/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46277520
When I got a bit far into my Japanese learning journey. For most of my life (since middle school or so) I've just accepted myself as a weeb, joining the crowd of "it's embarrassing to be considered an otaku." And later on, I'd look down on anyone else (gaijin) who'd call themselves such, as just a dumb newfag who didn't understand 'you're not supposed to call yourself that, you lack self awareness'

It was only when socializing with actual Nips, where I'd not only get called an otaku but, when describing myself I'd end up using the term myself as well, considering it was the only other fitting choice within their vocabulary. My whole lifestyle quite literally revolves around Japanese media, and only recently when it's been trying to stray from that, it still ends up in western nerd territory anyway. I'm a grown adult and yet still all I can ever get excited about in life is media. Just as with english, the only other Nips I can have an actual conversation with have to be otaku-oriented.
I am an otaku. And it's no longer embarrassing to say it; on the contrary now calling myself a weeb seems more embarrassing. Weeb is never used literally (wannabe Japanese) so much as it's just the actual means of saying otaku but you're too self conscious to call yourself that because of your nationality. It's childish. Well, it's childish to really get hung up on any label as they're all insubstantial; but most especially as a self reflection during social interactions.