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[Onemic]

You literally have no reading comprehension skills. Here, I'll bold it for you this time my man

I'll just leave this here, sums up my thoughts nicely:

"The truth is that if a word is racial and it offends people, it’s a slur. The person who says the word doesn’t get to decide whether it’s offensive or not; it’s the group to which they refer. Otherwise, you could justify using any racial slur whatsoever by just saying you didn’t mean it that way. Any smart redneck closet racist will tell you that he doesn’t mean ‘n****r’ in a bad way; it’s just what he calls black people, so why get so upset? (I’m not comparing ‘n***er’ to ‘gaijin’; it’s just meant as an analogy).

Whether it’s harmless or nasty, it perpetuates an ‘us and them’ worldview that’s harmful to Japan as a whole. This worldview makes it okay for people to discriminate against those who look differently than them."

Yes I do, you just don't know the meaning of your own words that you use. An analogy is a comparison. Perhaps you should try learning the definitions of words before you start using them.

 

[sangreal]

Calling someone a foreigner isn't inherently problematic, it's the context. Just like there is nothing wrong with calling a black guy black, but "fucking stupid black people" would be racist. Likewise, "fucking stupid foreigners" is xenophobic, which is typical for stupid fucking japanese people. see? It's the implication that the reason people are "fucking stupid" is their race/nationality/other generalization that is offensive.

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Kamiya has limited knowledge of Japanese?

Of English, which makes it likely for his statement to come off as more generalizing than intended even when emphasizing that he was referring to some foreigners. Besides, that other guy he parroted was basically asking to be insulted.

It's the implication that the reason people are "fucking stupid" is their race/nationality/other generalization that is offensive.

This. Here Kamiya is talking about people being stupid who happen to be foreigners. He never implied that kind of thing.

 

[Kacho]

EDIT: But this thread has been helpful, I originally thought gaijin was on par with the n word in America. Clearly it's not but I still view it as a slur.

I agree that gaijin can be considered a slur (depending on context), just not a racial one.

 

[Globox_82]

Why do you assume we're all white?

because he is another racist pretending that he is not. Or maybe he has some tech that can see who is on the other side. In that case his machine is not working well...

 

[Flachmatuch]

Calling someone a foreigner isn't inherently problematic, it's the context. Just like there is nothing wrong with calling a black guy black, but "fucking stupid black people" would be racist. Likewise, "fucking stupid foreigners" is xenophobic, which is typical for stupid fucking japanese people. see?

Xenophoby, on the other hand, is mostly justified. I find the American and European demand for acceptance of their own culture while going around the world destroying others physically and culturally extremely hypocritical and downright infuriating. Do you even know what the historical origins of Japanese xenophoby are? What the fate of civilisations that weren't isolationist and xenophobic but accepted foreigners (Europeans) with open arms was? Or are you just demanding acceptance because it's convenient for you?

There are countries where people don't generally like foreigners. So fucking what? On what basis should people like us and be immediately accepting? And do people really think America or Europe are fundamentally better?

 

[2San]

Of English, which makes it likely for his statement to come off as more generalizing than intended when emphasizing that he was referring to some foreigners.

He made the statement in Japanese. Then again in English, because someone called him out for being in pussy for saying it in Japanese.

 

[Krauser Kat]

Calling someone a foreigner isn't inherently problematic, it's the context. Just like there is nothing wrong with calling a black guy black, but "fucking stupid black people" would be racist. Likewise, "fucking stupid foreigners" is xenophobic, which is typical for stupid fucking japanese people. see? It's the implication that the reason people are "fucking stupid" is their race/nationality/other generalization that is offensive.

When said people did something actually fucking stupid pretty inoffensive to the world at large and only meant to offend said people.

 

[Doomshine]

Late, but I'm not surprised Plunkett would defend that article. It sounds like something he would've written.

 

[rmanthorp]

Lol.

 

[mclem]

Errr, none of these mean "foreigner", not even close. WTF.

"People who wanna know what love is"

 

[JDSN]

Calling someone a foreigner isn't inherently problematic, it's the context. Just like there is nothing wrong with calling a black guy black, but "fucking stupid black people" would be racist. Likewise, "fucking stupid foreigners" is xenophobic, which is typical for stupid fucking japanese people. see? It's the implication that the reason people are "fucking stupid" is their race/nationality/other generalization that is offensive.

Is it really typical from Japanese people?

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

He made the statement in Japanese...

...Then again in English, because someone called him out for being in pussy for saying it in Japanese.

but the idiot tweeter(?), who called out Kamiya, didn't see that he wasn't saying it to ALL foreigners... just some foreigners(meaning him: the idiot tweeter)

Sweet dreams, everyone & some クソ馬鹿ぼんくらガイジン

 

[Gucci Messiah]

Xenophoby, on the other hand, is mostly justified. I find the American and European demand for acceptance of their own culture while going around the world destroying others physically and culturally extremely hypocritical and downright infuriating. Do you even know what the historical origins of Japanese xenophoby are? What the fate of civilisations that weren't isolationist and xenophobic but accepted foreigners (Europeans) with open arms was? Or are you just demanding acceptance because it's convenient for you?

There are countries where people don't generally like foreigners. So fucking what? On what basis should people like us and be immediately accepting? And do people really think America or Europe are fundamentally better?

Haha, here comes the hero Japan needs

EDIT: Did you forget about the second world war? Japan isn't exactly innocent when it comes to imperial expansion.

 

[Mlatador]

Kamiya-San is the man!

 

[Flachmatuch]

Haha, here comes the hero Japan needs

I'm not defending Japan. I'm bashing Americans.

EDIT: Did you forget about the second world war? Japan isn't exactly innocent when it comes to imperial expansion.

Absolutely not. When did I said they were innocent? I just said that there is a reason for their xenophoby and that the American and European demand for openness and general love and acceptance is hypocritical and infuriating.

 

[MachoSuave]

Oh, the irony.

There is a difference between irony and satire, it's not immediately apparent, but I think it's something all those who like to abuse the i-word should look in to.
Sorry for semantics.

Also *woosh*

Edit: Too slow, ha

 

[near]

Kamiya-san needs to grow the fuck up. This is all rather pathetic and a sad cry out for attention.

 

[Augemitbutter]

Read the full conversation. Kamiya was parroting the person he was retweeting. He would have come out of this cleaner if he hadn't said "foreigner", but I don't think he was being racist in that tweet.

i know that he basically responded to a rough? translation of an earlier tweet. what i'm trying to say is: if you're talking shit, you're talking shit. it doesn't matter where you're from. i'm not calling him a racist.

 

[Kacho]

Kamiya-san needs to grow the fuck up. This is all rather pathetic and a sad cry out for attention.

How is he crying out for attention?

 

[JDSN]

There is a difference between irony and satire, it's not immediately apparent, but I think it's something all those who like to abuse the i-word should look in to.
Sorry for semantics.

Also *woosh*

Edit: Too slow, ha

Its still ironic, the coment about that behavior being typical to the Japanese remains.

 

[stupei]

Calling someone a foreigner isn't inherently problematic, it's the context. Just like there is nothing wrong with calling a black guy black, but "fucking stupid black people" would be racist. Likewise, "fucking stupid foreigners" is xenophobic, which is typical for stupid fucking japanese people. see? It's the implication that the reason people are "fucking stupid" is their race/nationality/other generalization that is offensive.

Do you think if Kotaku were run mostly by Japanese bloggers they would write an article using one man's opinion to speak for the overall point of view of game designers in Japan, or are they probably doing this specific stupid thing because they aren't from Japan? You know, behaving fucking stupid because they're foreigners.

 

[demidar]

Oh shit, WWII talk. We're one step closer to Godwin's Law.

 

[Globox_82]

Xenophoby, on the other hand, is mostly justified. I find the American and European demand for acceptance of their own culture while going around the world destroying others physically and culturally extremely hypocritical and downright infuriating. Do you even know what the historical origins of Japanese xenophoby are? What the fate of civilisations that weren't isolationist and xenophobic but accepted foreigners (Europeans) with open arms was? Or are you just demanding acceptance because it's convenient for you?

There are countries where people don't generally like foreigners. So fucking what? On what basis should people like us and be immediately accepting? And do people really think America or Europe are fundamentally better?

YES AND YES my silly friend. But it's pointless pointing at obvious if you don't see it for yourself. Mr. Japanese Hero

 

[Ezalc]

Has this picture been posted yet? I feel like it should be for some reason:

 

[Typographenia]

Oh shit, WWII talk. We're one step closer to Godwin's Law.

You already missed it, then. Happened in the earliest pages of the thread.

 

[Mazzo]

Is Kamiya all angry like that IRL or does he just feel that this is the best way to interact with his twitter's audiences?

 

[Zoe]

i know that he basically responded to a rough? translation

For the record, he says "kuso" which is literally "crap"/"shit", not "fuck." But given his choice of curse words when he writes in English, "fuck" probably fits his personality better.

 

[Globox_82]

Kamiya-san needs to grow the fuck up. This is all rather pathetic and a sad cry out for attention.

He just tries hard to be cool and hip as all 13 year olds do...but fails hard since he is 40 + year old!

 

[Holy Order Sol]

He made the statement in Japanese. Then again in English, because someone called him out for being in pussy for saying it in Japanese.

I read that. I believe that the translation is more loaded than the original text due to syntax as you said and "gaijin" being a word whose racial undertones, if any, aren't clear-cut. That other guy read it, took offense, and translated it as he understood it.

 

[Deleted member 20920]

Kamiya-san needs to grow the fuck up. This is all rather pathetic and a sad cry out for attention.

You could argue that he was rude and/or xenophobic but this is certainly not a cry for attention...He is merely defending himself.

 

[Flachmatuch]

YES AND YES my silly friend. But it's pointless pointing at obvious if you don't see it for yourself. Mr. Japanese Hero

I'm not defending Japan. I'm just calling Westerners who demand complete unconditional acceptance from foreigners, people of different cultures ignorant, hypocritical morons. Just think back to how Europeans (who became Americans) handled the First Nations and whether their friendliness and trust worked out for them. I just find it pretty disgusting for Westerners to expect people to accept them and be accomodating towards them and pretend they're "open" and friendly. Obviously it's pretty difficult for Americans to understand this.

 

[Kacho]

Is Kamiya all angry like that IRL or does he just feel that this is the best way to interact with his twitter's audiences?

He reacts that way to the idiots who ask him/say dumb things on twitter. He responds nicely to those who ask him legitimate questions (

Spoiler

mostly

).

 

[Deleted member 20920]

Is Kamiya all angry like that IRL or does he just feel that this is the best way to interact with his twitter's audiences?

Most of his tweets are quite mild and even friendly. He's only pissed off when people are offending or say stupid things.

 

[demidar]

You already missed it, then. Happened in the earliest pages of the thread.

Uh wow okay. Ummm Godwin's Law II: Electric Boogaloo.

btw, Hideki was really into British Punk when he was younger. Clearly a racist.

 

[Globox_82]

I'm not defending Japan. I'm just calling Westerners who demand complete unconditional acceptance from foreigners, people of different cultures ignorant, hypocritical morons. Just think back to how Europeans (who became Americans) handled the First Nations and whether their friendliness and trust worked out for them.

Dude please stop. It's pathetic

 

[2San]

I read that. I believe that the translation is more loaded than the original text due to syntax as you said and "gaijin" being a word whose racial undertones, if any, aren't clear-cut. That other guy read it, took offense, and translated it as he understood it.

He says "stupid fucking idiot gaijin". The word "gaijin" got translated as "foreigner". I'm not taking offense with the word "gaijin", but as I said throwing "stupid fucking idiot" in front of it makes it negative.

 

[LiK]

He reacts that way to the idiots who ask him/say dumb things on twitter. He responds nicely to those who ask him legitimate questions (

Spoiler

mostly

).

He's always been nice to me. Thankfully...lol

 

[Digital-Hero]

I bet Crecente is happy he isn't there anymore, or he would probably reveal the shit salad he eats daily.

 

[Kacho]

He's always been nice to me. Thankfully...lol

haha

He was cool to me until I asked him if he would kill off Slippy in his Star Fox game.

 

[Flachmatuch]

Dude please stop. It's pathetic

You're fucking clueless. Seriously.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

haha

He was cool to me until I asked him if he would kill off Slippy in his Star Fox game.

good


leave Slippy alone

 

[Schweinehund]

I guess its pretty offensive. I can understand "some foreigners" though, in the context he's talking about an outside person's view/understanding of japan, not all outsiders.

Eitherway its not something I'll remember a few weeks from now, its not a big deal.

 

[MachoSuave]

Its still ironic, the coment about that behavior being typical to the Japanese remains.

If he was being serious, yes, that would be ironic. If he was referring to them as he did simply to invoke the feeling that he was being offensive by parroting what he had said previously with a change of roles, (i.e. as a joke, sarcastically) that would be satirical.

There are countries where people don't generally like foreigners. So fucking what? On what basis should people like us and be immediately accepting? And do people really think America or Europe are fundamentally better?

YES AND YES my silly friend. But it's pointless pointing at obvious if you don't see it for yourself. Mr. Japanese Hero

Someone has clearly never met a Parisian.

 

[geebee]

So many posts about this lol. I think you guys are looking into this a bit too much. It was a simple, straight to the point comment about Kotaku that we all already know.

About the gaijin/foreigner thing.. I think its fair for him to lump together all of the foreign fans that harass him on a daily basis.

 

[demidar]

So many ad hominems it would make Hideki Kamiya blush.

 

[Baconsammy]

How is he crying out for attention?

His entire twitter persona is a cry for attention. Why else would you join twitter and use it?

 

[sonicmj1]

I'm not defending Japan. I'm bashing Americans.



Absolutely not. When did I said they were innocent? I just said that there is a reason for their xenophoby and that the American and European demand for openness and general love and acceptance is hypocritical and infuriating.

I'm pretty sure the word here is "xenophobia". I only remark on it because you're using xenophoby so much, and it hurts my head a little every time I see it.

Not trying to discredit your argument (good or bad, Japan's obsession with its uniqueness and/or xenophobia is a reaction to European colonial imperialism), but clearer communication is always a good thing.

The Kotaku piece is pretty casually stupid in the way that many of these sorts of articles are. Kamiya's reaction is rude, but if I was a public figure who'd made the same dedication to personally responding to absolutely everybody who posted to me on Twitter, I'd probably inevitably tell those I didn't have the patience for to fuck off as well. I can't get too worked up about it.

At the end of the day, the fewer articles I read about what people did on Twitter, the happier I am.

 

[Jinko]

I get that Sammy, believe me. However, I believe he's using race to distinguish between "us" and "them" which is natural. To me, when you use the word "gaijin" in a negative context I feel like it comes with some racial undertones. That's all I'm saying.

Of course it does, just as when you use foreigner in a negative way it completely changes the meaning/context of the word/sentence.

Doesn't really matter either way though, people will do and say what they want.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

It's the context the word is used in. "Cracker" by itself isn't a slur but when you apply it to a white individual it is. I don't know if that makes sense, I'm running on 4 cups of coffee.

Well, sure, I understand this.

"The truth is that if a word is racial and it offends people, it’s a slur. The person who says the word doesn’t get to decide whether it’s offensive or not; it’s the group to which they refer. Otherwise, you could justify using any racial slur whatsoever by just saying you didn’t mean it that way. Any smart redneck closet racist will tell you that he doesn’t mean ‘n****r’ in a bad way; it’s just what he calls black people, so why get so upset? (I’m not comparing ‘n***er’ to ‘gaijin’; it’s just meant as an analogy).

A slur is not a slur because of how it sounds, and that one day someone woke up and decided it offends them. Slurs are slurs specifically because of how they were meant by those who first used them, and they remain offensive because of their historical use. I know you qualify at the end that you are not comparing the words, but yet you are.

Language is alive and fluid, and all of our opinions matter to the meaning of words. This also means that we're not operating in a vacuum, and rebranding words on the fly is counterproductive at best. In a way, we're agreeing on this.

In context, I think it's pretty safe to say Kamiya is using the word "gaijin" as a pejorative. He is an irascible, passionate, occasionally childish guy who I think has a fairly standard if possibly unhealthy obsession with his twitter feed, his response is overly rude and crude, but he is knee-jerk responding to one person releasing a stupidly named article which quote mines him specifically to make him look ignorant.

I'm not his biggest fan, but frankly, "Do you eat shit?" is a kind of an appropriate zinger referencing a throw away article on a site that has earned a reputation as essentially a video game tabloid.

Amusingly enough, Kotaku has also retitled the article because they realized "clueless" could be thought of as pejorative.