The Term "Otaku"

[sock]

I guess people just use it either because they can relate to it, or because they don't know what it completely means.

Also, a lot of people use words because they see other people use them. We're like sheep, we follow the leader. No one knows how to be themselves anymore. Especially without using Japanese words they think are 'cool' to use because their friends do.

I don't think it should be used negatively, though. There are many people (including myself) who are mildly "otaku", and I'm happy.

 

[Nightmares]

I know a lot of people self identify as being otaku and I don't think thats a negative or bad thing to be.

 

[Kess]

I think it's because, over in the west the term "nerd" has become sort of an endearment. As in like, "haha, you're such a nerd! You're so cute!" "that's my nerd over there." "you're such a nerd! But you're my nerd :]". And "geek" as also become not so insulting. So basically, an "otaku" is like "nerd". So people here think it can be used the same way over here, even though it's actually really insulting from where it came from. Also for whatever reason, it's become a sort of fad to suffer from (or to say you suffer from) social anxiety and be a recluse. As someone whos suffered with both generalized anxiety and social, lemme tell you, it's not fun, it's crippling.

 

[Chris]

I remember bringing this up in a thread on another forum back around 2008-2009. My pal Tia responded with something along the lines of, "Not to Americans. It's come to mean something else." I'd disagreed with that at the time, but the misuse has been so widespread for so long by this point that I've just come to accept that the word has just been appropriated to have a slightly different meaning in English. Other languages (including Japanese) borrow English words and adapt the meanings - I guess this is just an example of happening in reverse.