Holier-than-thou elder gaijin types

[edogaijin]

This isn't a shot at any forum members. I think most of us have met one of these guys. The guys that brag about how many kanji they know or how much Japanese culture they understand. The "my Japan" types that scowl at other foreigners. To these guys, Japan is a perfect utopia and if anyone disagrees they vehemently shame that person. They insult other foreigners, usually tourists or Americans, and generally fall into two broad types: Charisma Men or Otaku. Usually these types are deeply negative and very arrogant about themselves.

Sort of curious, has anyone met a foreigner like this? Why do these people feel it's necessary to correct other foreigners

 

[thomas]

While gaijin can be quite territorial and more often than not tend to ignore each other obstinately on close encounter, I still have to meet one who - after ten or more years of residence - still considers Japan a utopia.

I too growl at other gaijin around my turf.

 

[johnnyG]

This isn't a shot at any forum members. I think most of us have met one of these guys. The guys that brag about how many kanji they know or how much Japanese culture they understand. The "my Japan" types that scowl at other foreigners. To these guys, Japan is a perfect utopia and if anyone disagrees they vehemently shame that person. They insult other foreigners, usually tourists or Americans, and generally fall into two broad types: Charisma Men or Otaku. Usually these types are deeply negative and very arrogant about themselves.

Sort of curious, has anyone met a foreigner like this? Why do these people feel it's necessary to correct other foreigners

Since they're kind of rare (even if they do exist), why do you feel the need to correct them here (a forum that they'd never frequent)?

And portraying themselves as charisma men or otaku?

And deeply negative?

You must be kidding.

 

[nahadef]

There's this guy on this forum, actually, who gripes about stuff pretty relentlessly, he's deeply negative. And he insults foreigners for not being like him. He calls them slaves and Uncle Toms. He genuinely acts like he's better than any other foreigner in the country, and thinks he's superior to Japanese on top of that. It's astounding, yet he insists on spending his free time around them.

I have no clue what his problem is, but I'm happy not to have met him in person.

 

[edogaijin]

I just think I'm equal to the Japanese, not better. Wasn't trying to insult anyone on the forum either, just saying I think people should appreciate the positives and negative of Japan, rather than focusing only on the positive. I don't feel the need to inferior or subservient just because I am a foreigner. The foreigners that think they are less than the Japanese or try to justify racism, yeah that basically is slave logic. I called one poster an "Uncle Tom" because he was trying to justify blatant racism and xenophobic behavior.

I don't know many people in real life that think racism is ever acceptable...

 

[Tamayo]

I've always thought that this sort of pride and cockiness is something that comes from someone who's worked hard to achieve what they have. I'm generally not a very douchey person, but at times, I do catch myself being a little too prideful about things I've accomplished in my life (not that there are too many things I have to be proud of), especially when it comes to things that are obscure and/or take a long time to learn about.

It's almost as if they want people to notice and remark on their seniority, but they don't know how to show it other than by being passive-aggressive and imposing.

What brings up the topic, anyhow?

 

[edogaijin]

I've always thought that this sort of pride and cockiness is something that comes from someone who's worked hard to achieve what they have. I'm generally not a very douchey person, but at times, I do catch myself being a little too prideful about things I've accomplished in my life (not that there are too many things I have to be proud of), especially when it comes to things that are obscure and/or take a long time to learn about.

It's almost as if they want people to notice and remark on their seniority, but they don't know how to show it other than by being passive-aggressive and imposing.

What brings up the topic, anyhow?

There is a guy I know in real life that knows really decent Japanese and he's been here awhile. He's definitely a prideful sort that's also worked hard to be here and learn Japanese. His passive-aggressive comments have recently turned into really condescending remarks about my situation in Japan.

He's probably just upset that I'm a foreigner applying for unemployment after being terminated in Japan from a major company and running out of money and not paying my local ward taxes yet. I mean I guess illiterate foreign members of society, especially the unemployed, are looked down on in most societies. But I think everyone's entitled to a certain amount of respect even if they have messed up their life in Japan. Whether it was by being alcoholic or whatever.

 

[Tamayo]

But I think everyone's entitled to a certain amount of respect even if they have messed up their life in Japan. Whether it was by being alcoholic or whatever.

Not in all cases, of course, but I'd have to agree with you a bit there. Japan doesn't seem like the easiest country to just pack up and move to -- I understand that one can sortof manage to get by without learning the language and becoming accustomed with the culture, but it is definitely (at least from what I've seen/heard/read) nowhere near as accommodating as the U.S. when it comes to foreigners and their antics.