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Okay, here's maybe an unpopular opinion:
Being a fan of a work/band/whatever from a certain country does not make you suddenly an authority on that country's culture, history, or politics, nor does it erase the country's imperfections (because no country is perfect) or justify your deliberate attempts to dismiss those imperfections to keep that country on a pedestal.
Or, summed up: being a fan of something from a certain country does not excuse you from being a decent human being.
So Japanese weeaboos, wherever you're actually from, stop defending Pearl Harbor and the Rape of Nanking and the rape of Korean comfort women. Stop attacking every other country that has issue with Japan because Japan can't have ever done anything wrong! It is the land of shiny bishies and kawaii things!
So Korean idol stans, wherever you're actually from, stop defending racism and homophobia and misogyny in Korea because it's just part of the culture and, omg, oppa totally didn't even mean it that way. Stop attacking Japanese pop groups because they're so much ~lesser~ than Korean pop groups, like you're the most objective person ever.
So Chinese fans... Okay, I'm not in Chinese fandoms. I don't even know what to say here, but I highly doubt fans of Chinese media or Chinese fans themselves are free from any of the above. China loves nothing more than a great big persecution complex. It also loves a closed environment and is, as far as I can tell, not particularly interested in soliciting outside interest into their entertainment bubble. The better to maintain control and spin your propaganda, eh, CCP?
I'm not saying you can't have opinions - just stop having fucking ignorant opinions. Understand that just because you have some insight or experience or relevant thoughts, you have not become an expert. Unless you are from that country, unless you live in that country, you don't have the same insight and experience. Your perspective is lacking.
So once in a while it may behoove you to listen with an open mind instead of being so eager to share your opinion, which is SO relevant and SO informed just because you happen to like SHINee or Naruto or whatever.
There's little I hate more than the cultural relativism argument. Culture matters a lot, absolutely. Differing cultural norms may often cause people to miscommunicate due to those differences. Diversity should be respected and celebrated! But there are some universal standards for basic human decency and fundamental human rights. I absolutely believe this, and using cultural differences - whether by governments or individuals - to excuse or justify the abuse of those human rights is disgusting to me.
That's my screed for the day, sorry. I kept meaning to post happy fun fandom things here, but another time.
Being a fan of a work/band/whatever from a certain country does not make you suddenly an authority on that country's culture, history, or politics, nor does it erase the country's imperfections (because no country is perfect) or justify your deliberate attempts to dismiss those imperfections to keep that country on a pedestal.
Or, summed up: being a fan of something from a certain country does not excuse you from being a decent human being.
So Japanese weeaboos, wherever you're actually from, stop defending Pearl Harbor and the Rape of Nanking and the rape of Korean comfort women. Stop attacking every other country that has issue with Japan because Japan can't have ever done anything wrong! It is the land of shiny bishies and kawaii things!
So Korean idol stans, wherever you're actually from, stop defending racism and homophobia and misogyny in Korea because it's just part of the culture and, omg, oppa totally didn't even mean it that way. Stop attacking Japanese pop groups because they're so much ~lesser~ than Korean pop groups, like you're the most objective person ever.
So Chinese fans... Okay, I'm not in Chinese fandoms. I don't even know what to say here, but I highly doubt fans of Chinese media or Chinese fans themselves are free from any of the above. China loves nothing more than a great big persecution complex. It also loves a closed environment and is, as far as I can tell, not particularly interested in soliciting outside interest into their entertainment bubble. The better to maintain control and spin your propaganda, eh, CCP?
I'm not saying you can't have opinions - just stop having fucking ignorant opinions. Understand that just because you have some insight or experience or relevant thoughts, you have not become an expert. Unless you are from that country, unless you live in that country, you don't have the same insight and experience. Your perspective is lacking.
So once in a while it may behoove you to listen with an open mind instead of being so eager to share your opinion, which is SO relevant and SO informed just because you happen to like SHINee or Naruto or whatever.
There's little I hate more than the cultural relativism argument. Culture matters a lot, absolutely. Differing cultural norms may often cause people to miscommunicate due to those differences. Diversity should be respected and celebrated! But there are some universal standards for basic human decency and fundamental human rights. I absolutely believe this, and using cultural differences - whether by governments or individuals - to excuse or justify the abuse of those human rights is disgusting to me.
That's my screed for the day, sorry. I kept meaning to post happy fun fandom things here, but another time.
