While I’ve not watched any anime except for Evangelion 2.0 since July, and not bought any anime merchandise way before that, so the word ‘otaku’, which I’ll be using in this entry will possess it’s general meaning.
If there’s one word I’ve been lacking in my life, that’s the word. Moderation.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve had the tendency to take an obsessive stance towards whatever I like. I used to sit for hours in front the PC ever since I was a kid, refusing to head out no matter hot my parents asked me to. When I was hooked on WoW, it was my life. I remember skipping an entire week of school by pretending to be sick just so that I could get my PVP rank up. When it comes to my favourite bands, I’d rather scrimp and save so that I can buy their CDs, goods that have caught my interest, and even attend lives in a country that I’m not even living in.
Think all that isn’t too bad? I thought so too, until I recalled what happened when I liked a girl. I’d go all out, to a certain extent that I was nearly approaching the borderline of a stalker’s behaviour. You really don’t want to know too much about that. Thinking about it freaks me out.
Those aren’t things normal people would do. Certainly not normal people with moderation.
Moderation. It’s something I sorely lack. Whenever I find myself liking something, I’ll be nosediving straight into it without any consideration. This seems to apply to my entire life, no matter what I do, and I really hate it.
And out there somewhere, we have people wanting to crown themselves with the term “otaku”. I know it’s great to have passion towards stuff that you like, but from how I see it, the term “otaku” would imply passion that has surpassed the limits.
Some might argue that it’s like being on a different level by being someone that’s beyond what’s average or normal. But really, the way I see it, being normal, meaning having moderation, actually feels better. I guess the grass always appears greener on the other side, and in this case, it might just really be.
This has been an incoherent rant, no thanks to the non-functional air conditioner and the state of my mind. What the hell was I even thinking?
I just say “I like anime and manga” and wait to see if they know what those are before calling them “Japanese animation and comics.”
Anyway, Guild Wars is superior to WoW.
“Touch and Go” is my type, but if there’s something that I really like and (if possible) can make a living out of it, nose dive is the choice.
Yes, self control is key.
You bring up a good point, I’ve never looked at it that way. Personally however I like explain the word as being beyond what’s average or normal, because who really decides whether you’re going over the line or not? I would agree that being “normal” basically means having moderation, since otaku basically means having an obsessive interest in something. In my opinion you cross the line when you’re not being able to live a healthy life because of your interest.
Yeah I noticed that behavior myself… stalker typa behavior. orz
I would have used the word nonexistent for that poster. To my surprise inexistent turns out to be a valid alternate, just one you are very unlikely to see in common usage.
I think this portion that you’re saying, refers to the recent Otaku Elimination Game that everyone in the anime blogosphere has been stark raving mad about:
Moderation: something that is lacking nowadays.
yeah i use to think being otaku was something to aspire to, that is, until i went to high school. i didn’t really understand how extreme you had to be to be an otaku and how they were negatively stereotyped. good thing i learned that in freshmen year, i saved a lot of money.
i also have obsessive tendencies, like right now, i’m supposed to be doing a research paper, but i was craving for some jrock and i stumbled onto your blog through ajisai town.
Jen > You listen to Ajisai Town too? If so, their new single was just released yesterday!
I’m still in high school and I kind of envy people like you. Moderation defines my life, I am almost never passionate about anything at all; that’s why i only watch the highest of quality anime nowadays.
With me, I know that sooner or later I will lose interest in my current activities. I never master anything, when inconvenience comes along (starcraft, first person shooters) i just stop and look for my next entertainment. It is a double edged sword.