I actually made a long comment on Lelangir’s entry for the RR group’s writing. Due to my male gender, I am just throwing my two cents for random effect. I felt that the comment can be brought back to THAT as well, which is why I decided to throw it here for everyone to discuss about it. The topic about the otaku circle and the demeaning behavior of otaku society has been said to death by many people.
However, there has been little introspective on why this occurs. No, I am not telling you about “oh, I am hated so this is why it happens”. Well, perhaps a little. I am asking you how this condition occurs. In this short entry, I would like to propose some ideas from the bare knowledge I have. If you are wondering who Merton is, Robert K. Merton is a very important 20th century sociologist, along with Paul Lazarsfeld, who talked about social structures in the late 1930s to 1940s. In particular is a very important theory known as the self-fulfilling prophesy, which will be discussed a little more below.
Ok, let’s put this in perspective in rather laymen’s terms since academic discourse is rather tiring for me (I just got back from an academic conference, and it is rather tiring to speak of theories, analysis and the likes for a while). Still, I really like to engage in a little brainy talk, since my dumb mind is getting more rusty as the days goes by. Let me get to my point.
The whole group culture of otakus and the perception we have of NEETS and hikkimoris in general, in my opinion, is a mixture of homophily, the Pygmalion effect and the need for stereotyping. Yes, I have thrown quite a few social science jargons at you, but I will explain them a bit further. Let me go deeper into a ramble of nonsense.
Homophily is a concept used in social network research (something I deal with in my graduate dissertation). Homophily explains that people are more likely to form interpersonal relationships with people of similar traits such as culture, demographics, and behavior. This phenomenon generally occurs within social settings that facilitate similar social actors to form social networks (Knoke, 1990). Moreover, a key finding in Gil-Mendieta and Schmidt (1996) found that homophily is a major factor in influencing the formation of a group network and the frequency of interpersonal communication within a network.
Placed in simple terms, homophily simply means that birds of the same feather flock together. This is somewhat of a social condition of humans to associate with those that are similar to you than someone different. Despite the fact that many otakus seem to admire pretty hot office ladies, they will never talk or have fear in approaching them because they are perceived to be different. That is why otaku hangs out together, resulting in a spiral of negativity and the belief that they cannot associate with anyone. In fact, it is merely the Pygmalion effect, which I will explain below.
The Pygmalion effect is simply a symptom where certain members of society have an inferior complex and poor expectations of themselves. internalize their negative label. The self-fulfilling prophecy has been quipped with many different terms and philosophies, but it is perhaps true that otakus themselves perceive their personal self to be inferior than normal people (or the mainstream). As such, it is like a defense mechanism that rejects social desire, but in fact is aimed to find social need from similar people (returning to my first point).
It only leads others to stereotyping, since it allows people to formulate ideas about a group of people without any need to think. Sympathy comes because there is an reinforcement of status quo within the victimized group (who perceives itself to be in a vicious cycle, true or not) and a superior group (who pities but do not have time to bother about others).
Not sure if I make any sense, but well, that’s it. Citations for interest below. If you understand me or do not, it does not matter. How do you feel about your own mentality in approaching any matter that has consequences?
References
Gil-Mendieta, J., & Schmidt, S. (1996). The political network in Mexico, Social Networks, 18(4), 355-381.
Knoke, D. (1990). Networks of political action: Toward theory construction. Social Forces, 68(4), 1041-1063.
23 Comments
That is the most funniest picture I have seen in a long time!
Funny picture and interesting text! Keep the good work!
There’s a root cause for every problem. This is no different.
It stems from Japan’s inane and childish desire to prove itself to the International stage. Those who fail to do so fall instantly into a spiral of negativity and whatnot due to a loss of purpose and hope. Losing their drive purpose and hope, they turn to things like animé and whatnot to escape their reality.
The irony is that none of the negativity gets across when the subculture got recognized/translated, and so the not-Japanese otaku does not suffer from the loss of purpose and hope. We have people instead choosing to be obsessed with the subculture (think Trekkies or Harry Potter fans) out of their own free will. There’s nothing wrong with their social functions or anything; they’re just acting like spoiled children. (Then again, I could apply this to the majority of humanity today :V)
Understanding how people socialize and connect must be real interesting but it’s just as interesting to see why it happens too. And the causes of such events happening.
Simply put, otakudom thrives because it is a sinister presence that lurks deep within us all. To be human is to have otaku potential.
Hmm. Sounded funnier in my head. Sorry, I didn’t even read the post… what’s going on here?
Impzy you make perfect sense as always, well at least to us crazy people
“It only leads others to stereotyping, since it allows people to formulate ideas about a group of people without any need to think.
Now ain’t that the truth. Part of the R-R discussion also covered the Akiba incident slightly.”
Although really its a different kind of topic, but it is sort of related, especially if you consider that sentence of yours Impz.
Violent video games, movies, t.v shows, anime, mangas. They don’t make people go out and do these things. They might spark something, but then so could somebody saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
The point is that tendency had to be there in the first place. The people who go out and do these things are stuck in their own isolated little world and no-one really understands them. Because they don’t actually take the time, instead they see the stereotype and think they know.
Oh yeah he plays DOOM so that explains why he shot up all those people.
Or maybe they were shy and bulled and because they felt inferior they were too shy to effectively communicate with people who just seemed to look down their nose at them anyway.
So they keep to their little bubbles and internalize their anger and one day they go BOOM.
But it was the video games fault.
Eh sorry I went off on random there and babbled, but then again that’s what I usually do!
@Impz: Completely agree. Very good post. It’s a very sad world in which people feel so inferior and worthles only because they don’t fit into society and it’s demands. They can, in a sensitive and supporting surrounding, develop better image of themselves and form strog relationship and reveal their unique talents.
@DrmChsr0: Why do you see these people as “spoiled children”? They enjoy reading or watching something and wish to discuss it or to be involved with tose things they love. What “obsession” do you find in it? Why do you think these people are “spoiled” or “childish”? Why do you thing you’re better then them?
Is the Pygmalion effect also what makes up the extreme social classes, like eta in Japan or the untouchables in India? This is the first time I’ve heard of this so I’m rather curious about other applications outside of the ones from my high school hallways.
very intresting.
the whole theory of inferiority im not sure if agree with though. just from my own experinces, i say most otaku’s are actually quite arrogant, beliveing theyre intellectually supirior and even though the “cool” kids dont like them its ohkay because the “cool” kids dont understand the world like the otaku’s.
aside from that, alot of it makes sense, and for most otaku’s your probably right about the inferiority complex, its just the circles i go in are filled with arrogant ones, but going back to the “birds of the feather”, im actually quite arrogant etc myself so its not much of a surprise.
@D.J
hmm not sure about that, although yes your right for some people, alot of people are desperate to make reality more like their favourite games, stories etc. so take it into their own hands.
lol funny ass picture! The text was a good read.
I have alot of friends from many social groups and i am not afraid to approach a hot ladie! I have some otaku friends who are like that but im not. I guess theres always a exception to the rule…..or mabey in not just as otaku as i think!:(
“The whole group culture of otakus and the perception we have of NEETS and hikkimoris in general, in my opinion, is a mixture of homophily, the Pygmalion effect and the need for stereotyping.”
Wow, god. Big words. But it actually DOES make a ton of sense. :] your explanation is really clear. and like everyone else has said, nice picture!
Read everything, understand nothing.
Your brain is far too advanced for me ;_;
No, actually, I understood the homophily part.
Does this have something to do with psychology? Cos I like psychology.
Being a (partially) hot office lady myself (technically; I work for a brokerage firm), I can partly confirm the fact that the average anime lover (note that I’m steering away from the term ‘otaku’ as it does have some rather negative connotations) at cons seemed to have a hard time striking up a (non-anime) conversation with me… The seem to have become relatively rarer though, as the college kids that attend such gatherings these days seem, I dunno, more ‘normal’, e.g. they watch basketball, and play sports, outside of watching anime.
So basically otakus are damning themselves to a negative spiral because of their desire to connect with others of similar values?
so what about this? I’m a anime lover but i watch soccer too
well said, Impz. Now to shugo2b: there are two types of people with inferiority complex, the passive ones who withdraw themselves from socializing and/or engaging in other activities which they know they won’t do well in, and those who exert their superiority so much just to fill in that “inferiority void”. They boost their ego to fill in that hole of inferiority, hence those arrogant kids you talk about are most likely suffering from some sort of inferiority complex as well.
“the Pygmalion effect and the need for stereotyping”
Does this mean Henry Higgins of all people is an Otaku? He is a big linguistics fan and has unrealistic expectations too…
Seriously, how is he not?
@Impz: Completely agreed.
@Shugo2b: Wait, are those people who think highly of themselves Western otaku? Because there certainly is a difference between American otaku (in general) and Japanese otaku (in general). Sure, American fans may boast their knowledge of anime, manga, etc. but that’s because they don’t have the same inferiority complex that a lot of Japanese otaku have. Like Impz said, Japanese society is structured in a way that if you somehow fail to meet certain standards, you automatically fall off the social radar and spiral down into hopelessness. I think its more of the foreign anime/manga fans that are “arrogant”. Otaku in Japan rarely venture outside of their apartments out of shame.
Lol! I wrote too much! This is a summary. The full text, with explainations and comparisons to social geography, has been reposted to my blog here.
While Homophily among Otaku is probably true, how much is similarity between young middle-class Internet users and how much is because we love animé? Is it implying an Otaku would more likely socialise with another user of 4-chan memes than the hot colleague? I think, probably, not. Maybe that idea relies on the stereotype that Otaku are shy, however this could be true of middle-class Internet users or true of neither.
The pygmalion effect, as social phenomena which affects Otakus, is barely evident. Maybe we would be able to communicate in a language incomprehensible to others but I fail to see how socialisation can homogenise the self-image and personal values of such a diverse and widely dispersed community.
EDIT: Otaku used in this context means a more general worldwide view of people who are obsessive with animé.
LDC: Mature discussion usually means talking about it in a calm not freaky manner.
How these people go about it is like a child when he or she has something new: They show it off to people, sometimes in a completely inappropriate manner. And when people do not agree with them, they tend to throw tantrums and whatnot. A more mature individual who is quite into this stuff would show it in his actions. Such as canceling a date to watch his favorite animé on TV or something.
Also, I did not say I was better than them. (On the contrary, I think I am a lot worse off.) I was just stating my observations based on my knowledge of the matter.
They do not mate, they proliferate by passing on their knowledge to younger generations.
Oddly in my case, bias towards obesity and poor social skills (I’m shy and an airhead by nature) gave me my inferior complexes (I like to call them gar trials now) way before I discovered anime. Actually, because of anime I opened up more, so I guess each case if different.
Ho ho ho, I took a while to reply, but here’s my take on some of your comments.
@Omar and Dale: I stole the picture ^^. HO HO HO~
@Drm: I do not think that this is particular to Japan. In fact, deviants of society (not depicting them as anything negative) always seems to have a them and us mentality. That’s really how it is. It’s perhaps more media-friendly (read: more sensational) to blame something like anime for some things.
@D.J: Yep, it’s really how people perceive certain groups, and those groups are willing (willing as in not trying hard enough to shake off the perception) to indulge in their perception. In the end, people in the extreme end of the internalizing mind just explode, as you say. In the end, everyone is looking for a cause/effect or someone to point the fault. The truth is that it’s just that he never bothers to try, and society does not have time to give chances.
@LDC: It’s quite sad when I state this, but the world isn’t sad. The world is as happy as you want it to be. I believe that the world is a good place.
@Caitlin: Well, it’s generally more researched in terms of the expectations of students. I believe that it is more of social structure (an aspect covered by Merton as well). I am not too sure of the theories depicting such a scenario, but the Pygmalion effect might be a contributing factor. The power of perception and the mind is often understated.
@Shugo: Isn’t that an inferority complex of its own to look down on people in order to compensate their weaknesses? A question in reply for your question. Oh, Jen answered it for me.
@Setsuna-san: the extreme ones are, probably. They keep to themselves, and humans are social creatures. Try living without any communication and contact with anyone for a long time. You will turn crazy.
@Teeif: let’s see. I believe the concept of homophily is more of an aggregate belief. It simply states that people always look for familarity rather than something new. Hence, using that example, it is possible that a 4-chan member otaku who is shy is more likely to associate with another that is similar to him. Yet, your example given might be very different. I am perhaps an anime fan, but i find otakus in general rather sick. There are similarities, but I am not that similar to them. Get how it means?
I believe that people’s ignorance and expectations of how you should act makes you more conscious and you will act in a way that you are being ostrachized by society. In other words, there is a compelling force that will push you toward doing the thing you do not want at all.
Nonetheless, this is not a blanket reason for everyone. Humans are complicated creatures. If I can give just a single reason for a certain phenomena, I will be an avatar or a demigod.
@Yaku: heh. nice one.
impz: Maybe so but I was looking at it with regards to Japan and it’s society.
Unfortunately, I can apply your explanation to all the ills of this world. :V
@usajen
yeh thats probably right actually
@lycoris
some are japanese and some are western, but yes the western ones are waaay more arrogant
One Trackback
[Round Robin #2.5] A Whole Bunch of Random Stuff…
Section 1: Imagined Readers
In a supremely humiliating dose of irony I’ll have to dive into semantics for a bit. It is defining “the blog” because its definition is situational. For Myspace, if you have no friends, why bother having o…