on the side).

I could jump straight to Fromm and rave on about how humans reject complete freedom because it's too overwhelming for them but I've gotten completely off topic so I'll just end it here.

This is part of what I don't like about the word otaku and people who call themselves that. 'Anime watcher' or even 'anime fan' describes an action. 'Otaku' is a much broader identity label.

>>27245
Damn I just checked some youtube videos, it's true.

It's just shitty ironic Gen X humor. They like anime themselves but sprout it when they see anime because self-deprecation is the new funny thing to do. It's also why everyone calls themselves "trash" to the point of it being irritating.

>>27440
>It's also why everyone calls themselves "trash" to the point of it being irritating.

I wasn't aware that this was a common thing, but I'm not aware of much, because I generally try to avoid interacting with people.
I call myself trash because I am. Also to the point of it becoming irritating because that's inherent in the tedious, repetitive, untenable thoughts of trash. Usually I don't bring it up because it irritates me enough as it is. It must really irritate the reader of this post. It can't be helped. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

>>27245
I was just thinking about making this topic!

>>27678
I think you're wrong. Here's my source: https://youtu.be/Lxt0_YrQs0M

>>27678
I watched those videos for 1 second before closing.

>>27678
I don't want to look at those retarded videos, could you please form your opinion in a few sentences? (if possible without making any typos this time)